บททั้งหมดของ Bound by Blood: บทที่ 21 - บทที่ 30

On Thursday, Dominic, Gage, Faro, Eris, Hunter, and Inara stood in the foyer and welcomed family and friends to their home. They were all clad in black, and Dominic had emptied his conference room to house Conrad’s casket.The bottom half of Conrad’s casket bore the Vittori family crest, just like the mausoleum at the cemetery where they would all be buried one day. The casket gleamed under the lights of the room, and bouquets of lilies, roses, and daisies adorned the surfaces.Tables in the living room were already full of gifts from the mourners gathered together. Fruit baskets, prayer books, beautiful rosaries, cash envelopes, platters of Italian pastries, bottles of wine, candles, and crosses seemed to be in abundance.“Dominic, our condolences to your family.” He was already sick of hearing it, and it would continue throughout the day, until the sun set and they started the vigil. His expression remained solemn, and he nodded his head at each person.People filed in and out of th

The study’s door opened, and Eris sauntered inside followed closely by Faro. They both had dark hair but their eyes were more hazel than Dominic’s dark brown eyes. They were identical twins other than the small cut below Faro’s left eye.Faro had been twelve when he got that cut and Dominic had been fourteen. They’d always gone to private school and only the best was acceptable. The memory slammed into Dominic’s mind and he wondered what the significance of it was.**“Did your mommy think you’re an Egyptian pharaoh, huh, Faro?” He was being taunted by a group of 7th graders and Dominic had burst through the crowd of children gathered around them.“Don’t touch him.” Dominic’s growl could be heard as the crowd quieted.“And if it isn’t Faro’s older sister, Dominic,” the boy taunted again.He held Faro by the shirt with one hand and he pulled his other arm back and slammed his fist into Faro’s face. The golden pinky ring had cut the skin below Faro’s eye and a few droplets of blood ran d

Dominic sat in his study as the sun dipped below the horizon. He’d promised Isadora that he would see her after the funeral. On his desk was a letter, his name written on the front in Conrad’s handwriting.On Dominic’s eighteenth birthday, Conrad had gifted him a hotel. The hotel had been run down, bug infested and not in the best part of the city. It had been his only source of income since Conrad had denied him access to his trust fund until his twenty-first birthday.It was the only thing that had belonged only to him. Over the years, Dominic had diverted his interests to restaurants, night clubs, two investment firms and more hotels and had effectively created a blueprint for the legitimate side of the family businesses.Eris and Faro had also each received a hotel that they’d sold to Dominic and invested that money in their own businesses, namely tech and media firms. Gage had always been different. He didn’t give a fuck what their father wanted from him. He too had sold his hote

Dominic sat in his office with the blinds closed. He was browsing through pages and pages of engagement rings. It was harder than he thought it would be. He didn’t know the woman, hadn’t a clue as to what she liked or disliked.She’d have to wear the ring for the rest of her life and it would always represent the vows he’d make. Dominic didn’t do anything half-assed and this ring would be both beautiful and meaningful to him. He didn’t really care if she loved it or not.Every ring he saw he imagined on Isadora’s hand and finally he closed the laptop and rubbed his hands over his face. He couldn’t fucking do it. How the fuck was he supposed to choose a ring for another woman?Dominic picked up his phone from his desk and dialed a number. He sighed and closed his eyes as he leaned back against his seat and listened to the line ring.“Dominic,” she said.“I need your help,” Dominic said and shook his head. He knew she was smiling, enjoying the moment because he had never asked her help

Rafaella closed her eyes, her hand holding the bow poised over the strings of the violin. She took a deep breath, and then the bow touched the strings and she lost herself in the music. Her fingers pressed against the strings as she let the bow rub against them. The melody was soulful, melancholic even.She felt the familiar stirring in her soul as the notes flew from the wood and string in her hands, and she swayed as she took another deep breath. The burden on her shoulders felt so heavy that she hadn’t been able to play anything light for days.As the final note died down, she opened her eyes and looked at her father standing in the doorway. He seemed pensive and almost apologetic. She knew what was coming. She probably shouldn’t have eavesdropped on him, but she had, and now she knew her fate.“You play beautifully, as always, Rafaella.”“Thank you, Father.”She placed her violin and bow back into its case and snapped the lid shut, locking it in place and turned back to look at he