Endings & Beginnings. The New Mafia Trilogy, #3

When Natalie Ross fled Philadelphia, the streets were run by a vicious man who took what he wanted, when he wanted. Natalie knows this from personal experience and has the scars to prove it. Now it's time for her to return home and face the people she left behind. While the city is the same, it's also different. Marco is dead and a new generation is in control. Dominic has taken over as the boss of the Grabano Crime Family.
He's been busy putting money back into the community and negotiating peace amongst other criminal organizations. The people are different too. Natalie and Grant's mom has been in counseling and has seemingly changed for the better. She's trying to make amends and forge a new relationship with her children. While Grant is more accepting of this, Natalie isn't. Hurt from the past is keeping her from embracing this new and improved version.
Under his newly acquired mantle of responsibility, Dominic has changed too. He's less impulsive, calmer and stronger than ever. He still loves Natalie and knows she needs to feel safe in order to stay. His promise of protection isn't enough so he makes an offer that Natalie plans on accepting until an afternoon of shopping at the mall ends in bloodshed. The tragedy leaves Grant clinging to life, just days after marrying Miranda, and Dom is arrested.
Natalie postpones her return to Los Angeles in order to take care of her brother. With her visit extended, Natalie grows closer to Dom. She wants to let him back in, but she's definitely more guarded. Fearing Dom's reaction, she keeps her recent experiences in Los Angeles with the L. A. Mob and the FBI to herself. However, the more time they spend together, he uncovers some of these secrets, making him doubt Natalie's loyalty.
With the FBI watching his every move and a rat threatening to destroy his tenuous arrangements with the other "business associates", Dom is on edge and questioning those around him. He pushes Natalie away, providing "the out" she thought she wanted. Only when she's back in Los Angeles does the distance provide perspective, but is it too late? An unexpected business trip brings Dominic to Natalie's door giving them an opportunity to reconcile or say goodbye for the last time.
Letting go of the past is the ending and starting over is the beginning.