Empire Of Ashes

econd-floor balcony of La Notte, his empire stretched before him-a sea of suits and sequins, of whispered deals and desperate hands clutch

on in the air, a reminder that this world thrived not just on pleasure but on power-a

d. And tonight, i

der with criminals, actors shared drinks with bookies, and no one asked questions because the wrong quest

d negotiations. Deals were brokered in the flick of a cigarette lighter, fortunes decided between the rim of a

his reflection caught in the dark glass of the window

----

up beside him, flashing

a night,

ed to let the silence settle, to mak

the posture of a man who thought he'd already won, but Dom had been in this busine

ie?" Dom finally said, swirling the whiskey in h

ough his dark hair. "Come on, boss.

ed how Vinnie's fingers drummed nervously against

stretch between them. A test, sub

almost cracked some idiot's skull earlier. Kid tried skip

e only thing keeping us all from th

gaze a beat to

r, a hesitation beneath the

---

d his shoulders, softened his jawline. Once, he had been Dom's best enforcer. A man built like a batterin

g into the seat across fr

, sloshing the bourbon

n plucked the glass from his hand

ugh. "What, you b

from drowning," Dom corrected.

hen, something tired

ers tapping once against the table. A si

w had it come to this? Marco had once been his rock, his confidant. Now,

---

e belonged among men twice his age. He idolized Dom, wanted in so badly

ening up like a soldier at attentio

his drink.

nna e

s head. "You

at. I wanna

arp, but sharp men cut themse

kill a m

itated. "

y for what 'really e

pride flaring. "I won

nd on his shoulder. "That'

and concern crossing his face. The kid had fire, sure-but fir

---

Calderone nursed a glass of cheap scotch. He didn't belong here, but that

rs. He knew what Dom was, what he controlled, what kind of power ran throu

m down. He shoul

apart without him-who

smoke and signaled

changing in the underworld, and Calderone couldn't shake the feelin

---

ony when he felt her pre

DeL

hadn't belonged to him for years, but some ties never really broke. She caught his

un in its quiet deals and unseen debts, sh

uried, Dom. You of all p

urned and

ightened aro

ing. That mea

---

ain, swirling a glass of whi

used, glancing over the club. "They

im. He just took a s

ore to himself than anyone else.

finally locking

w, that m

ting moment, Dom wondered if Vinnie truly believed those word