Chapter 4 - The Brother Who Walked Away
Lucian Moretti arrived at the estate smiling.
Dante hated him for it.
Not because smiles were offensive.
Because Gabriel had smiled the same way.
The resemblance had never bothered Dante before.
Now it felt like theft.
Lucian entered the study shortly after nine.
“Marco said you wanted to see me.”
Dante stood beside the fireplace.
“Yes.”
Lucian poured himself a drink without asking.
“What is this about?”
“Gabriel.”
The glass stopped halfway to Lucian's mouth.
Dante saw it.
“Been a long time since you said his name.”
“Eight years.”
Lucian drank.
“What about him?”
Dante placed the silver pendant on the desk.
Lucian stared.
His face emptied.
“Where did you get that?”
“Recognize it?”
“No.”
Dante almost laughed.
“Bad answer.”
Lucian looked toward the windows.
“You've always enjoyed interrogations.”
“Only when people lie.”
“What do you want?”
“The truth.”
“About what?”
“The night Gabriel died.”
Lucian said nothing.
Dante stepped closer.
“You were in the car.”
Silence.
“You survived.”
Lucian's jaw tightened.
Still nothing.
“Gabriel didn't.”
Finally Lucian whispered, “You don't know what happened.”
“Then tell me.”
Lucian set down the glass.
“He called me that night.”
“Why?”
“He'd discovered Marco was moving money through the docks.”
Dante felt confirmation settle into place.
“Why involve you?”
“Because he trusted me.”
“Apparently that was a mistake.”
Lucian's eyes flashed.
“I tried to help him.”
“By leaving him to die?”
“I didn't leave him!”
The shout echoed.
Dante remained still.
Lucian's composure broke.
“We were driving to meet you.”
Dante stared.
“Me?”
“Gabriel wanted to tell you everything. Halfway there, the brakes stopped responding.”
Lucian's voice shook.
“He knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That we weren't going to make the curve.”
Lucian looked down.
“He told me to jump.”
Dante said nothing.
“I thought he was insane. Then he opened my door.”
Lucian's eyes filled.
“He pushed me out.”
Dante's anger faltered.
“I woke in a ditch. By the time I climbed back, the car was below the embankment.”
“Why didn't you call police?”
“I did.”
“Then why weren't you in the report?”
“Marco arrived first.”
Dante's gaze sharpened.
“He told me Gabriel was dead. He told me the documents were gone. Then he told me whoever had sabotaged the car would come for me next.”
“And you believed him?”
“I was twenty-six and covered in my cousin's blood.”
Lucian looked at him.
“Yes. I believed him.”
“Why keep working with Marco?”
“Because he told me you ordered it.”
That sentence silenced the room.
Dante's face became dangerous.
“He said what?”
“He said Gabriel had betrayed you. That you ordered the brakes altered and regretted that I had been in the car.”
Dante could barely process the words.
“You believed I killed my own brother?”
“I didn't want to.”
“For eight years?”
Lucian's face twisted.
“You weren't exactly known for explaining yourself, Dante.”
The truth hurt because it was partly deserved.
Dante had spent years cultivating fear.
He had made secrecy synonymous with strength.
Marco had simply used the walls Dante built.
“Why the docks now?”
Lucian looked away.
“Marco said we were moving money to protect ourselves from you.”
“You've been stealing from me.”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Enough.”
“That's not a number.”
“Fourteen million.”
Dante almost admired the audacity.
“Where?”
“Offshore accounts.”
“And Sofia Voss?”
Lucian looked confused.
“Who?”
Dante watched carefully.
“The maid.”
“I don't know your staff.”
“Elena?”
Nothing.
Lucian genuinely didn't know.
That mattered.
Dante showed him the threat.
Lucian read it twice.
“I didn't write this.”
“But Marco did?”
“I don't know.”
“There's a bank account on it.”
Lucian examined the number.
Then his expression changed.
“What?”
“That isn't one of ours.”
“Whose?”
“I've seen the prefix.”
“Where?”
“Gabriel's old notes.”
Dante's heart kicked.
“What notes?”
Lucian stared.
“The ones Marco thinks were destroyed.”
He reached inside his coat.
For one terrible second Dante thought he might produce something dangerous.
Instead, Lucian removed a key.
“Gabriel gave me this before we got into the car.”
Dante took it.
A bank deposit-box key.
“Why keep it?”
“Because Marco never knew I had it.”
“Why haven't you opened it?”
“I didn't know which bank.”
Dante turned the key.
A tiny crest was stamped near the base.
He recognized it.
Moretti Private Trust.
The family bank.
Within an hour, Dante and Lucian were standing inside a private vault.
Box 417.
The key turned.
Inside sat one envelope.
Gabriel's handwriting covered the front.
FOR DANTE — IF I DON'T MAKE IT HOME
Dante couldn't move.
Lucian whispered, “Open it.”
Inside were photographs, manifests, account numbers, and a letter.
Dante unfolded it.
Dante,
If you're reading this, I was right to be afraid.
Marco is using the north docks. I don't know how long. Lucian isn't involved. Don't punish him for helping me.
Dante stopped.
Lucian turned away.
He continued.
There's something else you need to know.
Her name is Sofia Voss.
Dante's hands tightened.
I love her. She's pregnant.
If anything happens to me, protect them. Don't let my choices become their punishment.
I wanted to tell you myself.
You're going to be an uncle.
Dante lowered the letter.
For several seconds he heard nothing.
Not the vault ventilation.
Not Lucian breathing.
Nothing.
Eight years.
Gabriel had entrusted him with one final responsibility.
And Dante hadn't even known Elena existed.
He folded the letter carefully.
Lucian asked, “Sofia's child?”
“Yes.”
“Gabriel's?”
“Yes.”
Lucian sat down hard.
“My God.”
Dante's phone rang.
Adrian.
He answered immediately.
“Speak.”
“Dante, get back to the estate.”
Something in Adrian's voice made him move.
“What happened?”
“Marco came.”
Dante stopped.
“Where are Sofia and Elena?”
“Safe for now. But Marco wasn't alone.”
“How many?”
“Enough that the outer security team locked down the property.”
Dante headed toward the vault door.
Then Adrian added:
“There's another problem.”
“What?”
“Marco says he has proof Sofia Voss was involved in Gabriel's death.”
Dante stopped again.
Behind him, Lucian stared.
Adrian continued.
May you like
“And Sofia just admitted she was in Gabriel's car the night he died.”
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