Chapter 1

My husband, Dominic Sterling, built a criminal empire from the ground up. During a turf war with a rival family, I was caught in the crossfire and spent ten years in a coma.

I woke up with only one person on my mind: my son, Leo, who has autism.

I went to the headquarters of The Iron Syndicate, the gang Dominic founded.

Instead of seeing a well-cared-for child, I found my son cowering in front of a woman holding a small boy's hand.

She was mocking him, her finger inches from his face.

She even pulled out a glowing hot metal skewer, pressing it against Leo's hand while screaming at him to kneel.

Rage boiled in my veins. I rushed forward and slapped her across the face as hard as I could.

Leo's face turned pale. He couldn't speak, but he tried to push me away, his eyes filled with terror.

He pointed at the woman, his body shaking.

I held back my anger, my heart breaking for him.

The woman stood up, blocking my path with a sneer.

"You bitch! You actually dared to hit me? I'm Dominic Sterling's woman!"

"In Viper City, if Dominic wants you dead, even God can't save you!"

I took a deep breath and dialed my husband's number.

"I heard that in Viper City, if you want someone dead, not even the Devil can save them. Is that right?"

1

I just wanted to ask Dominic one thing. How had he taken care of our son for the last ten years?

"Who the hell is this!"

Dominic's voice was cold and arrogant over the phone.

"You've got a lot of nerve talking to me like that. Once I track you down, you're dead."

The line went dead. I froze in place.

I remembered when he knelt before me, swearing he would love me forever.

Ten years.

That was all it took for him to forget me.

Dominic's mistress, Amber, saw the call end and let out a mocking laugh.

She clutched her swollen cheek, her eyes filled with spite.

"In Viper City, people who talk to Dominic like that end up six feet under."

I clenched my fists until my nails drew blood.

I had hoped that maybe Dominic was just being misled.

But now, my heart was completely dead.

I had been dragged into his gang wars and ended up a vegetable because of his enemies.

I had been lost to the world.

Meanwhile, he had taken his seat as the underground king of Viper City, found a new toy, and had another son.

I thought he would at least look after Leo, our son who needed him most.

But what was I looking at now?

My son was skin and bones, covered in filth and smelling of neglect.

The burn on his hand was horrifying to look at.

Leo didn't know how to run or scream; he just stood there, paralyzed by fear.

His autism kept him trapped in this nightmare.

Seeing him like this felt like a thousand knives stabbing my heart at once.

"Leo, come with me."

I choked back tears, reaching out to take my son's hand.

"You think you can just hit me and walk away?"

Amber sneered. She grabbed Leo by the hair, blocking my way.

Leo's head snapped back, his mouth opening in a silent cry for help.

"Let him go!" I hissed, my eyes narrowing.

"Haha! Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?"

"Listen, you slut. In this city, Dominic's word is law!"

"Dominic says this little freak is a dog, so he has to eat like one!"

Amber laughed maniacally, her eyes full of contempt.

My expression turned deadly calm.

Ten years ago, Dominic was just a low-level thug.

It was me who went against my father's wishes to use my family's resources to back him.

Now he was successful, the king of the streets.

And he had turned into a heartless, ungrateful snake.

How could he treat our son this way?

Suddenly, Leo seemed to feel my rage and Amber's malice.

He yanked himself free from Amber's grip, his body shaking with fear.

He stepped forward and spread his arms, shielding me.

He didn't know who I was, but he instinctively wanted to protect me.

Maybe that was just the bond between a mother and her child.

Seeing this, my tears finally broke free.

This was my son, Leo Montgomery!

He was born with autism and lived in his own world; he needed nothing but love.

Now, he was using his broken body to protect his mother.

What had he gone through while I was asleep?

Amber was stunned for a second, but before she could speak, her son stepped forward.

Brodie was chubby and dressed in expensive clothes, a sharp contrast to my poor Leo.

"Mom, the freak pooped his pants again! He stinks!"

Brodie pinched his nose, pointing at Leo with disgust.

I noticed then that the back of Leo's pants was soaked. The smell was coming from him.

"You want to protect her?"

Brodie walked up to Leo with a wicked grin.

"Kneel. Slap yourself ten times and bark like a dog."

"Tell everyone you're a piece of trash. If you do it, I'll tell Mom to let this crazy lady go."

Leo might have been struggling, but he still had his dignity.

His mouth worked, but no words came out, and tears blurred his vision.

"Pathetic! You can't even talk!"

Brodie kicked Leo hard in the knee.

"You're just a stray! I'm the only real prince of the Sterling family!"

"I'm giving you a chance by letting you bark. You've been a freak for years and still can't say a full sentence."

"If you don't bark, I'll have Mom throw this crazy bitch into the river!"

Leo collapsed to his knees from the kick.

He looked at me, then with trembling hands, he prepared to slap his own face.