Chapter 4 - The Secret Bianca Left Behind
Mercer lasted forty-three minutes before he finally spoke.
Not because Lorenzo hurt him.
Lorenzo didn't touch him.
That surprised everyone.
Mercer sat inside the estate's underground conference room, wrists secured to the chair.
Lorenzo stood across from him.
Sofia wasn't supposed to be there.
She came anyway.
“This is ridiculous,” Lorenzo said.
“You told me to stay near Nico.”
“Nico is asleep upstairs.”
“Exactly. I'm near him.”
“We are underground.”
“Still the same property.”
Matteo muttered, “I understand why you like her.”
Lorenzo turned.
“I don't.”
Sofia raised an eyebrow.
Mercer laughed.
Lorenzo looked at him.
“You have something amusing to share?”
Mercer's smile vanished.
“Greco isn't your real problem.”
“Then say the name.”
“I want protection.”
“You betrayed me.”
“I want protection from him.”
“Who?”
Mercer swallowed.
“Vittorio Dane.”
Matteo frowned.
“That's impossible.”
Sofia looked between them.
“Who is Vittorio Dane?”
Lorenzo answered.
“My father's former consigliere.”
“Former?”
“He retired ten years ago.”
Mercer laughed again.
“Nobody retires.”
Lorenzo leaned closer.
“Why would Dane kill Bianca?”
“He wasn't trying to kill Bianca.”
The room went still.
“He was trying to kill you.”
Lorenzo's voice became dangerously quiet.
“I wasn't in that car.”
“He thought you were.”
Matteo shook his head.
“No. Bianca's car was never part of Lorenzo's convoy.”
“Someone gave him bad information.”
“Who?”
Mercer stared at Matteo.
“You.”
Matteo slammed both palms on the table.
“Enough.”
Mercer flinched.
“You changed the route.”
“For Bianca!”
“And you used Lorenzo's private channel.”
Matteo froze.
Lorenzo saw it.
“What?”
Matteo slowly turned.
“The route change went through our encrypted family channel.”
“Who had access?”
“You. Me. Bianca.”
Lorenzo's face changed.
“And?”
Matteo hesitated.
“One more person.”
“Who?”
“Your father.”
Sofia frowned.
“Your father is alive?”
Lorenzo stared at Matteo.
“No.”
Matteo corrected himself.
“His old account.”
Lorenzo understood immediately.
Someone had been using his dead father's credentials.
“Dane.”
Mercer nodded.
“He built the network. He still knew the back doors.”
Lorenzo straightened.
“Why now?”
Mercer smiled weakly.
“Because you're changing.”
“What?”
“You stopped expanding after Bianca died. You pulled men from the docks. You shut down two clubs. You started moving legitimate money.”
Matteo looked at Lorenzo.
Mercer continued.
“Dane thinks grief made you weak.”
“And Greco?”
“Convenient enemy.”
Lorenzo's eyes narrowed.
“The sedan outside?”
“Dane's men using Greco plates.”
“The photograph?”
“Same.”
Sofia spoke.
“He wanted Lorenzo angry enough to start a war.”
Mercer nodded.
“Exactly.”
Matteo exhaled slowly.
“If Lorenzo attacks Greco, both families bleed.”
“And Dane takes what's left,” Sofia finished.
Lorenzo looked at her.
“How did you—”
“I watch crime shows.”
Matteo almost smiled.
Lorenzo didn't.
“What does Dane want next?”
Mercer looked uncomfortable.
“Your son.”
The room changed instantly.
Sofia's face drained.
Lorenzo moved closer.
“What did you say?”
“Not dead.”
“Choose your words very carefully.”
“He wants Nico taken.”
“Why?”
“To force you out.”
Lorenzo grabbed Mercer's chair and pulled him forward.
“When?”
“I don't know!”
“When?”
“Soon!”
Sofia stepped forward.
“Lorenzo.”
He ignored her.
“Where?”
“I swear I don't know!”
“Lorenzo.”
Sofia grabbed his arm.
Every guard in the room went still.
Very few people touched Lorenzo Vitale when he was angry.
Fewer survived doing it without permission.
But Sofia didn't let go.
“Nico needs his father upstairs.”
Lorenzo's breathing slowed.
His grip loosened.
He released Mercer's chair.
Then he looked at Matteo.
“Move Nico to the safe house.”
Sofia immediately said, “No.”
Lorenzo turned.
“That wasn't a request.”
“He finally started feeling safe here.”
“He isn't safe here.”
“He'll think you're sending him away.”
“I'm going with him.”
That stopped her.
Matteo blinked.
“Boss, you can't leave operations now.”
“I can.”
“Dane is making a move.”
“Then he can make it.”
Matteo stared at him.
“You're walking away?”
Lorenzo looked at the ceiling, as if he could see his sleeping son through two floors of stone and steel.
“For one night.”
Sofia's expression softened.
Then Matteo's phone rang.
He answered.
“Yes?”
His face changed.
“What?”
Lorenzo already knew.
“Say it.”
Matteo lowered the phone.
“Safe house was hit twenty minutes ago.”
Sofia stared at him.
“No one was there, right?”
“No.”
Lorenzo went still.
Dane had predicted exactly what he would do.
Matteo whispered, “He knows our emergency plan.”
Lorenzo looked toward Mercer.
Mercer shook his head.
“I told you. Dane built half your security system.”
Lorenzo's mind moved quickly.
Then Sofia spoke.
“Stop thinking like him.”
Everyone looked at her.
She pointed at Lorenzo.
“He knows your houses. Your guards. Your cars. Your plans.”
“Yes.”
“So stop using them.”
Matteo frowned.
“What exactly are you suggesting?”
Sofia looked at Lorenzo.
“Do you own anything normal?”
Silence.
“What?”
“A normal car. Normal apartment. Somewhere without marble floors and ten cameras.”
Lorenzo stared at her.
“No.”
Sofia sighed.
“Of course you don't.”
“I do,” Matteo said.
Everyone turned.
“My mother's old house in Quincy.”
Lorenzo looked at him.
“Dane knows your family.”
“Not this house. It's still under my grandmother's maiden name.”
Sofia nodded.
“Then that's where we go.”
Lorenzo stared at her.
“We?”
“You think Nico is sleeping without me after tonight?”
“Yes.”
“You're wrong.”
For several seconds, they stared at each other.
Then Lorenzo said, “Pack one bag.”
Sofia smiled slightly.
“Look at that.”
“What?”
May you like
“You're learning.”
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