Chapter 7
The man outside never fired twice.
My guards caught him below the balcony before he reached the garden wall.
Julian sat against the overturned meeting table staring at the hole in the chair behind him.
He finally understood.
Cesare had not promised him power.
He had promised him enough confidence to stand exactly where he could be killed.
Dominic released Mason immediately.
My son ran to me.
I lifted him.
He wrapped himself around my neck so tightly I could barely breathe.
I didn't complain.
August watched us.
Then looked at Dominic.
“You protected the boy.”
Dominic lowered his head.
“I wouldn't let a child take a bullet.”
“Yet you helped bring him here.”
Shame crossed the old man's face.
That contradiction mattered.
People aren't always one thing.
Sometimes that makes betrayal worse.
I handed Mason to my bodyguard.
“Take him to the main house.”
“No.”
He clung harder.
“Mason.”
“No, Dad.”
I lowered my voice.
“You stay with me by listening to me.”
His eyes filled.
I hated every second of it.
But he nodded.
My guard carried him out.
Only then did I turn back to Julian.
“Where is Cesare?”
He laughed weakly.
“You think I know?”
Vanessa answered.
“Old boathouse.”
Everyone looked at her.
Julian's face twisted.
“You knew?”
“I knew where he waited.”
“You never told me.”
“He told me not to.”
Julian almost lunged at her.
Two men stopped him.
I looked at Vanessa.
“Why tell me now?”
Her expression was empty.
“Because he tried to have Julian killed.”
Not enough.
“And?”
She looked toward the door Mason had just passed through.
“Because I pushed a three-year-old into a pool for hearing the truth.”
Her voice changed.
Barely.
“I know what I've become.”
I didn't absolve her.
Regret is not erasure.
But useful regret is still useful.
“How many men with Cesare?”
“Four. Maybe five.”
August shook his head.
“More.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“How do you know?”
“Because Cesare never enters a house unless he already owns one of the doors.”
My father looked at Dominic.
The old capo closed his eyes.
August continued.
“Which door did you give him?”
Dominic didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“Which door?”
“North orchard.”
“Code?”
“No code.”
My jaw tightened.
“What did you do?”
“I removed two men.”
“When?”
“Before the reception.”
So Cesare's people could already be inside.
A radio cracked behind me.
One of my guards.
“Movement north orchard.”
I picked it up.
“How many?”
“Three visible.”
“Visible?”
“Could be more.”
August looked at me.
“That's not the attack.”
I knew.
Too obvious.
“Then what is?”
He looked toward the main estate.
“The pool reception.”
I stared.
“What?”
“He didn't need the west house anymore once Mason exposed me.”
My father stood with help.
“He needs chaos.”
“For?”
“To get close to the people you're protecting.”
The answer hit me.
Mason.
I grabbed the radio.
“Lock the main house now.”
Static.
Then a voice.
“Boss…”
“What?”
Pause.
“The power just went out.”
May you like
Every light in the west house died.
And somewhere across the estate, my son was inside a dark building with the people Cesare had actually come for.
