Chapter 8 - Breaking the Armor
Adrenaline faded into a quiet, heavy stillness in the aftermath of the shootout. Dr. Vance was called in to patch up a minor graze on Dominic’s shoulder, while Sadie stood frozen in the corner, still shaking from the sound of gunfire. Once the medical supplies were packed away and the room cleared, Dominic walked over to where Sadie sat hugging her knees on the edge of the bed. He sat down beside her, the cold, intimidating mafia boss entirely gone, replaced by a weary man bearing deep emotional scars. “I lost my parents when I was ten in a turf war right here in these streets, Sadie,” Dominic confessed quietly, his muddy brown eyes staring blankly at the floor. “I built this empire because I swore no one would ever have the power to make me helpless again. But tonight... when those men came through that door, I realized I brought danger right to your doorstep. For that, I am truly sorry.” Sadie looked at him, seeing past the tailored suits and the armed guards into the lonely, battered soul of a man trapped by his own legacy. She reached out slowly, placing her hand over his rough, calloused knuckles. For the first time, the invisible wall between them completely dissolved.
