Fatally Yours

Chapter 34

•DOMINIK•

The private meeting room in our home was one of the few places where I could think clearly. The heavy oak table in the center and the dark leather chairs surrounding it felt both familiar and grounding.

Right now, it was just me, Mihai, and Uncle Luca seated around the table, the diamond necklace I had secured during the auction resting in the center.

Its brilliance caught the light of the chandelier above, each facet glinting with deceptive beauty. It was more than just a piece of jewelry; it was leverage, a tool, or maybe even a weapon.

I leaned back in my chair, the weight of recent events pressing on me.

"This," I said, motioning to the necklace, "stays here. In this house. I brought it because nowhere else feels safe enough. If anyone's looking for it, they won't think to check here."

Uncle Luca, ever the calm and collected one, nodded thoughtfully. His dark eyes moved from me to the necklace, his fingers steepled beneath his chin. Mihai, on the other hand, sat forward, his youthful energy making him seem restless.

"Tell us about the ambush," Mihai said, his voice low but sharp with curiosity.

I exhaled slowly, my fingers drumming on the table.

"After the auction, I had no clue anyone was watching me. We were heading back to the main house when they struck—five vehicles. Well-organized, heavily armed. They knew what they were doing."

Uncle Luca's expression darkened, and I could feel the tension rise in the room.

"Do you know who it was?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"Not yet. Lee's digging into it as we speak. He should be calling soon with an update. But whoever it was, they weren't amateurs. This was personal, or at least it felt that way. And that's what bothers me most."

Mihai frowned, his brows knitting together.

"If it's personal, it might not be about the necklace at all. Could be about you, Nik. Whoever it is, they had the nerve to go after you in public. That's bold."

"That's what worries me," I admitted. "But until we have answers, this stays between us. No one else in the family can know."

Both of them turned to look at me, confusion flickering in their expressions. Uncle Luca was the first to speak.

"Why keep it quiet? If someone's targeting you, that means they're targeting us. You know how we handle threats to this family."

"And that's exactly why I don't want anyone else to know," I said firmly, my voice hardening. "You know as well as I do that the moment this gets out, everyone will overreact. They'll want blood, they'll want revenge, and we'll be at war before we even know who we're fighting. I can't risk that. Not yet."

Mihai nodded slowly, though I could see the hesitation in his eyes.

"Alright. If that's what you want, I'll keep it quiet. But if this escalates—"

"We'll handle it then," I cut in. "Right now, it's just us. Agreed?"

Uncle Luca's gaze lingered on me for a moment before he inclined his head.

"Agreed."

A knock at the door broke the tension, and the heavy oak creaked open slightly. It was Pavel, the family's butler, standing in the doorway with his usual composed demeanor.

"Dinner is ready, gentlemen. Everything is prepared, and the rest of the family is waiting."

"Thank you, Pavel," I said, rising from my chair.