Chapter 10 - THE LAST ATTEMPTLeo returned to the Moretti estate under more security than some heads of state received.
Dante wanted him elsewhere.
Vivienne disagreed.
“Sal’s remaining people know the hospital.”
“They know this house too.”
“Yes.”
“But this house has controlled entrances.”
Dante looked around the nursery.
“It also had Clara.”
Clara stood outside under guard.
She had been released from formal confinement after agreeing to cooperate.
Dante did not trust her.
Marco did not forgive her.
But Leo smiled when he saw her.
That complicated everything.
Clara had cried.
“I don’t deserve that.”
Marco said, “No.”
She looked at him.
“But he does.”
Marco allowed her to stand near the doorway.
Nothing more.
Elena remained weak but improving.
The first time she held Leo again, she collapsed into tears.
Dante left the room.
Some moments did not belong to him.
Vivienne found him downstairs.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Good answer.”
He looked at her.
“I spent six months thinking that child had lost both parents.”
“And now?”
“Now I’m wondering whether he still needs me.”
Vivienne frowned.
“Why would that change?”
“Marco is alive.”
“You’re his uncle.”
“Elena is alive.”
“You’re still his uncle.”
Dante looked away.
“I built my whole life around protecting him.”
“For six months.”
“Yes.”
“That does not stop because his parents came home.”
Vivienne stepped closer.
“Love is not a temporary guardianship document.”
He looked at her.
“You use the word easily.”
“No.”
She smiled faintly.
“I use it carefully.”
Before he could answer, the estate lights went out.
Darkness.
Dante drew his gun.
“Vivienne.”
“I’m here.”
Emergency generators should have activated instantly.
They did not.
Dante’s radio crackled.
Vincent’s voice.
“Boss, perimeter breach.”
Then static.
Dante ran toward the stairs.
Vivienne followed.
“Stay behind me.”
“No.”
“Vivienne.”
“No more decisions.”
He swore.
Upstairs, Marco emerged from Elena’s room armed.
“Leo?”
“In the nursery.”
They ran.
The nursery was empty.
Dante’s blood turned to ice.
The crib.
Empty.
Window open.
Clara lay unconscious on the floor.
Marco knelt beside her.
“She’s breathing.”
Vivienne checked her pulse.
“Drugged.”
Dante saw a note inside Leo’s crib.
A black chess bishop sat on top.
FINAL MOVE.
An address was written beneath it.
The old Moretti family mansion.
Abandoned since Antonio died.
Marco looked at Dante.
“Sal.”
“He’s in federal custody.”
“Then someone else.”
Isabella appeared in the doorway.
Her face went white when she saw the bishop.
“No.”
Dante turned.
“What?”
She stared at the note.
“That handwriting.”
“Whose?”
Isabella looked at him.
“Edmund Mercer.”
Sal’s father.
Dante frowned.
“He’s dead.”
Isabella whispered, “We thought so.”
Of course.
Another funeral.
Another lie.
Dante almost laughed from sheer disbelief.
Isabella said, “Edmund disappeared after Antonio removed him from the organization. Sal claimed his father died overseas.”
Marco stood.
“He’s been behind Sal.”
“Maybe.”
Isabella looked at the bishop.
“Or Sal has been protecting him.”
The old Moretti mansion stood near the lake.
Dark.
Empty.
Dante arrived with Marco, Vincent and Vivienne.
Everett’s teams surrounded the property.
Dante entered through the front doors.
The mansion smelled of dust.
His childhood lived in every room.
The staircase where Marco had once shoved him.
The library where Isabella read to them.
The study where Antonio taught them that mercy was a currency spent only once.
A baby cried upstairs.
Dante ran.
They found Leo in Antonio’s old study.
An old man sat behind the desk.
Edmund Mercer.
Thin.
White-haired.
Alive.
A pistol rested near Leo’s cradle.
“Dante.”
Edmund smiled.
“You look like Antonio.”
Dante raised his weapon.
“Step away from the baby.”
“He’s safe.”
“Step away.”
Edmund stood.
“Sal failed because he became sentimental.”
Dante’s eyes narrowed.
“He tried to kill Leo.”
“No.”
Edmund shook his head.
“He tried to arrange outcomes.”
“Same thing.”
“No.”
Edmund smiled.
“Words matter.”
Marco entered.
Edmund looked pleased.
“Both sons.”
Marco said, “Where are your men?”
“Gone.”
Vivienne looked around.
“Too easy again.”
Edmund noticed her.
“The doctor.”
“The one who keeps ruining your plans.”
He smiled.
“Yes.”
Dante said, “Why take Leo?”
Edmund looked at the child.
“Because I need the brothers to sign.”
“Sign what?”
He gestured toward documents on the desk.
Transfers.
Port interests.
Trust shares.
“You surrender controlling assets. Leo lives.”
Dante almost laughed.
“That’s your final move?”
“It’s enough.”
“No.”
Edmund’s smile disappeared.
“You misunderstand.”
He lifted a small remote.
“The house contains explosives.”
Vivienne looked at Dante.
Edmund continued.
“If my heart stops, failsafe activates.”
“Lie,” Marco said.
“Would you risk Leo?”
Dante looked at the baby.
No.
Edmund knew.
“Sign.”
Dante lowered his gun.
Marco stared.
“Dante.”
“The empire burns.”
Marco understood.
Dante walked to the desk.
He signed.
Marco signed.
Edmund relaxed.
“Antonio would be ashamed.”
Dante looked at him.
“Good.”
Edmund smiled.
Then Vivienne moved.
She grabbed a letter opener and threw it across the desk.
Not at Edmund.
At the remote.
It fell from his hand.
Marco lunged.
Edmund fired.
Dante tackled him.
The gunshot hit the ceiling.
Vincent grabbed Leo.
Vivienne kicked the remote away.
Marco pinned Edmund against the desk.
Edmund laughed.
“You still lose.”
A countdown began somewhere in the house.
Vivienne grabbed the remote.
“No cancel button.”
Dante shouted, “Everyone out!”
Vincent ran with Leo.
Marco dragged Edmund.
The old man resisted.
“Leave me!”
“No.”
Marco pulled him.
“If you want to die, do it after trial.”
They ran.
Vivienne stumbled.
Dante caught her.
“Go!”
“Together.”
They reached the front doors.
Dante pushed Vivienne outside.
Marco followed.
Nothing happened.
Silence.
Edmund began laughing.
“No explosives.”
Dante stared at him.
“Psychological leverage.”
Edmund smiled.
“Antonio taught me.”
Dante walked forward.
For one frightening second, everyone thought he might kill the old man.
Instead, Dante punched him once.
Edmund collapsed.
Dante looked at the signed papers lying somewhere inside.
“He can keep the signatures.”
Marco frowned.
“They transfer millions.”
Dante looked at Leo in Vincent’s arms.
“Then they’re cheap.”
Police sirens approached.
May you like
This time, the Moretti brothers waited for them.
Together.
