Chapter 3 - The Monster Inside My House
Carlo DeSantis had been my closest friend for nineteen years.
He had stood beside me at my wedding.
He was Leo's godfather.
He carried Isabella's coffin.
And when Matteo accused him of disabling the camera, Carlo actually laughed.
“Dante, he's six.”
Matteo flinched.
Elena immediately stepped between my son and Carlo.
It was instinctive.
But Carlo noticed.
So did I.
“Why did you enter the bedroom?” I asked Elena.
She kept her eyes on Carlo.
“Because they were hiding.”
“From what?”
She looked at me.
“Not what.”
My stomach tightened.
“Who?”
Leo woke against her shoulder.
His eyes found Carlo.
The reaction was immediate.
He buried his face against Elena.
Carlo stopped smiling.
I stood slowly.
“What have you done to my sons?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why is he afraid of you?”
“He's afraid of everybody.”
“No.”
Elena's voice cut through the hallway.
Every man looked at her.
She swallowed but continued.
“He isn't.”
Carlo stared at her.
She pointed toward me.
“He isn't afraid of his father.”
Then herself.
“He isn't afraid of me.”
Then Carlo.
“He's afraid of you.”
Carlo's jaw tightened.
I stepped between them.
“Carlo.”
“Dante, think.”
“I am.”
“These children watched their mother die.”
My sons both stiffened.
Elena immediately covered Leo's ear.
I saw it.
And suddenly something became clear.
“Leave.”
Carlo stared at me.
“What?”
“Take every guard assigned by you and leave my property.”
“You can't be serious.”
“You have thirty seconds.”
His eyes hardened.
There he was.
Not my friend.
Not my underboss.
Something else.
“You're choosing a maid over your brother?”
“No.”
I looked at my sons.
“I'm choosing them.”
Carlo left.
But I knew him too well.
He wouldn't go quietly.
That night, I moved Leo and Matteo into my bedroom.
Elena took the adjoining sitting room.
At 2:13 a.m., someone cut power to the eastern security grid.
At 2:16, one of my guards found the service gate open.
At 2:18, three black SUVs appeared beyond the trees.
Carlo hadn't gone home.
May you like
He'd brought men back.
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