Chapter 2 - The Falcone Daughter
“No.”
Audrey pushed the photograph back.
Lorenzo didn't touch it.
“My mother told me my father died.”
“She lied.”
“She had reasons.”
“She certainly did.”
Audrey glared at him.
“You expect me to believe the man whose table just discussed kidnapping someone is suddenly my family?”
Dante glanced toward Lorenzo.
Lorenzo's expression hardened.
“You understood that too.”
“Every word.”
“The docks?”
“Every word.”
“The union leader's daughter?”
Audrey nodded.
Lorenzo looked toward the curtain.
“Dante.”
“I'll handle it.”
“Handle what?” Audrey demanded.
“The problem.”
“The girl isn't a problem. She's a person.”
Lorenzo looked back at her.
“You know nothing about what is happening.”
“I know someone is being held against her will.”
His jaw tightened.
“You heard part of a conversation.”
“I heard enough.”
Audrey reached for the curtain.
Lorenzo caught the curtain instead—not her.
“Wait.”
She looked at his hand.
He released the fabric.
“I won't stop you from leaving.”
“Good.”
“But somebody else might.”
Audrey frowned.
“Meaning?”
“Bellandi had enemies. Falcone has enemies. If you're connected to both families, you're valuable.”
“I've survived fifteen years without either name.”
“Because nobody knew you were alive.”
Audrey stared at him.
“Until tonight.”
Lorenzo nodded.
“You spoke in a dialect perhaps twenty people in Manhattan would recognize.”
“And?”
“Three of them are sitting in this restaurant.”
Audrey's stomach tightened.
Lorenzo slid the photograph toward her.
“Take it.”
“I don't want it.”
“Take it anyway.”
She did.
“Now release the union leader's daughter.”
Dante nearly smiled.
Lorenzo stared at Audrey.
“You've been my sister for approximately four minutes and you're already giving me orders?”
“You spent dinner calling me stupid. Consider this interest.”
Against all expectation, Lorenzo laughed.
Once.
Quietly.
Then his expression changed.
“Dante.”
“Yes?”
“Call Marco.”
Audrey watched him.
“Tell him the girl leaves tonight.”
Dante blinked.
“Lorenzo—”
“Tonight.”
“And the docks?”
“We find another way.”
Dante nodded and stepped away.
Audrey hadn't expected that.
“Why?”
Lorenzo poured himself another glass of wine.
“Because you were right.”
“That's it?”
“No.”
His eyes met hers.
“Because my father spent fifteen years believing his daughter died in Palermo.”
Audrey went still.
“He knows?”
“He never stopped looking.”
Audrey's voice became quieter.
“My mother said he abandoned us.”
Lorenzo shook his head.
“He believed Bellandi killed both of you.”
Audrey looked down at the photograph.
Suddenly, Alessandro hurried into the alcove.
“Mr. Falcone.”
“What?”
“There are two men asking about Audrey.”
Nobody moved.
Lorenzo's expression became cold.
“What men?”
“They say they're federal agents.”
Audrey almost relaxed.
Lorenzo didn't.
“Did they show identification?”
“Yes.”
“Did you verify it?”
Alessandro hesitated.
“No.”
Lorenzo stood.
“Where are they?”
“Front bar.”
Lorenzo looked at Dante.
“Find out who they are.”
Audrey folded her arms.
“Maybe they're actually federal agents.”
“Then they'll survive being asked a few questions.”
“And if they aren't?”
Lorenzo looked toward her.
“Then somebody learned very quickly that Audrey Sinclair isn't who they thought she was.”
A phone buzzed.
Audrey checked hers.
Unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
Her apartment building.
Taken minutes earlier.
Then a message.
We know who you are, Alessandra.
Audrey stopped breathing.
Lorenzo saw her face.
“What?”
She showed him.
He read the message.
All warmth disappeared from his expression.
“Alessandra,” he murmured.
Audrey stared at him.
“My mother called me that when I was little.”
Lorenzo immediately looked at Dante.
“Lock the restaurant.”
Audrey stepped back.
“No.”
“Someone found you.”
“You don't get to lock me anywhere.”
“Then call the police.”
“I will.”
“Good. But until they arrive, you stay where I can see you.”
Audrey shook her head.
“You mocked the wrong waitress tonight, Lorenzo.”
His gaze stayed on the threatening message.
“No.”
He looked at her.
May you like
“Someone threatened the wrong Falcone.”
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