By the time Ricardo Moretti’s three-year-old son hurled his third crystal glass across Manhattan’s most exclusive restaurant, every billionaire, politician, and armed bodyguard in the room had gone silent. Then I walked past his security, lifted the screaming child into my arms, and said the words that made New York’s most feared mafia boss freeze.

Blood pooled quickly on the cold concrete floor as Dante fell forward.

Ricardo moved with terrifying speed, drawing his gun and spinning around.

Standing in the shadows of the bunker was Vincent, Ricardo's most trusted underboss.

Vincent held a second knife in his hand, his suit covered in Dante's blood.

"I always told you that you were too soft, Ricardo," Vincent sneered.

"You let a dead woman dictate how you run this family."

Ricardo aimed his weapon directly at Vincent's head.

"You sold us out to the Russian syndicate," Ricardo realized, his voice deadly calm.

"I made a business decision," Vincent replied smoothly.

"Your grief made you weak, and this empire needs a strong leader."

Vincent pressed a button on a remote control in his hand.

A hissing sound filled the room as white smoke began pouring from the ventilation shafts.

"Sleeping gas," Ricardo choked out, covering his nose and mouth with his sleeve.

"Take Clara and Leo through the old smuggling tunnel behind the weapon rack."

Ricardo fired two shots at Vincent, but the traitor ducked behind a metal pillar.

I grabbed Leo and ran toward the massive gun safe against the back wall.

I pushed the heavy metal rack aside, revealing a small, dark passageway.

"Come with us!" I screamed at Ricardo.

"I have to hold him off," Ricardo coughed, his vision clearly blurring from the gas.

"Keep my son safe, Clara."

I hesitated for a second, my heart breaking at the sight of him sacrificing himself.

I pushed Leo into the tunnel and climbed in after him.

The heavy hidden door slammed shut, plunging us into absolute darkness.

We crawled through the damp, narrow dirt tunnel for what felt like miles.

Leo held onto my shirt tightly, his small breaths echoing in the silence.

We finally reached a wooden hatch and pushed it open, climbing up into the freezing night air.

We were deep in the woods, far beyond the estate's walls.

I sighed in relief and hugged Leo.

The Billionaire Put On a Waiter’s Apron to Test His Fiancée, but the Wom...

My father bet twenty dollars that I would walk through his front door al...

My Husband Slapped Me Out of His House for His Mistress, Then the Most F...

Then, the blinding beams of four flashlights clicked on, completely surrounding us.

"Did you really think I didn't know about the tunnel?" Vincent's voice echoed from the trees.

Chapter 5 - The Traitor's Shadow