Chapter 6 - THE BROTHER WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
I had not heard my brother's name spoken inside that house in thirteen years.
Vincent Moretti.
Older than me by three years.
Brilliant.
Reckless.
Our father's favorite until the day he wasn't.
Officially, Vincent died in a boating accident off Sicily thirteen years earlier.
There had been wreckage.
Blood.
No body.
My father told everyone the Mediterranean had taken his son.
My mother stopped speaking Vincent's name.
Now she stood in front of me telling me the dead man had authorized a payment four years ago.
“Explain.”
Victoria sat.
“When your father died, Vincent was already alive.”
The room tilted.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“For thirteen years?”
“Yes.”
I laughed once because the alternative was destroying something.
“Does anyone in this family ever actually die?”
Sophia stared between us.
Victoria continued.
“Vincent's accident was staged. Your father arranged it after Vincent stole from the organization.”
“How much?”
“Millions.”
“Where did he go?”
“Europe. South America. Eventually Canada.”
“And four years ago?”
“He came back.”
I understood before she finished.
“My war with the Bellandi crew.”
Victoria nodded.
“Vincent financed them.”
My brother had been behind men who tried twice to kill me.
The room went silent.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“He threatened you.”
“He was already trying to kill me.”
“He threatened something else.”
Her gaze moved to Sophia.
Sophia went pale.
“He knew about the baby?”
“Yes.”
Victoria's voice broke.
“He told me if you didn't surrender control of the ports, he would take away whatever mattered most to you.”
Sophia covered Lily's ears even though the child was asleep.
“I thought sending Sophia away would remove the target.”
I stared at the ledger.
“Carlo worked for Vincent.”
“Yes.”
“And the car?”
“I believe Vincent ordered it after Sophia refused to disappear quickly enough.”
Victoria looked at Sophia.
“I didn't know. I swear to you.”
Sophia said nothing.
There was nothing she could say.
I called Agent Shaw.
She returned to the library.
“Does the FBI know Vincent Moretti is alive?”
Her expression answered before her mouth did.
“Yes.”
My attorney swore.
“How long?”
“Seven years.”
“And nobody thought to mention it?”
“You weren't entitled to operational intelligence.”
“Is he in New York?”
She didn't answer.
Which meant yes.
I looked toward Lily.
A sick feeling settled in my stomach.
“Carlo didn't come for documents.”
Agent Shaw's eyes sharpened.
“No.”
“He came because Vincent wanted me distracted.”
Enzo's phone rang.
He answered.
Then looked toward the security monitor.
“East gate.”
The screen showed a black SUV abandoned in the snow.
No driver.
Inside the vehicle was a box.
The bomb squad arrived at 1:06 a.m.
There was no explosive.
Only a phone.
It rang.
Agent Shaw wanted to answer.
I didn't let her.
“Vincent.”
Silence.
Then a familiar voice.
Older.
Rougher.
But unmistakable.
“Merry Christmas, little brother.”
My hand tightened around the phone.
“You're supposed to be dead.”
“So was our father's empire.”
“What do you want?”
“What was always mine.”
“You tried to kill Sophia.”
“I tried to solve a problem.”
Across the room, Sophia went still.
I wanted to reach through the phone.
Vincent laughed.
“Still emotional. That's why Father chose the wrong son.”
“You come near my family and—”
“Your family?”
His amusement vanished.
“You met the girl three hours ago.”
I looked at Lily.
“She is my family.”
“Then you'll understand the offer.”
“What offer?”
“Give the federal agents the original ledger.”
“They already have it.”
“A copy. Your mother replaced the real one years ago.”
I looked at Victoria.
Again, her face betrayed her.
Of course.
Another secret.
Vincent continued.
“The original contains names that could collapse half the old network. I want it.”
“And if I refuse?”
“You spent four years searching for Sophia.”
His voice softened.
“Imagine spending the rest of your life searching for your daughter.”
Sophia grabbed my arm.
I said nothing.
Vincent hung up.
Agent Shaw immediately began issuing orders.
Victoria stood.
“The original ledger is not here.”
“Where?”
She hesitated.
I shouted, “Where?”
“At St. Gabriel's.”
I stared.
The church where my father was buried.
“Where inside?”
“His crypt.”
Enzo swore.
Agent Shaw said, “Nobody moves until my team—”
“No.”
She stared at me.
I looked at Sophia.
“You and Lily stay here.”
Sophia laughed without humor.
“Absolutely not.”
“This isn't a debate.”
“That's exactly what your mother said four years ago.”
That stopped me.
She stepped closer.
“You want to be different from her? Then don't protect me by removing my choices.”
I hated that she was right.
“Fine. But you stay with Agent Shaw.”
“I can accept that.”
I turned to Enzo.
“We're going to the church.”
Victoria stood.
“So am I.”
“No.”
“Dominic.”
“You've done enough.”
Pain crossed her face.
I regretted the words.
I didn't take them back.
Then Lily woke.
She rubbed her eyes.
“Mommy?”
Sophia lifted her.
Lily looked at me.
“Are you leaving?”
“For a little while.”
“Will you come back?”
The question nearly destroyed me.
Maybe because she asked it so casually.
Maybe because I wondered how many people had already disappeared from her small world.
I crouched.
“Yes.”
“Promise?”
I had made promises to men with guns.
Presidents of companies.
Judges.
Enemies.
None had frightened me like this one.
I held out my little finger.
“Promise.”
Lily wrapped hers around it.
Then she whispered:
“Daddy?”
Everything stopped.
Sophia's eyes widened.
Lily looked embarrassed.
“Mommy told me.”
My throat closed.
I touched her cheek.
“Yes.”
She studied me seriously.
Then she hugged my neck.
For three seconds, I couldn't move.
Then I held my daughter for the first time.
When I finally stood, Agent Shaw was watching me.
“So,” she said quietly, “are you still planning to go play gangster at the church?”
I looked at Lily.
“No.”
I handed Shaw my gun.
May you like
“We do it your way.”
And for the first time in my adult life, walking away from violence felt more powerful than reaching for it.
