Chapter 2 - The Skeleton in the Master SuiteThe black armored Mercedes-Maybach tore through the rain-slicked streets of Baltimore, its engine a low, menacing purr. Inside, Caleb had finally fallen into an exhausted, peaceful sleep against Dominic’s chest, the crisis of starvation momentarily averted.
Claire sat in the jump seat across from the crime boss, clutching her purse like a shield. She had tried to get out of the restaurant and back to her lawyer’s meeting, but Dominic’s armed guards had smoothly and inexorably guided her into the vehicle.
"You can't just kidnap me," Claire had protested in a sharp whisper.
"I'm not kidnapping you, Miss Sullivan," Dominic had replied, his eyes fixed on his sleeping son. "I'm offering you protective custody. Whoever diluted that formula was trying to systematically weaken my son. Which means there is an active threat inside my house. And you are the only person outside of my inner circle who spotted it."
Now, as the car swept through massive iron gates guarded by armed security and wound up a steep, wooded hill in Ruxton, Claire realized the scale of the world she had accidentally stumbled into.
The Mercer estate was a sprawling stone fortress hidden behind ancient oak trees, overlooking the dark, churning waters of the reservoir.
When the car glided to a halt, Ben Carver opened the door instantly. Dominic stepped out into the pouring rain, carrying Caleb with effortless, protective strength. He looked back at Claire, who remained frozen in the vehicle.
"Come inside, Claire. You're safer under my roof tonight than anywhere else in Maryland."
Reluctantly, Claire stepped out into the storm, her cheap trench coat soaking through within seconds. She followed them up the grand stone steps and into a foyer so vast it felt like a museum. Vaulted ceilings, massive crystal chandeliers, and dark mahogany panels framed the space.
"Sarah," Dominic snapped as a group of terrified domestic staff materialized from the shadows. "Take Caleb to the nursery. Lock the door. Do not let anyone in except Dr. Ross when she arrives. And bring me the master suite key."
"Yes, Mr. Mercer," Sarah choked out, practically running up the sweeping curved staircase.
Dominic turned to Ben. "Sweep the perimeter again. I want every security camera from the last forty-eight hours pulled to my private study. And call Detective Miller. Tell him to meet me here. Quietly."
"Right away, Boss," Ben said, casting a sharp, suspicious glance at Claire before heading toward the security annex.
Dominic turned back to Claire, shedding his wet outer jacket and revealing a charcoal vest and white dress shirt underneath. He looked every bit the corporate executive, but the tension in his shoulders screamed danger.
"Are you freezing?" Dominic asked, noticing her shiver.
"I'll survive," Claire said, crossing her arms defensively. "Look, Mr. Mercer, I helped with the baby because I couldn't watch him suffer. But I have a five-year-old daughter waiting for me with a babysitter whose shift ends at midnight. I need to go home."
"Your daughter is safe," Dominic said smoothly, walking over to a mahogany sideboard and pouring two fingers of amber bourbon into a heavy crystal glass. "I already had one of my men pick up Emma and her babysitter and bring them to the guest lodge on the north side of the estate. They have a hot meal, a secure room, and a guard at the door."
Claire’s eyes widened in horror and fury. "You did what?!"
"I secured you," Dominic corrected calmly, taking a slow sip of his drink. "If someone in my house is trying to poison my son, anyone who uncovers that truth becomes an immediate target. You think you can walk back to your drafty apartment in Dundalk tonight and be safe? Think again. You're tied to this now, Claire."
Before Claire could scream at him, Sarah rushed back down the stairs, her hands shaking as she held out a heavy, antique brass key.
"The master suite, sir. Mrs. Mercer's private vanity is unlocked."
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Dominic took the key. He looked at Claire, his gray eyes darkening like a gathering storm.
"Come with me," he commanded. "It's time to see what my wife was trying to warn me about."
