Part Sixteen

The cut on Dominic’s eyebrow had required two stitches. He had four cracked ribs, and thankfully no internal bleeding. The backdoor clinic he’d used had patched him up, and sent him on his way with painkillers and a throbbing forehead. He’d gone without the local anesthesia.

It was barely 8 PM, and he gingerly opened his eyes when Ethan parked the SUV in the underground parking lot of his building. He was pissed off, and now Conrad knew exactly where they all stood.

His last words hadn’t been as cryptic. “You are more ready than I was, Dominic.” His words kept playing in Dominic’s head, over and over. Ready to take over? Ready for Conrad to leave him the fuck alone? He could only wish.

Dominic walked into his penthouse alone, having dismissed his men. He wanted to take a shower, have a drink or ten, and climb into bed. Somewhere in between those things on his list he should eat as well.

“Where the hell were you?” Isadora’s voice came loudly from the direction of the kitchen.

“I was bu