too quiet after t

nge physically and emotionally in twelve hours than most six-year-olds experienced in a year. I'd tucked him into his new

oss his forehead. The slight flutter of his ey

For

long? Hopefu

s I passed, his expression unreadable but his presence reassuring. He would die bef

ne else I was

es coming from his office low, urgent, speaking in rapid Italian that I only partially understood. My

need the language of busin

ast seven years p

ve hardwood floors. The office door was slightly ajar, and I could s

ger. I caught fragments: " complete background checks.." "..e

who had taken that photo of Luca. The

uld have knocked. Should have given

d in the hallwa

o, I don't want to believe it either, but someone got that angle

pa

ars. Phone logs. Travel history. Bank accounts, including offshore. If someone's b

use. Longe

e. Someone in my organization put a target on my son. On my wife. That

dropped lo

ugh to tell me everything. Every contact. Every piece

intake of breath, maybe..because Da

met throu

into the phone. Ended the call

oward the office. Not quite an invitation. More like an acknow

r open fully and

inst my bare feet's and built-in bookshelves lined with volumes that actually looked read, a d

notes in Dante's precise handwriting. Color-coded. Org

Blue in others. Green scattered thr

ching me study the maps. "Blue is neutral

" I finished. "Vi

." He moved to stand beside me, studying the map like a general planning a campa

The neighborhoods he had controlled. The bus

ed in yellow now.

's legacy, absorbed by t

take it back,"

at me. "The Mo

ction my father spent his life building." I traced the yello

orks, Aria. Territor

face him fully. "You took over the Russo operations from your predecessor. Yo

in his eyes. Surpris

," he said slowly. "Actual

r started. And then I want to d

wo very diff

ned way. Take his territory. Undermine his authority. Make him weak enough that the other families turn on him." I crossed my arms. "I've spent se

unreadable. Then he moved to his desk, pulled ou

ss. "It's not just attending meetings and making speeches. It's blood. Cons

ed the glass he offered but didn't drink. "He thought keeping me sheltered wo

useless. Yo

ere's a di

ive. Kept Luca safe.

t burned going down, but in a

scussions with the Brooklyn families. Nothing major. But you could attend. Start showi

. "You want me at

he games people play." He leaned against his desk. "If you're serious about reclaimin

seri

't speak unless spoken to directly..you're still feeli

the pressure. See if I would freeze or fumble or show

said. "I'l

s glass slightly. "T

gainst his. "To taki

ing into something else. Something that wasn't qu

ybe that's all

s all it ne

to be complicated. We need to coordinate security, prepare for t

be able t

lightly. "Luca's going to wake up with

new home, his new life, his new father. I needed

you sleepin

r sofa against the wall. "I need to be close to the

un on no sle

one it

e luxury of rest. Not when they held empires to

ight,

a. It's good to

longer somehow. Emptier. I passed Luca's room Ghost still at his

it felt strange thinking of an

. A king-sized bed that could easily fit four people. Windows overlooking the

felt gratefu

ed, I don't want to b

still smelled like the safehouse in Jersey and climbed into bed. The she

ouldn't

wing about Luca. To the traitor somewhere in this buildi

stand, screen dark. No ne

sil

elt worse than

amp, about to turn it of

wn nu

mach d

trembling fingers,

ns making it impenetrable. But every fortress has weaknesses. Every king has blind spots.

le b

's pet na

this had known my family.

one

ne tr

y heart hammering, mind ra

ants? Someone from Dante's organizati

o long. The sus

Should show him thi

thing st

ed me Dante's weakn

What if it made Dante second-guess bringing me into his

he way my father had as a li

wered down the phone. Set

orrow I'd figure out who was b

needed to surviv

e darkness, listening to the city b

e, Vincent was pla

building, a trai

lept peacefully, unaware that his existence had j

tried to find sleep

. New threats. New tests of whether

d start pro

the darkness and prayed m