Chapter 13 - The Midnight Hunt
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The doctor bandaged my hand tightly, applying a thick layer of burn salve and wrapping it in pristine white gauze. He gave me a mild painkiller and told me to rest, but sleep was impossible. The mansion was practically vibrating with a dark, kinetic energy.
I sat at the massive kitchen island, nursing a cup of tea, watching as the Moretti syndicate went to war over a set of rusty tools.
Luca had transformed the formal dining room into a command center. His men moved in and out rapidly, carrying laptops, phones, and printed manifests. Bruno stood at the head of the table, coordinating a city-wide hunt.
“The demolition company was a shell corp,” Bruno reported, his deep voice carrying into the kitchen. “Vanessa paid them in cash to clear the garage out this afternoon before the party. They pawned the tools to a fence on the South Side.”
“Find the fence,” Luca’s voice replied, cold and detached. “Tear his shop apart if you have to. I want my father’s things back.”
I walked over to the doorway, my bandaged hand resting against the doorframe. Luca was sitting at the head of the table, his suit jacket discarded, his sleeves rolled up to the elbows, exposing the dark, intricate tattoos that crawled up his forearms. He looked dangerous. He looked like the man the newspapers wrote terrified articles about.
Matteo walked into the kitchen, wearing his pajamas, dragging his feet slightly.
“Can't sleep?” I asked softly, pulling out a stool for him.
He shook his head, climbing up to sit beside me. “Are they going to find Grandpa’s stuff?”
“Your dad won't stop until they do,” I promised him, pouring him a small glass of milk. “He’s a very determined man.”
Matteo took a sip, looking down at the marble counter. “I’m glad Vanessa is gone, Claire. She was mean to you.”
“I’m tough,” I smiled, though my hand throbbed in agreement. “But I’m glad she’s gone too.”
Just then, Bruno walked into the kitchen, looking grim. He glanced at Matteo, then at me. “Ms. Dawson, the Boss wants you in the dining room.”
I squeezed Matteo’s shoulder and walked into the makeshift war room. Luca looked up from a map on the table.
“Bruno found the fence,” Luca said, his eyes dark. “He didn't just buy the tools to resell them. Vanessa gave him specific instructions on who to sell them to.”
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I frowned. “Who?”
“The Falcone family,” Luca said, saying the name of his biggest rival like it was poison. “She sold my father’s legacy to my enemies. This wasn't just spite, Claire. This was a message.”
