Chapter 4 - Blood at the Family Table
Adrian read the message twice.
Then he said, “You're staying here.”
Elena laughed in disbelief.
“My mother has been kidnapped.”
“Exactly.”
“You are not going without me.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No.”
Adrian turned.
“Elena.”
“You lost the right to disappear for my protection.”
That stopped him.
Marco stepped between them.
“She has a point.”
Adrian stared at him.
Marco shrugged.
“Again.”
The old Moretti estate had been abandoned since Adrian's father died.
Luca had chosen it deliberately.
A family graveyard without graves.
Adrian entered through the front.
Elena stayed with Marco in the vehicle.
For approximately forty seconds.
Then she got out.
“Elena.”
“Don't.”
Marco sighed.
“I understand why he loves you. You're exhausting.”
Inside, Adrian found Luca sitting at the dining table.
Elena's mother, Margaret, was tied nearby.
Alive.
“Adrian,” Luca said. “Welcome home.”
“Let her go.”
“Where is the ledger?”
“Gone.”
Luca smiled.
“You always were terrible at lying to family.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“You planted the bomb.”
“Yes.”
“You killed three of my men.”
“Yes.”
“You threatened Elena.”
“I saved Elena.”
Adrian's restraint cracked.
“You used her.”
“I needed you emotionally unstable.”
“Why?”
“Because Father chose you.”
There it was.
Thirty years reduced to four words.
Luca stood.
“He gave you everything.”
“He thought you were dead.”
“He wanted me dead.”
Adrian shook his head.
“You wanted his chair.”
“I deserved his chair.”
“You wanted his fear.”
Luca's smile disappeared.
“Same thing.”
“No.”
Adrian looked at his brother.
“That is why he never chose you.”
Luca drew a gun.
Elena entered behind him.
“Stop.”
Everyone turned.
Adrian's face hardened.
“Elena.”
She held the music box.
Luca stared.
“You have it.”
“Yes.”
“Give it to me.”
“Release my mother.”
Luca laughed.
“You think you're negotiating?”
Elena opened the music box.
“I know what you want.”
She pulled out a tiny brass key.
Adrian stared.
He hadn't known.
“The ledger isn't inside the box,” Elena said.
Luca's expression changed.
“The key opens something else.”
“Where?”
“Release her.”
Luca approached.
Adrian raised his weapon.
“Stop.”
Luca ignored him.
“Elena, give me the key.”
“No.”
Luca aimed at Margaret.
Adrian fired.
Chaos erupted.
Marco's team entered.
Margaret dropped to the floor.
Elena ran toward her.
Luca escaped through the rear corridor.
Adrian followed.
The brothers reached their father's study.
Luca turned.
They fought.
No guns.
No guards.
Just two brothers and thirty years of resentment.
Luca struck Adrian.
Adrian drove him against the desk.
“You were supposed to love me!” Luca shouted.
Adrian froze.
For one second, Luca wasn't a criminal.
He was fifteen again.
Following Adrian everywhere.
Trying desperately to be included.
Then Luca pulled a knife.
Adrian caught his wrist.
“You made your choices.”
“So did you.”
Luca twisted free and fled through a hidden passage.
By the time Adrian reached the exterior door, Luca was gone.
Elena's mother survived.
The brass key opened a private deposit box.
Inside was not the ledger.
It was a recording.
Adrian's father appeared on screen.
“If Adrian is watching this, then Luca has returned.”
Adrian stared.
His father had known.
“Luca did not die six years ago. I helped him disappear.”
Adrian whispered, “Why?”
The recording continued.
“Because my youngest son had become involved with people more dangerous than our family.”
A photograph appeared.
Daniel Hart's father.
Senator William Hart.
Elena stared.
Daniel's family was involved.
Adrian's father continued.
“The organization calls itself the Crown.”
Adrian looked at the symbol from the murdered gunman.
Split crown.
“The ledger contains proof of every member.”
The screen flickered.
“If Luca returns, do not trust anyone carrying the Moretti name.”
Then another photograph appeared.
Adrian stared.
It showed his father.
Luca.
And Marco.
Together.
Taken one year after Luca supposedly died.
Adrian slowly turned toward his oldest friend.
Marco had gone pale.
May you like
“Elena,” Adrian said quietly.
“Move away from him.”
