Chapter 3
My brother Matteo had been dead for six years.
Shot outside a warehouse in Brooklyn.
I had buried him myself.
At least, I buried what was left of him.
Now a maid stood in my breakfast room telling me he had a daughter.
Mia.
Four years old.
Impossible.
Unless Matteo had left behind more secrets than enemies.
I looked at Lena.
“Explain.”
She held Mia close.
“Not in front of her.”
Mia stiffened.
“Is it bad?”
Lena kissed her hair.
“No, baby.”
I rang for Rosa, the oldest woman in my house and the only person besides Rafael who could speak to me like I was still human.
When Rosa arrived, she took one look at Mia and softened.
“Come, little one. I have chocolate cake.”
Mia looked at me.
“Can I?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
She followed Rosa, but she carried the red heart with her.
When she was gone, Lena’s body seemed to lose strength.
“She is Matteo’s,” she whispered. “He knew. He came to me the week before he died. He said if anything happened to him, I should never bring her to the Verrones unless I had no other choice.”
“And tonight?”
Her eyes filled.
“I had no other choice.”
Rafael returned with a folder.
His face was grim.
“Boss.”
I took it.
Inside were photographs.
Lena’s apartment door broken.
A warning written on the wall.
Bring the girl by midnight.
My jaw tightened.
“Who?”
Lena whispered, “Silvio Marchetti.”
The same man smirking in my ballroom.
My old rival.
My supposed ally for tonight’s fundraiser.
“Why does he want Mia?”
Lena swallowed.
“Because Matteo left her something.”
“What?”
“I don’t know. A key. A bank name. He told me she would inherit it when she turned five.”
Rafael swore under his breath.
Mia’s birthday was in three weeks.
Lena continued.
“I thought hiding as staff in your house would protect us. But Silvio found out.”
I looked toward the ballroom.
The fundraiser was still happening.
Music had resumed.
Men were drinking my wine while one of them hunted my niece.
My niece.
The word hit me hard.
Matteo’s child had asked me to be her father for a day because no one had told her she had family.
I looked at Rafael.
“Seal the exits.”
Lena gasped.
“What are you doing?”
May you like
I stared toward the hall.
“Accepting a longer contract.”
