Chapter 1
Lorenzo did not chase Marcus when he tried to rise.
He turned toward Leo.
That choice made Marcus look almost disappointed.
Lorenzo noticed.
His son sat in the arms of a trusted bodyguard, one small hand pressed against his cheek.
Frosting from the crushed cupcake stained two fingers blue.
Lorenzo crouched.
His breathing had slowed.
“Look at me, buddy.”
Leo’s wet eyes found his.
“Does your head hurt?”
A tiny shake.
“Your cheek?”
A nod.
Lorenzo’s hand hovered near the red mark before touching the boy’s hair instead.
“Okay.”
Behind him, Evelyn laughed weakly.
“For heaven’s sake, Lorenzo. Children get slapped.”
The entire patio seemed to stop breathing.
Lorenzo did not turn.
Leo did.
His shoulders immediately tightened.
Lorenzo saw that reaction.
So did one of the capos.
Lorenzo rose.
“Take Leo inside.”
The bodyguard started toward the house.
Leo suddenly grabbed Lorenzo’s sleeve.
“Daddy.”
His voice was thin.
Lorenzo leaned down again.
“What?”
Leo looked toward the party-favor display.
“The camera man said wait for my blue cupcake.”
Marcus’s face changed.
Lorenzo saw it.
He slowly looked toward the pool photographer.
The man had already begun backing away.
“Stop.”
The photographer froze.
Lorenzo walked over.
No rush.
No raised voice.
That made the guests part faster.
“Why the blue cupcake?”
The photographer swallowed.
“I don’t know what he means.”
Leo called from behind Lorenzo.
“He told Aunt Evelyn.”
Evelyn’s fingers stopped against her necklace.
Lorenzo looked at her.
Then at the photographer.
Anthony Russo, Lorenzo’s chief bodyguard, took the camera.
The photographer protested.
Anthony ignored him.
He opened the recent footage.
The angle was strange.
The camera had been aimed directly at the place where Lorenzo struck Marcus.
It captured Lorenzo’s punch perfectly.
It captured his slap against Evelyn.
It captured his final threat.
But the first seconds—
Evelyn striking Leo—
were outside the frame.
Lorenzo’s eyes became still.
Anthony checked the time stamps.
Then looked up.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“This camera started recording thirty seconds before Leo got hit.”
Silence.
Marcus slowly stopped trying to stand.
Anthony continued.
“And somebody already uploaded the clip.”
Lorenzo’s gaze moved toward Marcus.
“To where?”
Anthony’s expression hardened.
“The private council server.”
May you like
The attack on Leo had lasted seconds.
The evidence against Lorenzo had been prepared before it happened.
