Dominic’s POV

I had always known my father was a monster, but the evidence sprawled across Detective Jude’s desk revealed something far more depraved than I had imagined. This wasn’t just about Marcus’s betrayal of Thorne family codes or his exile for embezzlement. This was about crimes that made even hardened mafia soldiers sick to their stomachs.

Years ago, when I had finally managed to buy Marcus out of the family’s legitimate businesses, he had blown through the blood money within months and came crawling back for more. When I refused to bankroll his pathetic existence, he had made my life hell through every dirty trick in the book, typical Marcus style. Then suddenly, he had fled to Atlanta and remained relatively quiet until now.

I had never fully understood his abrupt departure from Port Serenity. There had been whispers in the underground about two women who had accused him of sexual assault, but the details had been murky, and the accusers had vanished from sight before any formal charges could be filed. The truth had always remained just beyond my grasp, buried beneath layers of corruption and fear.

Now, staring at Jude’s meticulously compiled dossier, everything became crystal clear with nauseating precision. My father, the man whose bloodline ran through my veins, was a serial predator. I forced myself to continue reading, though every word made my blood run cold.

Years back, while masquerading as a legitimate businessman with Thorne family connections, Marcus had rented an exclusive oceanfront estate for what he claimed would be a networking event. He had invited his equally reprehensible associates, including several low-level players from rival families who owed him favors. Two young women had attended the gathering, brought along by a friend who happened to be connected to Alfie Atkins’s organization.

According to the detective’s report, both women had firmly rejected Marcus’s advances early in the evening, which had only seemed to intensify his predatory focus. Like the calculating predator he was, he had arranged for a compromised bartender to serve them drinks laced with powerful sedatives. Once the drugs began taking effect, he had isolated them in a secured bedroom where he had sexually assaulted both victims.

The details were absolutely sickening. He had recorded the entire ordeal, violated them extensively, then discarded them the following morning with explicit threats to release the footage and destroy their lives if they dared to speak out against him.

Despite their terror and trauma, the women had found the courage to report him to the authorities. Unfortunately, they had encountered a corrupt cop who saw an opportunity for personal enrichment rather than justice. The corrupt detective had approached Marcus with a proposition, and that was when my mother had become entangled in this nightmare.

Marcus had threatened my mother with the most effective weapon in his arsenal, claiming he would manipulate my sister Nadia toward self-destruction if she refused to cooperate. Nadia had been extraordinarily vulnerable at that time, suffering from severe depression following a traumatic miscarriage that had nearly broken her spirit. Marcus’s psychological influence over her had been considerable, as she had only seen the devoted father figure, completely blind to the monster lurking beneath his mask.

My mother, trapped between protecting Nadia and her own moral compass, had been forced to comply with his demands. She had paid off the corrupt detective and helped bury the evidence that could have put Marcus away for decades. But during this process, she had discovered something even more horrifying: this had not been an isolated incident. Marcus had committed similar crimes in Atlanta before arriving in Port Serenity. My father was a serial rapist who had been operating for years.

When I reached the message transcripts that Jude had recovered from Marcus’s seized devices, bile rose in my throat. The exchanges between him and his criminal associates were revolting, filled with their sick laughter about their victims and graphic descriptions of their assaults.

One message stood out for its particular depravity. "I don’t give a damn about their complaints," he had written. "Those two were already drunk when they arrived, I just gave them a little something extra to make them more cooperative. They don’t even remember what happened. It’s their own fault for getting wasted at a private party. I took what they were offering anyway. They were playing hard to get, but they wanted it, and I gave them exactly what they deserved."

"Jesus Christ, this is absolutely disgusting," I slammed the folder shut and hurled it onto the conference table. "Do whatever you have to do to put him away forever."

Detective Jude studied my expression carefully. "You understand there’s more than enough evidence here to ensure he spends the rest of his life behind bars, don’t you?"

"As far as I’m concerned, you can arrange for him to have an accident in custody. I just want him permanently removed from Gemma’s vicinity and away from my family." The words came out steady despite the rage building inside my chest. How could I possibly share DNA with such a repulsive creature? How had my grandfather ever permitted my sweet, gentle mother to marry this predator?

"Dominic, everything will work out," Xavier assured me, placing a steadying hand on my shoulder. "Jude will handle the investigation properly; you don’t need to get personally involved in this mess."

"We’ll try to keep this information confidential as long as possible, Dominic, but your family’s prominence means this will eventually become public knowledge," Detective Jude warned me.

"Keep it under wraps for as long as you can manage. My public relations team will handle damage control for both the company and family reputation," I replied firmly. "More importantly, I want Gemma under constant protection at all times."

"Don’t worry about that," Caleb said with confidence. "I’ve already assigned two of our best security specialists to watch her discreetly."

"She’s going to be furious when she discovers that arrangement," I noted.

Caleb shrugged dismissively. "That’s completely irrelevant. Her safety is the only thing that matters right now."

"Well, we’re heading back to the precinct," Jude announced, rising from his chair with his partner. "We’ll keep you updated on all developments."

"Any specific instructions for us?" Jude asked.

"No, just let us handle the legal proceedings, and thank you for trusting us with this sensitive matter," I replied.

"That’s what loyalty means," Jude said, squeezing my shoulder supportively.

"That and drinking away our troubles afterward," Xavier added with a grim smile. "Let’s head to my place."

"Thanks, Xavier, but I need to return to Zenith Systems. There’s still considerable business to handle." I stood up, thanked my associates for their unwavering support, and headed toward the exit.

I desperately needed to see Gemma. The urge was completely overwhelming. I drove directly to her apartment building, but as I was finding a parking space, I spotted her emerging from the main entrance, laughing warmly and embracing a tall, muscular Black man. Zander, I presumed. Vincenzo hadn’t been exaggerating when he described the guy as undeniably handsome. I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white, jealousy consuming me from within like acid.

Gemma appeared completely relaxed and genuinely happy in his company. Perhaps he truly was everything she had described to Vincenzo during their conversations. If he genuinely made her feel secure and content, what right did I have to interfere with her happiness?

I started the engine and pulled away before witnessing their goodbye. I couldn’t bear to watch her kissing another man, not after everything we had been through together. Abandoning my work responsibilities entirely, I drove straight to my hotel suite and lost myself in an entire bottle of whiskey, drowning the images of Gemma in another man’s arms.