Chapter 11 - THE LION’S HEAD
I stared at the gold lion pendant glittering under the chandelier light.
“What do you mean, that’s what you were told?” I asked.
Nicholas rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“My father, Vincenzo DeLuca, controlled the entire East Coast syndicate. Twenty years ago, his car went off a bridge in Manhattan. It exploded on impact. Dental records confirmed it was him.”
He pointed at the necklace.
“But he never took that necklace off. It was custom made. There is only one in the world. And it was supposedly melted in the crash.”
I reached out and carefully touched the pendant.
It felt incredibly heavy.
As I turned it over, my finger caught on a tiny groove on the back.
“Nicholas, look.”
I showed him the back of the pendant.
There was a microscopic hinge.
It was a locket.
Nicholas’s eyes widened. He took a pen knife from his pocket and carefully pried the backing open.
Inside wasn’t a photograph.
It was a tiny, tightly folded piece of parchment paper.
Nicholas unfolded it with trembling hands.
It was a series of numbers.
40.7128° N, 74.0060° W - Box 815.
“Coordinates,” I said. “And a safety deposit box number.”
“Those are the coordinates for downtown Manhattan,” Nicholas said. “The Financial District.”
He looked at me, the shock slowly fading into a hard, cold resolve.
“If my father is alive,” Nicholas said, “he’s the one pulling the strings. He’s the one who used Dominic to test me.”
“Why would a father do that to his own sons?” I asked.
“Because in this world, love is a liability. Only strength matters.”
Nicholas stood up.
He walked to the large bay window, looking out into the dark night.
“Claire, I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything.”
“Tomorrow morning, I am going to that bank in Manhattan. I’m opening Box 815.”
He turned to face me.
“But I can’t leave Ethan unprotected. Marcus will stay with you. But you must not trust anyone else. If I don't call you by noon—”
He stopped, swallowing hard.
“If I don't call you by noon, you take Ethan, you take Marcus, and you leave the country. Do you understand?”
I felt a lump form in my throat.
“Nicholas, you can’t face this alone.”
“I have to,” he said. “This is DeLuca blood. It ends with me.”
He walked over and gently took my hands.
“You gave my son his smile back tonight,” he whispered. “You are the bravest woman I have ever known. Promise me you’ll keep him safe.”
I looked into his eyes and squeezed his hands tight.
May you like
“I promise.”
The sun began to peek over the horizon, casting a pale gray light across the estate.
