Chapter 1
Nobody touched Nolan.
That frightened him more than another punch would have.
He remained half-sitting among the collapsed chairs, one hand against his jaw, staring at the capos standing behind Serafina.
Victor slowly pushed himself upright beside the garden bench.
His face was red with humiliation.
“You’re making a mistake.”
Serafina did not look at him.
She crouched beside Leo first.
Grass clung to the boy’s cheek. His lower lip trembled, but he was trying desperately not to cry.
Serafina’s hand hovered near his shoulder before she touched him.
“Look at me.”
Leo lifted his eyes.
“You hurt anywhere?”
“My back.”
Her jaw tightened.
Mia moved close enough that her cardigan brushed Serafina’s arm.
Serafina reached back without looking and took her daughter’s hand.
Only then did she stand.
“Take the children inside.”
Nolan laughed weakly.
“There she is. Always sending the children away before the adults talk.”
Serafina’s eyes settled on him.
The laugh died.
Two trusted bodyguards escorted Leo and Mia toward the house.
Victor brushed dirt from his jacket.
“This is still my family’s estate.”
One of the senior capos, Anthony Russo, finally spoke.
“No, Victor.”
Victor turned.
Anthony’s voice was calm.
“It hasn’t been for a long time.”
A silence moved through the dinner guests.
Victor’s fingers stopped at his cuff.
Serafina stepped toward the table.
“Phones.”
Nobody moved.
She looked around once.
Every capo placed his phone on the linen-covered table.
Several family associates followed.
Victor did not.
Neither did Nolan.
Serafina waited.
No shouting.
No threat.
Just silence.
Nolan’s breathing became audible.
Finally Victor removed his phone.
Then Nolan.
Serafina nodded toward the bodyguards.
“Seal the garden gates. Nobody leaves until my children tell me why Nolan put his knee on Leo’s back.”
Victor’s eyes sharpened.
“That’s absurd.”
Serafina looked at him.
“You laughed while he did it.”
Victor’s lips pressed together.
Before anyone could answer, Mia ran back through the open doors.
A bodyguard followed, apologizing.
Serafina immediately turned.
“Mia?”
The girl’s face was pale.
“I forgot something.”
She reached into the pocket of her cardigan.
Her small hand came out holding a black flash drive.
Nolan stopped breathing.
Serafina saw it.
So did every capo.
Mia held the drive toward her mother.
“Leo found this under Grandpa Victor’s chair before Nolan grabbed him.”
Victor’s glass slipped from his hand.
It struck the lawn without breaking.
May you like
And for the first time that evening, Serafina understood that Nolan had not attacked her son because he was angry.
He had been searching him.
