Chapter 22
DANTE
I call a meeting with my inner circle at six in the morning, too restless to wait any longer.
Viktor arrives first, which isn’t unusual. He’s always been punctual, always prepared, always exactly where he needs to be. It’s one of the reasons I’ve kept him as my second for fifteen years.
Marco comes next, then Santos, Dimitri, and Roy. My most trusted men. The ones who’ve proven their loyalty in every way.
Except one of them might not be loyal at all.
“We have a lead on the ledger’s location,” I say once everyone’s settled around the conference table. “St. Sebastian’s Cathedral in Brooklyn. Abandoned since the eighties. It was the Marchetti family church for generations.”
Viktor leans forward. “How solid is this intel?”
“Solid enough to act on.”
“What’s the source?”
There it is. The question I’ve been waiting for. The one that tells me whether my suspicions have any merit.
“The source is reliable. That’s all you need to know.”
Viktor’s jaw tightens slightly but he nods. “When do we move?”
“Not we. Small team. Marco, Santos, and two others I’ll select. Reconnaissance first to confirm the location, then extraction if we find it.”
“You’re not going yourself?”
“I’m staying here. Someone needs to protect the estate while the team is out.”
Viktor sits back in his chair and I watch him process this. Subtle expressions flicker across his face too fast for most people to catch.
But I’ve spent twenty years reading people. Learning to spot lies and manipulation and hidden agendas. It’s how I’ve stayed alive this long.
And right now, Viktor is showing tells I don’t like.
“We should discuss entry points,” Marco says, pulling up the cathedral blueprints on the screen. “Three main entrances. The front doors are too exposed. The side entrance through the rectory gives us cover but limited sight lines. The crypt access is underground and defensible.”
“Crypt makes the most sense,” I say. “If Antonio hid something there, he’d want it protected. Underground. Fireproof. Symbolic.”
“How do we know he hid it himself?” Viktor asks. “Could’ve been family members. Associates. Anyone with access to the cathedral before it closed.”
“Antonio trusted no one with his insurance policy. He would’ve placed it himself.”
“Still seems like a risk. Going in blind based on a lead that might not pan out.”
I turn to look at him directly. “You have a better idea?”
“Just suggesting we verify before committing resources.”
“That’s what the reconnaissance is for.”
The meeting continues for another hour. We go over logistics, backup plans, extraction routes. Viktor asks questions that seem reasonable on the surface but dig for specifics I’m not ready to share.
Specifics about how we found the location. About who provided the information. About what else we might know.
By the time everyone files out, my suspicion has hardened into certainty. Something is wrong with Viktor. I just need to figure out what.
I stop Marco before he leaves. “My office. Now.”
We wait until everyone else is gone, then I close the door and activate the white noise generator that prevents anyone from listening in.
“Viktor’s been asking too many questions,” I say without preamble.
Marco’s expression doesn’t change, but I see the understanding in his eyes. “You think he’s compromised.”
“I think he’s been acting strange for weeks. Hovering around Scarlett’s memory sessions. Pushing too hard for information. Positioning himself near exits during meetings.”
“Could just be stress. We’re all on edge right now.”
“Maybe. Or maybe he’s got reasons for wanting to know what Scarlett remembers.” I lean against my desk. “I need you to dig into his communications. Financial transactions. Anything from the past six months that might show contact with the other families.”
“That’s going to take time. And if he finds out—”
“Then be careful. Use external resources if you have to. But I need to know if my second-in-command has been selling us out.”
Marco nods slowly. “I’ll get on it. Anything specific I should look for?”
“The Marchetti family. Antonio’s relatives. Anyone with a vested interest in finding that ledger before we do.”
“You think they flipped him?”
“I think someone got to him. Whether it’s the Marchettis or another family, I don’t know. But my gut says he’s dirty.”
“Your gut’s kept us alive this long.” Marco heads for the door. “I’ll have answers by tonight.”
He leaves and I’m alone with my thoughts and the growing rage building in my chest.
If Viktor has been feeding information to my enemies, if he’s been working against me while pretending loyalty, if he’s put Scarlett and Luca in danger—
I’ll kill him myself. Slowly. While he begs for mercy I won’t give.
The day drags on with painful slowness, I almost lose my mind. I go through the tasks of running my organization. Make calls. Review reports. Handle the dozen small fires that always need attention.
But my mind keeps zoning back to Viktor. I couldn’t wait for Marco’s feedback.
Marco sends me an encrypted message at six p.m. Found something. Coming to you.
He arrives twenty minutes later with a tablet and an expression that tells me I’m not going to like what he’s found.
“Viktor’s been in contact with a Marchetti.” Marco pulls up bank records and encrypted message logs. “Antonio’s distant cousin. She runs what’s left of the Marchetti operations in Jersey.”
I take the tablet and scroll through the evidence. Wire transfers. Meeting locations. Coded messages that don’t hide their meaning well enough.
Viktor has been selling information to the Marchettis for far longer than six months. Since before Scarlett even called me.
“He’s been waiting,” I say quietly. “Feeding them intelligence about my operations, my security, my movements. Waiting for the ledger to surface so he could deliver it to them.”
“Looks that way. The most recent message was this morning. After your meeting.” Marco points to a text that makes my blood run cold. “Cathedral confirmed. Will retrieve once location is verified and deliver as agreed.”
The rage I’ve been containing breaks through the surface. I throw the tablet against the wall where it shatters into pieces.
“Boss—”
“Fifteen years.” My voice comes out deadly quiet. “Fifteen years he’s been by my side. And all of it was a lie.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I want to put a bullet in his skull. But first I need to secure Luca and Scarlett. If Viktor’s planning a move, he’ll do it soon. Before we can act on the cathedral lead.”
“I’ll double the guards on the residential wing. Put our most loyal men on Luca’s room.”
“Do it now. And don’t tell Viktor anything. As far as he knows, everything is normal.”
Marco leaves to handle security and I stand there in my destroyed office trying to process what this means.
Viktor knows Scarlett is the source of the cathedral information. He’s been watching her, listening to our memory sessions, piecing together what she knows. And now that we have the location, he’s going to make his move.
The question is when.
I head upstairs to check on Luca personally. He’s in his room with Rosa, building something with blocks while she watches with that fierce protective expression she gets around my son.
“Everything okay?” she asks when she sees my face.
“Fine. Just wanted to check in.”
Luca looks up and grins. “D! Look what I made!”
I crouch down to examine his creation. Some kind of castle with elaborate towers and a moat made from a blue blanket.
“That’s impressive, buddy. You’re getting good at this.”
“Rosa helped. But I did most of it myself.”
“I can tell. You did great.”
I spend a few minutes with him, letting his innocent chatter calm the murderous thoughts racing through my mind. Then I kiss his forehead and stand.
“Rosa, no one comes in this room tonight unless it’s me, Marco, or Scarlett. Understood?”
Her expression sharpens. “Trouble?”
“Just being cautious. Lock the door after I leave. Don’t open it for anyone else.”
“Consider it done.”
I find Scarlett in the library reading. She looks up when I enter and immediately knows something’s wrong.
“What happened?”
“Viktor’s dirty. He’s been working with the Marchettis, feeding them information.”
Her face goes pale. “You’re sure?”
“Marco found the evidence. Bank transfers, messages, everything. Viktor knows you’re the source of the cathedral lead and he’s planning something.”
“Luca—”
“Is secure. Rosa’s with him and I’ve doubled the guards. But I need you to stay alert tonight. If anything feels off, anything at all, you come find me immediately.”
She nods, fear clear in her eyes. “What are you going to do about Viktor?”
“Handle it. But carefully. If he suspects we know, he might move up his timeline.”
“Dante, if he’s working with the Marchettis, he knows the estate layout. The security systems. Every weakness.”
“I know. Which is why I’m changing protocols tonight. New guard rotations. New access codes. Everything he might use against us.”
We talk for a few more minutes, going over safety procedures and backup plans. Then I hold her for a moment, breathing in her scent, letting myself draw strength from her presence.
“It’s going to be okay,” I say, even though I’m not sure I believe it.
“Promise me you’ll keep Luca safe. Whatever else happens, promise me that.”
“I promise. Nothing touches our son. Not Viktor. Not the Marchettis. Not anyone.”
I leave her there and spend the next several hours implementing new security measures. Marco helps, moving quietly as we lock down the estate.
By midnight, I’m confident we’ve done everything we can. The residential wing is a fortress. Luca’s room has four guards I’d trust with my life. Rosa is armed and has instructions to shoot first and ask questions later if anyone tries to breach the door. We’re as prepared as we can be.
I’m in my office going over transportation plans when exhaustion finally hits. I haven’t slept properly in days and my body is demanding rest whether I want to give it or not.
I head upstairs to my room where Scarlett is already asleep. I strip down to my boxers and climb into bed beside her, pulling her against my chest.
She mumbles something and curls into me without waking. I close my eyes and try to quiet my mind enough to sleep.
That’s when the alarms start screaming.
I’m out of bed and grabbing my gun before I’m fully conscious. Scarlett sits up, disoriented and terrified.
“What’s happening?”
“Stay here. Lock the door behind me.”
“Dante—”
But I’m already moving, rushing into the hallway where chaos has erupted.
Marco comes running from the other direction. “Breach in the residential wing. Multiple hostiles. They knew exactly how to bypass the new protocols.”
Viktor.
I sprint toward Luca’s room with Marco right behind me. We round the corner and I see four bodies on the floor. My guards. All dead.
Rosa is crumpled by Luca’s door, blood pooling under her head.
And the door is open.
No.
I rush inside and find exactly what I knew I’d find.
Luca’s bed is empty. The window is broken. And my son is gone.
The roar that comes out of me is inhuman. I put my fist through the wall hard enough to break bones and don’t feel the pain.
Marco grabs my shoulder. “Boss, we need to—”
Scarlett’s scream cuts through everything else. I turn to find her in the doorway, staring at the empty bed with an expression of pure horror.
“No. No no no no no.” She rushes to the bed, touching the rumpled sheets like she can’t believe what she’s seeing. “Where is he? Where’s Luca?”
I cross to her and grab her shoulders before she can collapse. “I’ll get him back. I swear to god I’ll get him back.”
“They took him. Someone took our baby.”
“I know. And I’m going to find him.”
My phone buzzes. Unknown number. I answer with murder in my voice.
“You have something I want,” Viktor says calmly. “I have something you want. Let’s make a deal.”
“I’m going to kill you. Slowly. While you beg for death.”
“Probably. But not before you get your son back. Here’s how this works: Scarlett finds the ledger and gives it to me in St. Sebastian’s Cathedral. Alone. No backup. No weapons. Just her and the ledger.”
“Not happening.”
“Then Luca dies. Simple as that. You have seventy-two hours to decide. After that, I start sending you pieces of him.”
Then the line goes dead.
Scarlett is staring at me with tears streaming down her face. “What did he say?”
I can barely force the words out through my rage. “He wants you to get the ledger and bring it to him. In exchange for Luca.”
“Then that’s what I’ll do.”
“Scarlett—”
“That’s what I’ll do!” Her voice breaks.
“He has our son, Dante. Our baby. I’ll give Viktor whatever he wants if it means getting Luca back safely.”
I pull her against my chest because if I don’t, I’m going to put my fist through another wall. And I need to stay focused. Need to think clearly about how to get my son back alive.
Marco is already on his phone coordinating the search. My other men are mobilizing to hunt for Viktor. The estate is in full lockdown mode. But none of it feels like enough.
Viktor has my son. And he’s got a seventy-two-hour head start to position himself exactly where he wants to be.
I make a silent promise to Luca, wherever he is.
I’m coming for you. And everyone who touched you is going to die screaming.
Starting with Viktor.