Chapter 5 - The Banishing of the Ice
Victoria Sloan looked as if she had been struck by a bolt of lightning. Her face turned an unsightly shade of green, her manicured hands shaking uncontrollably against her leather ledger.
“Mr. Castellano!” Victoria gasped, taking a desperate step forward. “She is a temporary maid! She has no background, no standing, no family line! This... this woman manipulated you!”
Dominic didn't even raise his gun. He simply looked at Victoria with a look of pure, unadulterated disgust.
“You are fired, Victoria,” Dominic said coldly. “You have thirty minutes to pack your personal belongings and clear off my estate. If I see your face on my property after four o'clock, Matteo will arrest you for trespassing.”
“You can’t do this!” Victoria shrieked, her aristocratic composure completely shattering into pathetic hysteria. “I have served the Castellano family for twelve years!”
“And in twelve minutes, you will be on the street,” Dominic growled, his voice dropping into a lethal register. “Matteo. Escort her out. And audit every single financial ledger she has touched in the last twelve years. If she stole a single cent, ruin her.”
Two armed guards instantly stepped forward, grabbing Victoria by her arms and dragging her, screaming and weeping, out of the gallery.
The remaining thirty staff members stood frozen, terrified to even draw a breath.
Dominic turned his gaze back to the crowd. His eyes caught the footman, Marcus, who was trembling violently near the door.
“Marcus,” Dominic called out.
The young footman fell to his knees. “I’m sorry, Don Castellano! I’m sorry! We were just following Mrs. Sloan’s lead!”
“You ignored a woman who was kind to you because you were afraid of an arrogant manager,” Dominic said smoothly. “You will spend the next three months working in the stable yards. If I hear of you excluding anyone again, you will be joining Victoria.”
“Thank you, Don Castellano! Thank you!” Marcus wept, bowing his head to the floor.
Dominic turned his focus entirely back to Marin.
Her breath was coming in short, ragged gasps. She was staring down at the massive platinum signet ring resting on her finger, her mind reeling from the absolute madness of the last five minutes.
Dominic’s expression softened instantly. The terrifying mob boss vanished, replaced by the man who had laughed at her puppy five days ago. He gently tucked a loose dark curl behind her ear, his thumb brushing against her hot, flushed cheekbone.
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“Come with me, Marin,” he whispered softly, his voice full of an incredible, tender warmth.
He took her hand, leading her out of the gallery, leaving the humbled, terrified staff behind in the dust of his wrath.
