Chapter 4 - The Father Who Refused to Stay Dead
The breach lasted six minutes.
Nobody reached the house.
But someone left a package outside the gates.
Roman returned carrying Captain Red.
Noah immediately ran to him.
“You came back!”
Roman crouched.
“I said I would.”
Noah hugged him.
Roman froze.
Then slowly wrapped his arms around his son.
Nora watched from the hallway.
That scared her more than anything.
Because she remembered loving Roman.
She remembered the man beneath the name.
And Noah was meeting that man without knowing the rest.
Marco entered holding a sealed envelope.
Roman stood.
“What is it?”
“A message.”
He handed it over.
Inside was a photograph.
Nora and Noah at a playground six months earlier.
On the back:
YOU KEPT MY GRANDSON FROM ME.
Nora’s face drained.
Roman crumpled the photograph.
“He doesn’t get near Noah.”
Marco nodded.
“We doubled security.”
Nora stepped forward.
“I want to talk to him.”
Roman stared.
“No.”
“He wants Noah because of you.”
“Yes.”
“So I need to understand what he wants.”
“You’re not going near him.”
“You don’t control me.”
“No.”
Roman’s voice sharpened.
“But I can stop you from walking into a trap.”
Nora stepped closer.
“Then tell me the truth.”
Roman went silent.
“All of it.”
He looked at Marco.
“Leave us.”
Marco closed the door.
Roman poured two drinks.
Nora didn’t touch hers.
“My father built the DeLuca family into what it became,” Roman said.
“A criminal empire.”
“Yes.”
“He hurt people?”
“Yes.”
“Killed people?”
Roman held her gaze.
“Yes.”
“And you?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Nora nodded.
“That’s what I thought.”
Roman put down the glass.
“My father believed fear was loyalty.”
“You used to believe that too.”
“I learned from him.”
“And now?”
Roman looked toward the kitchen where Noah was drawing.
“Now I know better.”
Nora softened slightly.
“What happened sixteen years ago?”
Roman leaned against the desk.
“He ordered me to kill someone.”
“Who?”
“My younger brother.”
Nora stared.
“You had a brother?”
“Luca.”
“Why?”
“My father believed Luca was weak.”
“What did you do?”
“I refused.”
Roman’s voice stayed calm, but his hand tightened.
“My father tried to have both of us killed.”
Nora whispered, “God.”
“Luca died.”
Roman looked away.
“I survived.”
“And Vittorio?”
“He told me Salvatore was dead.”
“But he wasn’t.”
“No.”
Nora understood.
“Your entire family was built on lies.”
Roman gave a small humorless smile.
“Yes.”
Then Marco burst in.
“He’s calling.”
Roman looked at the phone on the desk.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Salvatore.”
An older man’s voice came through.
“Hello, son.”
Roman’s jaw locked.
Nora listened.
Salvatore chuckled.
“You look surprised.”
“You should have stayed dead.”
“So disrespectful.”
“What do you want?”
“My grandson.”
Roman’s expression turned lethal.
“You will never meet him.”
“Oh, Roman.”
Salvatore laughed softly.
“You misunderstand.”
“I already have.”
Nora went pale.
Roman looked toward her.
Salvatore continued.
“The landlord. The school administrator. The pediatric clinic.”
Nora covered her mouth.
“He’s been inside your life for years.”
Roman’s face hardened.
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to see what kind of boy carried my blood.”
Roman lowered his voice.
“You go near him again, and—”
“You’ll kill me?”
Salvatore laughed.
“That finally sounds like my son.”
Roman hung up.
Nora stared at him.
“What do we do?”
Roman looked toward the kitchen.
“For the first time in my life?”
He picked up the phone.
“We call the police.”
Nora blinked.
“You?”
May you like
Roman nodded.
“I’m done teaching Noah that men like us get to make our own laws.”
