Chapter 9 - THE LAST MORETTI SECRETThe will was dated three days before their father’s death.
Dante read silently.
Then again.
Their father had intended to divide his legitimate businesses equally between both sons.
Luca had never been disinherited.
Dante looked up.
“You knew?”
Salvatore closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Luca laughed.
“All those years believing Father chose Dante.”
Salvatore’s voice cracked.
“I lied.”
“Why?”
“Because you were becoming dangerous.”
“So you created the monster you feared.”
Salvatore had hidden the will and told Luca that Dante would inherit everything.
He believed jealousy would force Luca to leave New York.
Instead, it created a war.
Luca stared at his uncle.
“You made me hate my brother.”
“No,” Dante said.
Luca turned.
“Salvatore lied to you. He didn’t make you murder Evelyn. He didn’t make you poison Robert. He didn’t make you use Emma.”
Luca’s face tightened.
“You always were self-righteous.”
“And you always needed someone else responsible for your choices.”
Sonia watched Luca’s finger tighten around the trigger.
“Dante,” she warned.
Luca pressed the gun against Salvatore’s head.
“Give me your weapon.”
Dante placed it down.
“Kick it away.”
He did.
“Now kneel.”
Sonia stepped forward.
Luca swung the gun toward her.
“Stay there.”
Dante knelt.
Luca smiled.
“At last.”
Sonia saw movement outside the window.
Federal tactical officers.
Dante had not come alone after all.
But Luca saw her eyes shift.
He understood.
He grabbed Salvatore and fired toward the window.
Glass exploded.
Agents returned fire.
Chaos swallowed the room.
Sonia dropped behind the table.
Dante lunged for his gun.
Luca ran through the kitchen.
Dante followed.
“Sonia, stay!”
She ignored him.
Outside, rain had begun.
Luca crossed the lawn toward the cliffs overlooking Long Island Sound.
Dante caught him near the edge.
The brothers collided.
Salvatore stumbled after them.
“Stop!”
Neither listened.
Luca punched Dante.
Dante drove him backward.
Mud turned the ground slick.
Then Luca slipped.
His body went over the edge.
Dante caught his wrist.
For one impossible moment, Luca hung above the rocks.
Sonia reached them.
“Help me!” Dante shouted.
She grabbed Dante around the waist.
Luca looked up at his brother.
“You should let go.”
Dante strained.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not you.”
Luca stared at him.
Something broke in his expression.
For perhaps the first time, he looked exhausted rather than angry.
Agents rushed forward and pulled Luca to safety.
Handcuffs closed around his wrists.
He did not resist.
As they led him away, Luca stopped beside Sonia.
“Your mother was braver than all of us.”
Sonia’s eyes filled with tears.
“You don’t get to remember her kindly.”
Luca lowered his head.
“No.”
He walked away.
Salvatore was arrested minutes later.
The sun rose over the water.
Dante stood at the cliff edge.
Sonia approached.
“It’s over.”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“No?”
He stared at the mansion.
“This part is.”
Three months later, the Moretti organization looked very different.
Dante sold businesses connected to illegal operations and placed several legitimate companies under independent management. His attorneys negotiated his cooperation with investigators.
Luca faced charges for murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, kidnapping, and financial crimes.
Vinnie agreed to testify.
Salvatore did too.
Robert’s cancer treatment continued.
Emma returned to nursing school, though she spent several weeks insisting she would never date another mysterious wealthy donor.
Sonia teased her relentlessly.
And Lombardi’s Prime closed.
One evening Dante brought Sonia to the empty restaurant.
The tables were gone.
The cracked booths had been removed.
Only table 6 remained.
“Why are we here?”
Dante handed her an envelope.
Sonia opened it.
Inside was a deed.
She stared at him.
“No.”
“It’s yours.”
“No.”
“You said you wanted a restaurant.”
“I’m not accepting a Manhattan building from you.”
“It’s technically a long-term lease for one dollar annually.”
“That’s worse.”
“I thought it was clever.”
“It’s insane.”
Dante smiled.
“You saved my life.”
“Twice. You mention it constantly.”
“Then consider this repayment.”
“I don’t want repayment.”
His smile disappeared.
“What do you want?”
Sonia looked around the room.
Then at him.
“You.”
Dante went still.
“Not your money. Not your protection. Not your guilt.”
She stepped closer.
“You.”
His voice lowered.
“That may be the worst bargain you’ve ever made.”
“Probably.”
He kissed her.
Then Sonia whispered against his mouth:
“But I’m still not taking the building.”
Dante sighed.
“We’re going to argue about this for years, aren’t we?”
“Hopefully.”
Neither noticed the envelope pushed beneath the front door.
Not until they were leaving.
Sonia picked it up.
No stamp.
No name.
Inside was a photograph of Evelyn Mitchell.
Taken two weeks before her death.
Beside her stood another woman.
On the back were five handwritten words:
ASK DANTE WHO SHE IS.
May you like
Sonia slowly raised her eyes.
Dante had gone pale.
