Chapter 4
Valentina said nothing for almost ten seconds.
The tunnel became so quiet that water dripping from the stone ceiling sounded loud.
Gerald misread the silence.
He always had.
He stepped closer.
“You want to know why the soda mattered?”
Valentina’s eyes settled on him.
He smiled.
“Because the key was supposed to leave the garden without anyone noticing.”
“With Greco.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To open the west gate from inside.”
Mateo’s face hardened.
Gerald saw it and laughed.
“Relax, old man.”
“No army was coming.”
Evelyn lifted her chin.
“Only six men.”
Valentina looked at her.
“For what?”
Evelyn smiled.
“To watch.”
That answer was worse.
They had planned witnesses.
Gerald folded his arms.
“Greco wanted to see whether you still had control of yourself.”
Valentina looked toward the ruined garden beyond the tunnel.
“And you volunteered my daughter.”
Gerald scoffed.
“Don't dramatize.”
He pointed toward the cooler.
“She took my drink.”
“You put a key under it.”
“I did.”
“You swung a belt beside her.”
“I did.”
His expression remained arrogant.
“And she’s still breathing.”
Mateo’s hand tightened.
Gerald noticed and grinned.
“There it is.”
He looked around.
“This is what I'm talking about.”
He jabbed a finger toward Lily.
“One little girl whimpers and grown men forget what they are.”
Valentina’s voice came softly.
“You think terrorizing children makes you strong?”
Gerald’s eyes narrowed.
“I think children learn rank faster when adults stop lying to them.”
Evelyn laughed.
“She’ll survive.”
Her gaze moved toward Lily again.
“And maybe next time she’ll know better than to paw through things that belong to her betters.”
Valentina moved one step forward.
Every man felt it.
Evelyn’s smile remained.
Barely.
Gerald looked pleased.
He wanted another strike.
Then a new voice came from deeper inside the tunnel.
“She hasn't changed.”
Everyone turned.
A gray-haired man emerged from the darkness.
Salvatore Greco.
Tall.
Lean.
Fourteen years older than the last photograph Valentina had seen.
Still dangerous.
Two men behind him.
No weapons visible.
Gerald smiled broadly.
“There.”
He looked at Valentina.
“The man your father was too afraid to face twice.”
Greco’s eyes moved to Gerald.
Then Evelyn.
Finally Valentina.
“You look like Carlo.”
Valentina’s face did not move.
“You came into my house through a tunnel.”
Greco smiled.
“Your father came into mine through a cemetery.”
Old hatred.
Old language.
Gerald stepped beside Greco.
Too quickly.
Too proudly.
Valentina saw something on Greco’s face.
Amusement.
Not respect.
That mattered.
Valentina asked:
“Why are you here?”
Greco looked toward Gerald.
“He promised me a seat at a family council.”
Several capos went still.
Gerald did not.
He smiled.
“You'll have one.”
Greco continued.
“And three Carbone routes once you’re removed.”
Gerald’s smile weakened.
Only slightly.
Vincent turned toward him.
“My routes?”
Gerald looked at Greco.
“That part wasn't for tonight.”
Greco’s mouth curved.
“I dislike being used as a secret.”
Valentina saw the first fracture.
Gerald had brought Greco to weaken her.
Greco had arrived willing to weaken Gerald too.
Then Greco looked at Evelyn.
“She promised me more.”
Gerald slowly turned toward his wife.
Evelyn’s expression stayed calm.
“What did you promise him?”
Gerald asked.
May you like
Evelyn smiled.
“Something you were never going to keep.”
