Chapter 17 - THE LAST FAMILY WARThe attackers were not Gallagher’s men.
Gallagher was imprisoned.
Arthur was cooperating.
Leo had disappeared into witness protection.
These men belonged to something older.
The Bellandi organization.
A network Salvatore Russo had secretly used to move money overseas.
Thomas knew the name.
So did Matteo.
Dominic did not.
That enraged him.
“How many organizations did our fathers hide from us?”
Thomas answered quietly:
“Enough.”
Clara looked at him.
“That was not comforting.”
Gunfire struck the lodge.
Victor directed everyone toward the basement.
Dominic remained near the stairs.
Clara grabbed his sleeve.
“We’re going together.”
“I need to help Victor.”
“Then I’m helping too.”
“No.”
Clara stared.
Dominic corrected himself.
“Please.”
“Still no.”
Thomas suddenly laughed.
Everyone looked at him.
“Sorry.”
Clara glared.
“What?”
Thomas looked at Dominic.
“I used to wonder what kind of man could possibly marry her.”
Dominic checked his weapon.
“Apparently one with poor survival instincts.”
Despite the terror, Clara laughed.
The basement contained an old tunnel.
Matteo had built it decades earlier.
They escaped through the forest while federal agents moved toward the property.
But the attackers anticipated the route.
A vehicle blocked the road.
Three armed men emerged.
Dominic pushed Clara behind a tree.
Victor returned fire.
Then Thomas fell.
“Dad!”
Clara ran.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
Not fatal.
But heavy.
Dominic covered them while Clara pressed her scarf against the wound.
Thomas looked up at her.
“I’m sorry.”
“Not now.”
“For everything.”
“Dad.”
“I should have come home.”
Clara’s eyes filled.
“Yes.”
“I should have trusted your mother.”
“Yes.”
“I should have trusted you.”
She pressed harder.
“You can apologize when you’re not bleeding.”
Thomas smiled weakly.
“You sound like your mother.”
“Everybody says that.”
Federal vehicles finally arrived.
The attackers retreated.
One was captured.
His name was Luca Bellandi.
Thirty-nine.
American-born.
No criminal record.
On paper, he was an investment banker.
During interrogation, investigators discovered why the Bellandis had surfaced.
Matteo had spent decades holding evidence against them.
Evidence Thomas helped preserve.
If Matteo died, the evidence would automatically reach federal authorities.
But Matteo was sick.
Pancreatic cancer.
Months, perhaps weeks.
Clara stared at him in the hospital.
“That’s why you came back.”
Matteo nodded.
“You needed an heir to hold the threat over them.”
“Yes.”
“You were going to give me your enemies with your money.”
“Yes.”
Dominic stood beside Clara.
His disgust was obvious.
Matteo looked at him.
“Don’t pretend your father didn’t do the same.”
“I’m not my father.”
“No.”
Matteo’s gaze moved to Clara.
“She made sure of that.”
Clara sat.
“Give the evidence to the government.”
“They cannot protect everyone.”
“Neither can you.”
“I protected Helena.”
Helen laughed bitterly.
“You terrorized me.”
Matteo looked wounded.
That surprised everyone.
Helen continued.
“You never understood the difference between loving someone and owning them.”
Matteo looked toward the window.
Perhaps for the first time, he understood there was no argument left.
The next morning, he signed over the Bellandi evidence.
Federal raids began in three states.
The threat should have ended.
Instead, Emilia disappeared.
This time for real.
Sofia called screaming.
Someone had rammed the security vehicle outside her apartment.
Rosa was injured.
Victor’s men were unconscious.
Emilia was gone.
Dominic dropped the phone.
Clara stared at him.
Neither spoke.
Then Clara’s phone rang.
Luca Bellandi.
He had escaped federal transport.
His voice was calm.
“You have something I want.”
Clara’s entire body shook.
“What?”
“Matteo.”
Dominic took the phone.
“If you touch my daughter—”
Clara ripped it back.
“No.”
Dominic stared.
She spoke into the phone.
“You want Matteo?”
“Yes.”
“Then you talk to me.”
A pause.
“Mrs. Russo—”
“You took my child.”
May you like
Her voice became frighteningly steady.
“So now you deal with her mother.”
