Chapter 3 - Blood Is Not Loyalty
Anthony Pellagrini arrived at Nicholas’s townhouse at 1:08 a.m.
He walked into the library smiling.
“Nick.”
Nicholas stood behind his desk.
Marco remained beside the door.
Ellie sat across the room.
Anthony noticed her.
“The waitress?”
Ellie disliked him immediately.
Nicholas gestured toward a chair.
“Sit.”
Anthony remained standing.
“What’s this about?”
“My Mercedes exploded tonight.”
“I heard.”
“You heard quickly.”
“Half Manhattan heard.”
Nicholas watched him.
“Where were you at eleven thirty?”
Anthony laughed.
“Seriously?”
“Answer.”
“At Lucia’s.”
“Who were you with?”
“People.”
“Names.”
Anthony’s smile disappeared.
“You questioning family now?”
“I’m questioning everyone.”
“Because some waitress saw a wire?”
Ellie spoke.
“This waitress kept your cousin alive.”
Anthony looked at her.
Nicholas’s mouth twitched slightly.
Anthony noticed.
That seemed to bother him more than her answer.
“You’re letting her talk to me like that?”
Nicholas leaned forward.
“I’m letting her talk however she wants.”
Anthony stared at him.
Then Marco placed a photograph on the desk.
A still frame from the security footage.
Anthony looked down.
His face changed.
Only slightly.
But Ellie saw it.
Nicholas saw it too.
“That isn’t me,” Anthony said.
“I didn’t say it was.”
Silence.
Anthony realized his mistake.
Nicholas slowly stood.
“Interesting.”
Anthony stepped backward.
“Nick—”
“You recognized the photograph before I accused you.”
“Because it looks like me.”
“It does.”
Anthony turned toward Marco.
“This is insane.”
Nicholas walked around the desk.
“Why?”
Anthony’s voice rose.
“You think I’d kill my own cousin?”
Nicholas stopped inches from him.
“I think men have killed brothers for less than what I control.”
Anthony’s face hardened.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“You always believed everything belonged to you.”
Nicholas said nothing.
“The restaurants. The docks. The contracts. Uncle Salvatore left you everything.”
“He left me responsibility.”
“He left me scraps.”
Ellie watched Nicholas.
His expression barely changed.
“You planted it.”
Anthony laughed.
“You have no proof.”
Nicholas looked at Marco.
Marco opened the door.
Two men entered with Tommy between them.
Alive.
Terrified.
Anthony went pale.
Tommy pointed directly at him.
“That’s him.”
Anthony moved toward the door.
Marco blocked him.
Nicholas remained calm.
“Why, Anthony?”
His cousin turned.
“You want the truth?”
“Yes.”
“I was tired of standing behind you.”
Nicholas nodded once.
“You could have walked away.”
“From the Pellagrini family?”
“Yes.”
Anthony laughed bitterly.
“Nobody walks away from you.”
Ellie spoke quietly.
“Maybe because none of you ever try.”
Every man in the room looked at her.
Anthony sneered.
“You know nothing about this family.”
“No. But I know you nearly killed a restaurant full of innocent people because you were jealous of your cousin.”
Anthony stepped toward her.
Nicholas moved between them instantly.
“Don’t.”
One word.
Anthony stopped.
Nicholas looked at Marco.
“Take him out.”
Anthony stared at his cousin.
“What happens now?”
Nicholas’s expression was unreadable.
“You answer questions.”
“And after that?”
Nicholas opened the door.
“You learn what losing everything actually feels like.”
Marco escorted Anthony away.
Ellie waited until the door closed.
Then she looked at Nicholas.
“So that’s over?”
Nicholas looked toward the rain beyond the windows.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Anthony isn’t smart enough to plan this.”
Ellie’s stomach tightened.
“You think somebody helped him.”
Nicholas turned toward her.
May you like
“I know somebody did.”
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