Chapter 5 - THE SECOND ATTACK

Paolo ran.

He hit the staircase at full speed.

“Ava!”

Another crash echoed from below.

Darius shouted.

“Down!”

A gunshot cracked through the front hall.

Elise screamed behind Paolo.

“AVA!”

Paolo reached the bottom floor and saw Marco crouched behind a marble column with Ava in his arms.

A masked man stood near the shattered side window.

Another moved through the hallway.

Darius fired toward the ceiling beam above them, forcing both intruders to duck behind cover.

Paolo grabbed Elise and pulled her behind the staircase wall.

“Stay here.”

“My daughter is out there!”

“I’m getting her.”

He moved low across the hall.

Another shot hit the floor near his feet.

Marco threw Ava toward him.

Paolo caught her and rolled behind the staircase.

Ava buried her face against his chest.

“Daddy!”

“I’ve got you.”

One intruder ran toward the kitchen.

The second tried to escape through the broken window.

Darius caught him in the courtyard.

Marco tackled the other near the servants’ entrance.

Within seconds, both men were down.

Alive.

Paolo wanted answers.

He carried Ava to Elise.

“She’s okay.”

Elise took her.

“Are you hurt?”

Ava shook her head.

Paolo turned toward the prisoners.

One of the men was young.

Maybe twenty-five.

The other had gray hair.

Paolo recognized him.

Not personally.

But he knew the face.

“Rossi.”

The older man looked up.

Paolo’s stomach tightened.

Carlo Rossi worked security for Victor Hale.

Paolo crouched in front of him.

“Victor send you?”

Carlo smiled through a split lip.

“You should’ve stayed dead.”

Marco grabbed him by the jacket.

“Answer him.”

Carlo laughed.

Paolo held up a hand.

“No.”

Marco released him.

Paolo looked at Carlo.

“You broke into my home with my daughter inside.”

Carlo said nothing.

“Why?”

“Orders.”

“Victor’s?”

Carlo smiled again.

“You think Victor’s in charge?”

Paolo’s eyes narrowed.

“Who is?”

Carlo looked past him.

Straight toward the staircase.

Toward Carmela.

Then he laughed.

Paolo turned.

His mother stood on the landing.

Talia was beside her.

Carmela’s face was unreadable.

Paolo looked back at Carlo.

“My mother?”

Carlo shook his head.

“No.”

Paolo leaned closer.

“Then who?”

Carlo’s smile disappeared.

He whispered one name.

“Luca.”

Paolo stopped breathing.

Elise stared across the hall.

“That’s impossible.”

Carlo shrugged.

“He’s alive.”

Talia whispered, “No.”

Carlo looked directly at Paolo.

“He’s been alive the whole time.”

Paolo stood.

“You expect me to believe the man who exposed all of this is working against me?”

Carlo laughed.

“Exposed?”

His expression became almost pitying.

“You really think that video was for you?”

Paolo’s eyes narrowed.

“What was it for?”

“To make you destroy your own family before you figured out who actually wanted your empire.”

Carlo leaned back against the wall.

“And you walked right into it.”

Paolo looked toward the laptop upstairs.

The video.

The key.

Locker 317.

Every clue Luca had left.

What if they weren’t evidence?

What if they were instructions?

Marco came closer.

“Boss?”

Paolo held up the silver key.

“We’re going to Union Station.”

Carmela spoke from the stairs.

“Paolo, don’t.”

He looked at her.

“Why?”

Her voice cracked for the first time.

“Because I know what’s in that locker.”

Paolo stared.

“How?”

Carmela slowly descended the staircase.

“Because Luca showed it to me before he disappeared.”

“What’s inside?”

She stopped three steps above him.

“Proof that somebody in this house betrayed you.”

Paolo’s jaw tightened.

“You already admitted you did.”

Carmela shook her head.

“No.”

She looked at Talia.

Then at Elise.

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Then back at Paolo.

“Someone worse.”