Chapter 45 Another Man's Hand

• Dominic’s POV
• The night smelled of cold stone and expensive perfume. The Palazzo Marenne rose ahead of me in a blaze of gold light, every window pulsing with the kind of wealth that expected the world to bend. I didn’t remember getting out of the car; I only knew that my shoes hit marble and the echoes followed me through the arched entrance like an omen.
• Inside, the gala glittered. Crystal chandeliers dripped light over velvet gowns and tailored suits, a sea of careful smiles and old-money laughter. People paused when they saw me, the way they always did, a ripple of respect, a hint of fear. Normally it amused me. Tonight it meant nothing. I scanned the room with the precision of a marksman.