Chapter 4 - THE PRICE OF A LIE
Dante did not come alone.
He simply made sure Gabriel believed he did.
Three cars stopped miles from the abandoned Cross property.
Dante continued in one vehicle with Vanessa beside him.
His bodyguards followed through the woods on foot.
Vanessa stared through the windshield.
“He took Lily because of me.”
“Yes.”
“You don’t have to sound pleased.”
Dante looked at her.
“You spent my entire life teaching me that when someone hurts your family, emotion is weakness.”
Vanessa went silent.
“Now you want comfort.”
“I’m your mother.”
“And Lily is my daughter.”
That ended it.
The Cross property had been abandoned for years.
A farmhouse.
Old barn.
Small workshop.
Dante parked near the front gate.
The door opened before he reached the porch.
Gabriel stood inside.
No suit.
No professional calm.
A dark shirt.
A pistol at his side.
“Vanessa.”
His eyes ignored Dante.
She stepped out.
“Where is Lily?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
Gabriel smiled.
“Now you care what happens when somebody takes a child away from their parent.”
Vanessa went pale.
Dante moved between them.
“This is with me.”
“No.”
Gabriel’s eyes hardened.
“This started before you mattered.”
He led them inside.
Lily sat at the kitchen table.
Alive.
Unhurt.
Her missing shoe rested beside her.
Elena sat beside her.
Dante stopped.
Nine months disappeared.
Elena looked thinner.
Her hair had been cut shorter.
Fear crossed her face the moment she saw him.
She pulled Lily closer.
“Don’t.”
Dante froze.
Not because of Gabriel’s gun.
Because his wife was afraid of him.
“Elena.”
She looked toward Vanessa.
Then back at Dante.
“You brought her.”
“Gabriel demanded it.”
Elena laughed bitterly.
“Of course he did.”
Lily reached toward Dante.
“Daddy.”
Elena did not stop her.
Dante crossed the room slowly.
Gabriel raised the pistol.
“Enough.”
Lily started crying.
Elena held her tighter.
“Put the gun down.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“You still think you can order me?”
“I know what you did to Owen.”
Silence.
Dante’s eyes moved to Gabriel.
“Tell me.”
Elena answered.
Owen discovered Gabriel had been using old Moretti routes without Dante’s knowledge.
Not for money? Could be weapons, but keep vague.
He was moving men and information through family properties.
Building loyalty inside Dante’s bodyguard network.
Owen confronted him.
Gabriel wanted to frighten him into silence.
Vanessa knew.
She had been secretly meeting Gabriel for years because Thomas Cross had left behind knowledge about Carlo’s death.
Vanessa feared Gabriel would expose her role.
So she tolerated him.
“I never told him to kill Owen,” Vanessa said.
Elena stared at her.
“But you told him Owen was becoming dangerous.”
Vanessa said nothing.
Gabriel smiled.
“Same thing in your family.”
Dante looked at his mother.
Another vague order.
Another death.
The same pattern as Carlo.
Vanessa’s fear created the conditions.
Then other men carried them further.
Gabriel turned toward Dante.
“Owen met me at the warehouse.”
“He threatened to tell you everything.”
“What did you do?”
“I hit him.”
Elena closed her eyes.
Gabriel continued.
“He fought back.”
“The gun went off.”
Dante’s face remained cold.
“Then you told Elena I ordered it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I needed her away from you.”
Gabriel looked toward Vanessa.
“And your mother made that easy.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“I never told Elena Dante ordered Owen’s death.”
“No.”
Gabriel smiled.
“You only told her Dante knew Owen was investigating family business.”
Elena looked at Vanessa.
“You stood in my bedroom while I packed Lily’s things.”
Vanessa’s face crumpled.
“I thought if you left for a few days—”
“You told me your son would choose the family over me.”
Vanessa whispered:
“I thought he would.”
Dante stared at her.
That hurt because perhaps once she had been right.
Elena tried to leave with Lily.
Gabriel intercepted her.
He told Elena Dante had ordered the gates closed.
He showed her one of Dante’s old security instructions out of context.
She believed him.
Then Gabriel moved her to the hidden estate room.
Vanessa discovered the truth days later.
And made the worst decision possible.
She kept Elena hidden.
“Why?” Dante asked.
Vanessa began crying.
“Because by then she knew everything about your father.”
Dante went still.
Elena looked toward him.
“I learned Carlo Moretti wasn’t killed by rivals.”
Dante nodded.
“My mother told me tonight.”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
Vanessa’s face changed.
Elena continued.
“She told you part of it.”
Dante looked at his mother.
“What part is missing?”
Nobody answered.
Then Gabriel laughed softly.
He reached into his pocket and placed an old silver lighter on the table.
Dante recognized it.
His father’s.
Gabriel looked directly at him.
“Carlo Moretti wasn’t shot by Raymond’s men.”
A pause.
“My father shot him.”
May you like
Dante stared.
“And Vanessa watched.”
