Chapter 308: Chapter 92 Preparing for Battle

Dominic’s POV

Zoe and I grabbed espresso at the small Italian cafe near the Thorne family’s front operation building. While there, she administered what she called a "gentle reminder" by yanking my ear hard enough to make me wince - a move that would have cost anyone else their life, but Zoe had earned her immunity through years of unwavering loyalty.

She then outlined her master plan: shopping expedition, complete makeover, return to my Capo duties soon, and finally, the part that mattered most - helping me win back Gemma. I wasn’t entirely clear on what all this entailed, but I was already drowning in misery since losing the woman who had become my entire world, so I figured I might as well accept the lifeline my most trusted lieutenant was throwing me.

After finishing our coffee, we commandeered one of the family’s armored vehicles and headed directly to the luxury hotel where I’d been living like a wounded animal for some time, avoiding my responsibilities and drowning in self-destructive rage.

"Dominic Frost," Zoe announced once we entered my penthouse suite, "you’re taking a proper shower, packing your belongings, and checking out of this hotel immediately."

I ran my hand through my disheveled hair, noting how the once-pristine suite now reeked of whiskey and despair. "Zoe, I can’t go back to the family compound without Gemma there. And if I return to my private apartment, she’ll never forgive me for what happened there."

"I see I need to rearrange my strategy." Zoe sighed dramatically, her voice carrying the authority of someone who had cleaned up after my violent outbursts for years. "Fine. We’ll tackle the Gemma situation today, and soon you can return to running your territory."

My face lit up with the first genuine hope I’d felt in a long time. "Are you serious?"

"But," she raised a finger like the seasoned enforcer she was, "you follow my instructions exactly. Starting with that shower because, frankly, you smell like you’ve been sleeping in the back alleys of our worst neighborhoods." She physically pushed me toward the bathroom with surprising strength.

"Whatever you say," I agreed, discreetly sniffing my shirt. The grimace that followed made Zoe burst into laughter. "Oh, wait a moment." I hurried back to the reception desk, gave some instructions to the manager, and rejoined Zoe at the elevator.

"What was that about?" she asked, her trained suspicious nature evident in her voice.

"I asked them to send up the housekeeper who helped me earlier. I want to thank her properly."

"Helped you how?"

"She found me unconscious on the floor, completely intoxicated after that disaster with Beatrix, and called for assistance. The manager arranged for an ambulance to take me to the hospital before word could spread through the families."

"Hospital?" Zoe’s eyes widened in genuine shock. "Dominic, you’re not some street-level soldier who can’t handle his liquor. You’re a respected Capo!"

"Everything just became unbearable without Gemma," I admitted quietly, my voice carrying the weight of a man who had killed for lesser reasons but couldn’t function without one woman’s love.

"Don’t ever do something that reckless again," she admonished before softening slightly. "Though I have to say, your generosity toward civilians is quite admirable for someone in our line of work."

"It’s not generosity, Zoe. It’s gratitude. She could have easily ignored me and walked away, but she didn’t. She cared enough to help someone she didn’t know was dangerous - and that led to something even more significant."

"What do you mean?" she asked as we exited the elevator on my floor.

"I was treated by Dr. Zander at the hospital."

"Who’s that?"

"Willow’s boyfriend Ryder’s son. He’s like a brother to Gemma, but I only discovered that today. For a while I’ve been torturing myself thinking he was Gemma’s new lover, ready to eliminate him from the equation."

"Oh right, she mentioned him yesterday," Zoe said, accepting the bottled water I handed her from the suite’s bar.

"What do you mean you didn’t know about him?"

"Dominic, our girl has been isolating herself, barely communicating with any of us in the organization. Just like you did with your crew," Zoe reprimanded. "That hurts, you know? We’re family."

"We won’t do that anymore," I promised with a genuine smile, meaning every word.

The elderly housekeeper arrived shortly after. She was humble and kind-hearted, with gentle mannerisms and a warm smile - the kind of innocent civilian our world was supposed to protect. When I asked for her banking details to send her a thank-you payment, she adamantly refused. I handed her my business card instead, insisting she contact me if she ever needed anything - including protection. After she left, however, I called the manager and obtained her information anyway, transferring a generous sum to her account as appreciation for her assistance.

"Shower time, Frost." Zoe pinched her nose dramatically and pointed to the bathroom like a drill sergeant.

Before walking away, I turned to her with the sincerity reserved for blood family. "I missed bossy, controlling Zoe. Don’t ever disappear again." Her face brightened with a huge smile that reminded me why she was irreplaceable in this brutal world.

When I emerged from the bathroom in a hotel robe, I found that Zoe had organized all my belongings with military precision and laid out casual clothes for me to wear. I took them back to the bathroom to change, noting how she’d selected everything to make me look approachable rather than threatening.

After loading my luggage into the armored SUV, I asked, "Where to now?"

"First, hand over those keys because I’m driving." She extended her palm expectantly, and I surrendered the keys without protest - a gesture of trust I’d never show another soul.

Zoe drove us to a secluded location outside the city - a luxurious country retreat that served as an upscale spa, the kind of place where wealthy criminals could relax without fear of surveillance or rival families. I looked around in amazement at the heavily secured surroundings.

"How did you find this place?" I asked, genuinely impressed. "The family women usually frequent that other spa downtown."

"Used to, darling. I’ve already introduced them to this sanctuary. We’re going to spend the next few hours being pampered, massaged, and rejuvenated." Zoe’s excitement was infectious.

The spa experience was comprehensive - professional haircut, straight razor shave, manicure, facial treatment. We enjoyed lunch there, surrounded by tranquility I hadn’t experienced since before this war with my own heart began. Then came the specialized treatments: deep tissue massage, mud therapy, mineral soaks, and meditation sessions. By the end, my body felt so relaxed I could hardly remember what constant tension felt like.

"This place is incredible, Zoe. I definitely need to bring the crew here," I said as we were leaving.

"I know my business, Frost!" she replied confidently. "You should bring Gemma next time. They have amazing couples’ packages and private accommodations that even rival families couldn’t breach."

"Excellent idea. Have you been here with Finn?"

Zoe nodded with an uncharacteristically dreamy expression that told me her own heart had found its target.

"Now let’s hit the stores. We need a few things." Zoe was clearly operating on a mission, and nothing would deter her from success.

After our shopping expedition, we headed to my private residence. Earlier, Zoe had instructed my security staff to thoroughly clean and organize everything, informing them I was returning and they could take the weekend off. When we arrived, the house was immaculate, with a fully stocked kitchen and fresh flowers throughout.

"Let’s start upstairs in the bedroom," Zoe directed.

"Fine," I said, following her up the staircase. "Still can’t believe you wouldn’t let me buy even one rose."

"Stop complaining, Dominic! This needs to be completely different from every other time you’ve tried to buy someone’s forgiveness."

I surrendered with a sigh. I had agreed to follow her lead, and her strategy made sense, even if it wasn’t my usual approach of overwhelming force. It took considerable time, but when we finally completed all our preparations, Zoe and I surveyed the transformed space with satisfaction. She raised her hand for a high-five, which I enthusiastically returned, celebrating our tactical success.

"Now, Dominic," Zoe said, walking toward the reinforced door, "make yourself presentable while I go collect our queen. Try to stay calm and don’t do anything that might require cleanup."

"Not sure that’s possible," I replied honestly, my killer instincts warring with desperate hope. "Don’t take too long."

She left with a knowing laugh, and I stood in the middle of my transformed fortress, heart pounding with anticipation that felt more dangerous than any territorial war I’d ever fought.