The Mafia Boss Watched Her Dance With His Brother—Then She Slipped Him a Bloody Note
Chapter 8
Luca had never been afraid of dying.
But the thought of Elena dying made something inside him break.
He looked at Matteo.
“Find her.”
Matteo nodded.
“Where?”
“Everywhere.”
Vincent stood behind them.
“I know where they took her.”
Luca turned.
“Tell me.”
“Old courthouse.”
“The one beneath the ballroom?”
Vincent nodded.
“There’s another exit.”
Luca immediately moved.
Matteo followed.
Vincent hesitated.
Luca looked back.
“If you betray me again, I’ll kill you myself.”
Vincent nodded.
“Fair.”
They descended into the underground passage.
The corridor was narrow.
Old brick walls surrounded them.
Water dripped from the ceiling.
At the end stood a steel door.
Behind it, they heard Elena.
“Let me go!”
Luca kicked the door open.
Three men turned.
Matteo fired.
Two dropped their weapons.
The third ran.
Luca chased him.
The man disappeared around a corner.
Luca stopped.
Something felt wrong.
Too easy.
Then he heard a click.
A gun pressed against his back.
“Don’t move.”
Luca froze.
The voice belonged to Thomas Vieri.
“You again.”
Thomas laughed.
“You really are difficult to kill.”
“Where is Elena?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
Thomas gestured.
A door opened.
Elena stood inside.
Her hands were tied.
Her face was bruised.
But she was alive.
Luca looked at Thomas.
“What do you want?”
“The ledger.”
Luca held it up.
“Take it.”
Thomas smiled.
“Throw it.”
Luca dropped it.
Thomas stepped forward.
He picked it up.
Then he looked at the cover.
“You have no idea what this contains.”
“I know enough.”
“No.”
Thomas smiled.
“It contains names that can buy countries.”
Elena stared at him.
“And you’re working for them.”
Thomas laughed.
“I’m working for myself.”
He pulled out a phone.
“The Council believes I’m loyal.”
Luca understood.
“You’re playing both sides.”
“Always.”
Thomas opened the ledger.
Then his expression changed.
“This isn’t complete.”
Luca smiled.
“No.”
Thomas looked at him.
“Where’s the rest?”
“Somewhere you can’t reach.”
Elena understood.
The real ledger was not the book.
It was the digital copy hidden on her father’s old computer.
Thomas grabbed Elena.
“Then she’ll tell us.”
Luca raised his gun.
“Let her go.”
Thomas put the weapon against Elena’s head.
“Drop yours.”
Luca did.
Matteo did too.
Thomas smiled.
“Good.”
Then Elena spoke.
“Thomas.”
He looked at her.
“You made one mistake.”
“What?”
“You assumed I was afraid.”
Thomas laughed.
“You should be.”
Elena smiled.
“No.”
She slammed her head backward.
Thomas stumbled.
Luca moved instantly.
He struck Thomas’s wrist.
The gun flew.
Matteo grabbed Elena.
Luca tackled Thomas.
The fight was brutal and fast.
Thomas struck Luca across the face.
Luca responded with a punch that sent him into the wall.
Thomas reached for the gun.
Vincent shot it out of his hand.
Silence.
Thomas stared at Vincent.
“You.”
Vincent lowered his weapon.
“I’m done.”
Police sirens sounded above them.
Thomas looked confused.
“Who called them?”
Elena smiled.
“I did.”
She had activated an emergency call through her smartwatch before they entered the room.
Thomas looked at Luca.
“You think this ends here?”
Luca shook his head.
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“It begins here.”
Police flooded the corridor.
Thomas was arrested.
The ledger was recovered.
And for the first time in twelve years, the Romano family possessed evidence powerful enough to destroy the Council.
But as officers led Thomas away, one detective approached Luca.
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
“The digital files.”
“What about them?”
“They’ve been erased.”
Luca looked at Elena.
Her face went pale.
“My father’s computer.”
The detective nodded.
“Someone accessed it an hour ago.”
Elena whispered:
“Someone who knew the password.”
Luca looked toward Vincent.
Vincent shook his head.
“Not me.”
Then Gabriel spoke.
“There’s only one person who knew that password.”
Everyone turned.
Victoria.
