**“THAT BOY ISN’T EVEN YOUR FAMILY!” THE MAFIA BOSS’S FIANCÉE SHOUTED WHEN I GAVE A NINE-YEAR-OLD ORPHAN A SEAT AT HIS BIRTHDAY DINNER—THEN ACCUSED ME OF STEALING HER DIAMOND BRACELET. BUT WHEN LUCA MORETTI SAW WHAT THE CHILD WAS HIDING UNDER HIS JACKET, HE ORDERED EVERY GUEST TO STAY SEATED.**

The silence in the dining room was suffocating.

Vanessa’s hands were shaking so violently that her diamond rings clicked against each other. The thirty guests were frozen, their expensive wine glasses suspended in mid-air.

“Murdered?” Arthur Sterling repeated, taking a cautious step back. “Daniel Hayes died in a car accident on the coast highway. It was ruled a brake failure.”

“That’s what the police report said,” Luca replied, his eyes never leaving Vanessa’s face. He held up the crumpled pawn shop ticket. “But this is a claim ticket from a private storage facility downtown. Dated October 11th. The day before Daniel died.”

Luca looked down at Gabriel. “Where did you get this, buddy?”

Gabriel wiped his nose with the back of his sleeve. “Dad put it inside the lining of my baseball glove. He told me it was a secret. He said if he ever went away for a long time, I had to give it to you. But Vanessa saw me looking at it last Tuesday.”

“She tried to trade you the diamond bracelet for the ticket,” I realized aloud, sick to my stomach. “She accused him of stealing it so she could fire me and have his bags searched to find this ticket before Monday.”

“I didn't murder anyone!” Vanessa screamed, her polished facade completely shattering. Tears of mascara streaked down her face. “Luca, you have to believe me! I was trying to protect you!”

“Protect me from what?” Luca snarled.

“From the truth!” Vanessa cried. “Daniel wasn't just your security head, Luca. He was stealing from you! I found out he was funneling money out of the family accounts. I confronted him, and he threatened to kill me! I had to do something!”

Luca stared at her, unblinking.

Then, he reached over to the table and picked up his engagement ring, which he had placed beside his plate earlier.

He didn't throw it at her. He didn't scream.

He simply dropped the heavy diamond ring into his half-full glass of red wine. It sank to the bottom with a dull clink.

“Get out of my house,” Luca said quietly.

“Luca, please—”

“Marco!” Luca called out.

The heavy mahogany doors swung open. Marco, the massive new head of security who had replaced Daniel, stepped into the room with two armed guards.

“Escort Miss Bellini to the front gates,” Luca ordered, his voice devoid of all emotion. “She is not permitted to pack her bags. She leaves with the clothes on her back. If she sets foot on this property again, shoot her.”

Marco nodded grimly. He grabbed Vanessa by the arm. She fought him, screaming Luca’s name, her red dress tangling around her legs as they dragged her out of the dining room.

Arthur Sterling cleared his throat nervously. “Well. It seems my business here is concluded. I expect my two million refunded by morning, Mr. Moretti.”

“You’ll get your money when I find out what your real involvement in this is,” Luca said coldly. “Now get out before I have Marco throw you out too.”

Arthur didn't argue. He turned and walked briskly out the door.

Within ten minutes, the dining room was completely empty, save for me, Luca, and a crying nine-year-old boy.

Luca collapsed into his chair at the head of the table. He buried his face in his hands, taking a long, ragged breath. He had just lost his fiancée and discovered his best friend had been murdered, all in the span of twenty minutes.

I gently guided Gabriel over to him.

Luca looked up. His dark eyes were bloodshot, filled with a grief that broke my heart.

He pulled Gabriel into his lap, wrapping his strong arms around the boy. “I’m so sorry, Gabriel. I’m so sorry I let her make you feel like you didn't belong here.”

“Am I still leaving on Monday?” Gabriel whispered against Luca’s chest.

“You are never leaving,” Luca said fiercely, kissing the top of the boy’s head. “This is your home. Forever.”

I stood quietly nearby, beginning to clear the untouched plates. It wasn't my place to intrude on their moment. I was just the maid.

“Leave the dishes, Hannah,” Luca said suddenly.

I stopped. “Sir?”

“Sit down.”

I nervously pulled out the chair Vanessa had ordered me to remove. I sat down across from the most powerful man in the city.

Luca placed the crumpled pawn ticket on the marble table between us.

“Daniel hid this in Gabriel’s glove because he knew it was the one thing the boy would never let out of his sight,” Luca said. “Vanessa was desperate to get it. She sold Gabriel to Arthur Sterling just to get him out of the house so she could search his room.”

“What do you think is in the storage unit?” I asked softly.

“Proof,” Luca replied. “Proof of who actually killed him. Vanessa isn't smart enough to orchestrate a car crash that fooled the police. She hired someone. And Daniel must have found out.”

Luca stood up, his jaw set with lethal determination.

“We are going to that storage facility tonight. Right now.”

“I’ll get Gabriel’s coat,” I said, standing up quickly.

“No,” Luca said. “Gabriel stays here. It’s too dangerous.”

Gabriel immediately panicked. He grabbed Luca’s arm. “Please don't leave me! What if the red dress lady comes back?”

“She can't get in, buddy. Marco is watching the gates.”

“I want to go with Hannah!” Gabriel cried, burying his face in my apron.

Luca looked at me, then at the terrified boy. He sighed heavily.

“Alright. We all go. But you stay exactly beside Hannah the entire time. Understood?”

“Yes, Uncle Luca.”

Ten minutes later, we were in the back of a black armored SUV, speeding through the rainy streets of the city. The neon lights blurred against the wet windows. Gabriel sat between us, clutching his baseball glove to his chest.

We pulled up to a rundown, 24-hour self-storage building on the industrial side of town. The fluorescent lights buzzed aggressively overhead.

Luca handed the attendant the ticket and a hundred-dollar bill. The man gave us a heavy brass key and pointed to the basement stairs.

We walked down into the damp, concrete basement. The air smelled of mildew and old dust. Row after row of orange metal doors stretched into the darkness.

“Unit 412,” Luca read from the ticket.

We found the door. Luca inserted the brass key and turned it. With a heavy groan, he hoisted the metal door upward.

I pulled the chain for the overhead lightbulb.

The unit was completely empty, except for a single cardboard box sitting in the center of the concrete floor.

Luca walked over and opened the flaps.

Inside was a heavy, black leather ledger. And resting on top of it was a man’s dark wool coat.

I recognized the coat instantly. It was the one Daniel Hayes wore every winter.

But as Luca picked the coat up, my breath caught in my throat.

The entire left side of the coat was soaked in dried, dark brown blood.

“He wasn't killed in a car crash,” Luca whispered, staring at the bullet hole torn through the wool fabric over the heart.

He reached into the pocket of the coat and pulled out a small, silver object.

It was a custom-engraved Zippo lighter.