CHAPTER FOUR: THE CONTRACT OF BLOOD AND SILK
Aria said, "You have got to be kidding me if you think I am staying here."
She walked back and forth in Dominic's study. It was a room that was all steel and glass with a view of the ocean.. It was too dark to see anything outside.
Two hours ago someone tried to kill her.
One hour ago Dominics security team took her to this compound that was like a fortress.
Dominic was standing by the window talking on the phone. He was giving orders in an serious voice.
He finished the call. Looked at Aria.
"You are not going anywhere " he said.
Aria said, "You cannot keep me here Dominic."
Dominic said, "Yes I can Aria."
Aria said, "That is called kidnapping, Dominic."
Dominic said, "That is called keeping you alive Aria."
He walked across the room towards her.
"Someone put a contract on your head, Aria. A professional contract with a deadline. Do you think you are safer there Aria?"
Aria said, "I think I need to get to my son, Luca."
Dominic said, "He is already here Aria. My team took him from your apartment twenty minutes ago. He is three floors down with a security team and a woman named Sarah who knows his bedtime routine."
Aria was really surprised. "What you took my son, Luca?"
Dominic said, "I protected your son, Luca. There is a difference, Aria."
Aria said, "You had no right to take my son, Luca, Dominic."
Dominic said, "I had every right, Aria. He is my son, Luca."
Aria felt like she had been slapped in the face.
She took a breath and tried to think clearly.
"I want to see my son, Luca " she said.
Dominic said, "In the morning Aria. He is asleep, Aria."
Aria said, "Now Dominic. I want to see my son, Luca."
Dominic said, "Aria I do not think that is an idea, Aria."
Aria said, "Now Dominic or I will walk out of this building and you will have to kidnap me to stop me Dominic."
Dominic looked at her for a moment. Then he nodded. "Five minutes, Aria. You do not wake him up Aria."
---
Aria saw her son, Luca asleep in a bed. He was holding a stuffed dinosaur that Dominics team must have taken from his room.
His face was peaceful and calm like being taken to a billionaires fortress was a normal day.
Aria sat on the edge of the bed. Brushed hair from his forehead.
Dominic was standing in the doorway watching them.
Aria said, "My son, Luca looks like you when he sleeps, Dominic."
Dominic said, "My son, Luca looks like you when he is Aria."
Aria said, "My son, Luca looks like you when he is awake Dominic."
Dominic said, "I know that Aria."
Aria said, "It scared me Dominic. Every time I looked at my son, Luca I saw you, Dominic."
Dominic said, "Is that why you did not find me Aria?"
Aria said, "Part of it Dominic."
Dominic said, "What was the other part, Aria?"
Aria stood up and walked to the door. "I was ashamed, Dominic."
Dominic said, "Of what Aria?"
Aria said, "That I needed you that night, Dominic. That I needed anyone, Dominic. I spent my life learning not to need people. Then one night I broke, Dominic. I hated myself for it Dominic."
Dominic said, "You were surviving, Aria."
Aria said, "I was weak Dominic."
Dominic said, "No, Aria. You were human, Aria. There is a difference, Aria."
Aria said, "I do not get to be human, Dominic. Not anymore Dominic."
Dominic said, "Why not, Aria?"
Aria said, "Because I have a son, Luca who depends on me, Dominic. A company that employs three thousand people, Dominic. Enemies who want me dead Dominic." Her voice cracked. "I do not get to be weak Dominic."
Dominic said, "Being human is not weak, Aria."
Aria said, "It got me destroyed once Dominic. I will not let it happen again Dominic."
Dominic stared at her. Then he stepped back. "Come with me Aria."
---
The contract was on his desk, Dominics desk.
It was a paper with ink twenty-three pages of words that meant one thing: marriage to Dominic.
Aria picked it up. Started reading.
Dominic said, "Six months, Aria. Renewable if both parties agree, Aria."
Aria said, "This is Dominic."
Dominic said, "This is Aria."
Aria said, "Strategic, Dominic? You want to marry me, Aria?"
Dominic said, "I want to protect you, Aria, my son, Luca too. Yes solve a problem of my own in the process Aria."
Aria said, "What problem, Dominic?"
Dominic said, "My board is threatening a vote of no confidence, Aria. There is a faction that thinks I am aggressive, too unstable, unmarried, Aria."
Aria said, "You are joking, Dominic."
Dominic said, "I wish I was, Aria. Old money has ideas, Aria. They want stability, family, a wife who makes me look civilized Aria."
Aria said, "And I am civilized Dominic?"
Dominic said, "You are Aria. Which is Aria."
Aria smiled a little. "What do you get out of this Dominic, besides a shield, Dominic?"
Dominic said, "Your technology, Aria, Morristons AI integration with Voss Capitals investment platforms, Aria. It is the merger every analyst has been predicting for two years, Aria."
Aria said, "And what do I get, Dominic?"
Dominic said, "My name, Aria, my security, my legal protection, Aria." He moved closer. "A father for my son, Luca who actually wants to be in his life, Aria."
Aria said, "You do not know my son, Luca, Dominic."
Dominic said, "Let me, Aria."
Aria said, "It is not that simple, Dominic."
Dominic said, "It never is, Aria." He pulled a pen from his jacket. Set it on the desk, between them. "But here is what I do know Aria: someone wants you dead Aria. They have money, resources and a deadline, Aria. You can fight them alone Aria or you can fight them with me, Dominic."
Aria said, "Why do you care, Dominic?"
Dominic said, "Because you're the mother of my son, Luca, Aria."
Aria said, "That is not the reason, Dominic."
Dominic said, "No, Aria."
Aria said, "What is the reason, Dominic?"
Dominic said, "Because I have spent five years trying to forget you Aria and it has not worked, Aria." His voice dropped. "Because every woman I have met since that night has been compared to a ghost I could not find Aria. Because when I saw you standing in that office three days ago the first thing I felt was not anger, Aria. It was relief, Aria."
Aria could not breathe. "Dominic, I—"
Dominic said, "Sign the contract, Aria."
Aria said, "This is an idea, Dominic."
Dominic said, "Probably, Aria."
Aria said, "We will destroy each Dominic."
Dominic said, "Maybe, Aria." He picked up the pen. Held it out. "Maybe we will destroy everyone first Aria."
Aria looked at the pen at the contract at Dominic.
She took the pen. Signed her name.
Dominic signed his name beneath hers.
The ink was still wet when he kissed her Aria.
It was not Aria. It was fury and want and five years of silence breaking open like a dam, Aria.
Aria kissed him harder and deeper Dominic.
His phone buzzed, Dominics phone.
He ignored it Dominic.
It buzzed again Dominics phone.
Again Dominics phone.
"Dominic, I—"
He ignored it Dominic.
It started ringing Dominics phone.
He pulled back Dominic.
Grabbed the phone, Dominics phone.
"What
The other person on the call did not say anything for a moment. Then Julian spoke up. His voice was really cold.
*He said, "How do you know this?"*
*Elena said, "I have the birth certificate I have the dates I have everything I need."*
*Julian said, "Send it to me."*
*Elena said, "What are you going to do?"*
*Julian said, "I am going to do what I should have done a time ago. I am going to take care of her."*
The recording stopped playing.
Aria looked at Dominic.
She said, "Julian knows."
He said, "Yes Julian does."
Aria said, "Julian knows about Luca, about you about everything that is going on."
He said, "Yes Julian does."
Aria asked, "What is Julian going to do?"
Dominics face was like stone. "Julian will do whatever it takes to use this information to his advantage."
Aria said, "We need to do something."
His phone lit up with a message from a number.
He read it. Then showed it to Aria.
**The message said, "I know what she is hiding. Meet me tomorrow. Come alone. I will tell everyone."**
Arias hands were shaking. "Who sent this message to Dominic?"
He said, "I do not know who sent this message to me."
Aria asked, "What do they want from Dominic?"
He said, "They want me to meet them alone without you or any security. This means it is a trap for me."
Aria said, "It is a trap for you, Dominic."
He said, "Yes it is a trap for me."
Aria said, "You cannot go to this meeting, Dominic."
He looked at her. "If I do not go to this meeting they will tell everyone about Luca and our situation. They will use Luca to get what they want from us. They are not after money they are after control. The only way to stop them is to go to the meeting."
Aria said, "Dominic you cannot go to this meeting."
He said, "I have to go to this meeting."
Aria said, "You will get killed, Dominic."
He said, "Maybe I will get killed."
Aria said, "I am going with you to this meeting, Dominic."
He said, "No you are not going with me to this meeting."
Aria said, "You do not get to decide that for me Dominic."
He said, "I am deciding it anyway." He walked over to her. Took her face in his hands. "You need to stay and protect Luca. If something happens to me you need to use everything we have to fight back. You need to use the contracts, the leverage, the company. You need to destroy them all."
Aria could not speak.
He said, "Aria, promise me you will do this for me."
Aria said, "I promise you, Dominic."
He kissed her. Then he walked out the door.
The door closed behind him. Aria was left standing in the study. She was looking at the contract on the desk. She was thinking about her husband, Dominic walking into a trap.
Her phone buzzed with a message from a number.
**The message said, "Dominic is not going to make it out alive. You can save him Aria. All you have to do is give me what I want."**
Arias hands went numb.
She typed back "Who is this sending me these messages?"
The response came back.
**The message said, "I am someone who has been waiting a time to get what I want from you Aria. Check your email."**
Aria opened her email. There was a message with no subject. There was an attachment.
It was a picture of her, Dominic and Luca. The picture was taken through a window from, inside her apartment the day before.
Below the picture it said, **Tomorrow at midnight go to the Ashcroft Building. Come alone Aria. Bring the company. I will take your family instead.**