Chapter 1
My eighteen-month-old daughter threw her milk at my brother during a $50 million mafia dinner, and what fell from his gold watch exposed a betrayal that could destroy my entire family. Twenty armed gangsters reached for their guns as my little girl pointed at his wrist and screamed, “DADA! TICK-TICK! BAD!” Minutes later, I would hear my dead wife's voice, discover my daughter had been sold to our enemies, and receive a phone call from a man I'd buried three years ago.
My name is Alexander Moretti. At twenty-seven, I ruled one of New York's most feared mafia families. I was six-foot-four, muscular, with broad shoulders, tattoo-covered arms, and cold gray eyes that rarely showed emotion.
But my daughter, Lily, could melt my heart with one smile.
She was an adorable little princess with enormous brown eyes, chubby rosy cheeks, and two tiny pigtails. That evening, she wore her favorite bright yellow princess dress and little red shoes, with her white teddy bear tucked beside her high chair.
Six months earlier, my wife had died under mysterious circumstances. Since then, Lily refused to sleep unless she was holding my hand.
I'd promised her nobody would ever take our family away again.
That night, my younger brother, Vincent, had organized a private dinner celebrating a $50 million mafia agreement. Twenty armed soldiers surrounded the dining room, along with my captains and closest allies.
Everything seemed normal until Vincent leaned toward Lily.
“Come here, sweetheart. Give Uncle Vincent a kiss.”
Lily recoiled, hugging her teddy bear.
“No! No!”
Vincent forced a smile. “Your daughter doesn't like me anymore?”
I tried to laugh, but Lily kept staring at his expensive gold watch.
Then she grabbed her pink cup.
SPLASH!
Warm milk soaked Vincent's black suit.
“WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT BABY?!” he shouted.
Lily clapped her tiny hands.
“Uh-oh! Wet! Wet!”
Then she pointed at his wrist.
“Tick-tick! Bad!”
Vincent covered his watch, but its loosened back had already fallen open.
A tiny silver device dropped onto the table.
My security chief examined it and went pale.
“Boss, it's a tracker. Someone's broadcasting your location.”
I stood slowly.
“Vincent. Explain.”
He stared toward the windows.
“We have three minutes before they arrive.”
I ordered an immediate lockdown, but our radios answered with static.
“WHO DID YOU GIVE MY LOCATION TO?”
Vincent swallowed.
“The Falcone family.”
My blood turned cold. Those mafia rivals had hunted me for eleven years.
“You sold your own brother?”
He shook his head.
“No. I sold them something more valuable.”
His eyes shifted toward Lily.
“HER.”
I seized his collar.
“WHAT DID YOU DO?”
“Your wife discovered records that could destroy every mafia family in New York! Names, accounts, everything!”
“Where are they?”
Vincent pointed at Lily's teddy bear.
“She hid them inside that toy!”
Lily smiled innocently.
“Dada! Teddy!”
She squeezed its stomach, and a familiar lullaby began playing.
My wife's lullaby.
Then the music stopped.
Her recorded voice filled the room.
“Alexander, if you're hearing this, someone in our family betrayed me.”
My knees nearly gave way.
Lily whispered, “Mama…”
The recording continued.
“Don't trust the person who gave Lily her first birthday present.”
I remembered the balloons, the cake, and the first gift.
My father.
The man I'd buried three years earlier.
Suddenly, the mansion lights went out. Glass shattered upstairs, and my security chief shouted that armed men had breached the east gate.
I lifted Lily against my chest.
“Dada… boom?” she whispered.
Before I could answer, my phone rang.
An elderly voice spoke.
“Hello, son. Put my granddaughter on the phone.”
I froze.
It was my father's voice.
May you like
Then Lily reached toward the phone, smiling.
“POP-POP!”
