Chapter 2

After Via left, I had my men pull together the Vitale family's finances over the past twenty years.

The records showed that over those twenty years, my father Louis had opened several casinos and sunk most of his capital into real estate.

Unfortunately, it had all lost money.

So for all its glamour on the surface, the Vitale family had long been hollowed out.

Just as I was about to read on, the door burst open.

A woman walked in, flanked by two bodyguards.

I looked up.

She wore a wine-red velvet couture gown.

Around her neck hung a thirty-carat Burmese ruby necklace.

It had been the headline lot at last month's Sotheby's auction, a piece countless socialites dreamed of owning.

Twenty years apart, and Jessica had certainly kept herself glowing.

"So you're Daniel's adoptive mother?"

"Huh. So young and already putting on such airs."

She dropped her limited-edition handbag on top of the file I was reading and sat down, crossing her legs.

"My daughter taking a liking to him is the greatest honor of his life. How dare you humiliate her in public. One word from my husband and the whole Vanetti family is finished, just like that!"

I watched her ugly little display in silence, then tossed her bag off the desk.

The Vanetti may be the newest family to rise, but I set my sights on it precisely because we deal only in the most dangerous business.

On this East Coast, when it comes to ruthlessness, the Vanetti have no equal.

Only the Vitale, all show and no substance, hadn't caught on yet.

The next second, she actually had her two bodyguards draw their guns and aim them at me.

They dared raise a hand against me, on my own territory?

They must have a death wish.

One flick of my eyes, and the soldiers stationed outside the door fired at once.

The moment the blood sprayed, Jessica went white. "Y-you'd kill a man right out in the open. Don't think I won't drag you before the Commission!"

I smiled faintly. "That depends on whether you live long enough."

I tipped her chin up with my gun. Looking at that face, I thought of the despair on my mother's as she was beaten to death!

I wanted nothing more than to put a bullet in her right then, but I knew a death like that would let her off far too easy.

"Mother! Don't shoot!"

Daniel came stumbling in and threw himself in front of Jessica.

He wasn't my own, but I had raised him for a few years all the same, and seeing him shield Jessica like that sent a faint ache through my chest.

"Mrs. Vitale, my mother just isn't thinking straight right now. Don't worry, I'll talk her round. I would never let Via down."

Daniel promised Jessica over and over, then saw her out of headquarters himself.

Jessica's legs were still trembling faintly as she left.

Once they were gone, I turned to my men.

"Look into Jessica's personal accounts."