Chapter 4 - The Uninvited Guest
Gabriel’s head snapped toward the window. The perimeter lights along the driveway had just flickered amber—a silent alert from the outer security checkpoints.
"Who is it?" Gabriel demanded, his hand dropping instinctively toward the holster concealed beneath his suit jacket.
"Vincenzo Moretti," Franco replied grimly. "Dante’s younger brother and primary enforcer. He says he's here to pay his respects to the late Miss Romano."
A dark, dangerous smile touched the corners of Gabriel’s mouth—a smile that held zero warmth and everything to do with violence.
"Send him in," Gabriel said. "Let’s see how brave the Moretti dog is when he walks into a house with two people who look like Natalie."
Panic flared in my chest. "Wait. You want me here for this?"
"Especially you," Gabriel said, his hand gripping my shoulder with firm, unyielding authority. "Vincenzo needs to learn what happens when you think you've killed a Moretti problem, only to find out the bloodline runs deeper than a single grave."
Minutes later, the heavy oak doors of the study creaked open.
Vincenzo Moretti stepped inside. He was a tall, impeccably dressed man in his late forties with sharp, ferret-like features and a thin mustache. Behind him stood two massive bodyguards whose hands hovered near their waistbands.
Vincenzo stopped dead in his tracks when his eyes landed on me standing beside Gabriel.
For one terrifying second, the color drained completely from Vincenzo’s face. His mouth parted slightly, and his polished loafers seemed glued to the Persian rug. He looked like a man who had just seen a phantom crawl straight out of hell.
"What in God's name..." Vincenzo muttered, his voice cracking.
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I didn't cower. I stepped forward into the light of the desk lamp, letting him get a clear, unobstructed look at my identical face, my blonde hair, and the furious glare in my eyes.
"Surprised to see me, Mr. Moretti?" I asked, my voice cutting through the silent room like a scalpel. "Or did your men do such a sloppy job on Lake Shore Drive that you forgot to check if she had a sister?"
