Chapter 4 - The Price of Treason
Adrian stumbled backward, his knees knocking against the metal folding table and scattering the yellow envelopes across the wet concrete.
"Matteo!" Adrian gasped, his face draining of every drop of color. "How did you... who told you about this place?"
"A better detective than you will ever be," Matteo replied, stopping five paces from the table.
Robert Bellini didn't panic. He slowly raised his hands to shoulder height, his silver hair catching the harsh glare of the floodlights.
"Good evening, Mr. Moretti," Robert said quietly. "I see the child was more observant than I anticipated."
Matteo didn't look at Robert. His eyes stayed locked onto his younger brother, burning with a lethal intensity that made Adrian physically tremble.
"Fifteen years, Robert," Matteo murmured, his tone devoid of anger, which made it ten times more terrifying. "You sat at my dinner table. You carried my father's casket. You held the keys to my home."
"Your father paid me well, Matteo," Robert answered without an ounce of remorse. "Your brother offered me twenty percent of the Atlantic shipping corridor and an equity partnership in the Luciano venture. Men at my age calculate retirement in assets, not loyalty."
"And you thought trading an innocent five-year-old girl and her widowed mother was an acceptable line item in your retirement plan?" Matteo asked.
Robert remained silent.
"He told me it was just insurance!" Adrian suddenly shrieked, pointing an accusing, shaking finger at Robert. "Matteo, I swear to God! I didn't want anyone hurt! Robert said we just needed leverage to force you to divide the family estate equally!"
Matteo took three slow, measured steps toward his brother until he was towering over him.
"You put a crosshair on a child who plays with chalk on our front driveway, Adrian," Matteo whispered, each word landing like an anvil. "You brought the Lucianos to my doorstep. You sold our father's legacy to the very hyenas who tried to murder him in ninety-nine."
"I’m your brother!" Adrian sobbed, falling to his knees on the filthy warehouse floor, tears ruining his designer coat. "We share the same blood! You promised Dad you’d protect me!"
"Our father told me to keep your head above water," Matteo said, looking down at the groveling man with profound, sorrowful disgust. "He never told me to let you drown the entire family to feed your pathetic ego."
Matteo turned his back on Adrian and looked directly at Robert Bellini.
"Marco," Matteo commanded without raising his voice.
"Yes, boss?"
"Take Robert to the basement of the old dry dock," Matteo instructed coldly. "Federal agents from the Organized Crime Strike Force will receive an anonymous package at dawn containing every ledger, bank transfer, and wiretap recording Robert generated for the Lucianos."
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Robert’s composed mask finally shattered into sheer horror. "Matteo! If the feds get that ledger, the Lucianos will put a five-million-dollar bounty on my head! I won't last twenty-four hours in federal custody!"
"Then you had better hope your retirement benefits include protective custody," Matteo said.
