THE MAFIA BOSS WATCHED HIS FIANCÉE FORCE ME TO PICK UP HER SCATTERED PEARLS WITH AN INJURED HAND—THEN SHE SAID, “SHE HURT IT IN MY BEDROOM,” BEFORE HE HAD ASKED WHAT HAPPENED. The first pearl rolled beneath Luca Moretti's chair.

The heavy iron poker connected with a sickening crunch against Julian’s jaw.

He didn't scream. He simply collapsed backward, crashing into the mahogany desk, dropping the black detonator onto the Persian rug.

My heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to explode. I didn't freeze. I dove for the detonator, my fingers scrambling over the wool fibers, but a heavy boot slammed down on my wrist before I could reach it.

"Little bitch," Daniel growled, stepping out from the shadows of the hallway where he had been standing guard.

He kicked me in the ribs, sending me skidding across the floor. Pain exploded in my side. Daniel scooped up the detonator, his face twisted in fury.

Julian groaned, pulling himself up using the edge of the desk. Blood poured from a deep gash on his chin, staining the pristine white collar of his tuxedo. The calm, mocking villain was gone. His eyes were wide and wild with absolute rage.

"Change of plans," Julian spat, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the floor. He pointed a trembling finger at Luca. "I'm going to blow the vault right now. And then I'm going to shoot you in the kneecaps and let you bleed out while this house burns."

Julian snatched the detonator from Daniel’s hand.

"Wait," Luca’s voice rang out. It wasn't a plea. It was a command that carried so much authority even Julian hesitated.

Luca was still sitting in the chair, his hands bound behind his back. But the desperate, cornered look had completely vanished from his face. He was smiling. A cold, dark, terrifying smile.

"You think you're the smartest man in the room, Julian," Luca said softly. "You think you orchestrated this grand masterstroke. But you forgot one very important detail."

Julian sneered, pressing his thumb against the red button. "And what's that?"

"I knew you were alive three years ago," Luca said.

The reversal sucked the air right out of the room. Julian’s hand froze over the detonator.

"You're lying," Julian hissed.

"Am I?" Luca leaned forward, his dark eyes boring into his enemy. "Why do you think I moved my operations out of the South Side? Why do you think I hired Anthony Mercer—a man who worked for your father before he worked for mine?"

Julian looked momentarily confused, glancing toward the door, as if expecting Anthony to walk in.

"The ledger in the safe is fake, Julian," Luca continued, his voice echoing in the quiet study. "There are no offshore accounts. There are no political bribes written down on paper. I destroyed the physical copies the day I took over the family."

"Then where is the information?" Julian roared, stepping toward Luca, pulling a silver pistol from his shoulder holster.

"It's on a micro-drive," Luca said calmly. "Hidden inside the casing of my father's silver pocket watch."

The watch. The one Julian had dropped in the garden. The one Leo had handed to Luca.

Julian’s face drained of color. He realized his catastrophic mistake. By returning the watch as a psychological taunt, he had inadvertently handed Luca the very thing he had spent five years trying to steal.

"Daniel," Julian barked, his panic finally showing. "Where is the watch? I gave it to the kid to give to Luca. Where is it?"

Daniel looked terrified. "I don't know! It wasn't on him when we took him!"

"Looking for this?"

A new voice echoed from the doorway.

We all turned.

Vanessa stood there. Her red silk engagement gown was torn, her makeup ruined, and her high heels were gone. But in her right hand, she held a heavy black pistol, pointed directly at Julian’s chest.

And in her left hand, dangling by its silver chain, was the pocket watch.

"Vanessa," Julian said, his voice instantly dropping to a soothing, manipulative purr. "Put the gun down, sweetheart. We're almost done here. Give me the watch, and we go get our son."

"You lied to me," Vanessa whispered, tears streaming down her face. Her hands were shaking violently, but her aim didn't waver. "He's not in Boston. He's not safe. Anthony told me everything before Daniel locked him in the basement."

Julian’s eyes narrowed. "What did Anthony tell you?"

"That you don't even have him," Vanessa sobbed, a hysterical edge creeping into her voice. "Your men in Boston were raided two days ago by Luca's people! Luca has my son!"

I gasped, looking at Luca.

The pieces fell into a perfect, staggering picture. Luca had known about Vanessa's secret child all along. He hadn't been a victim of her infiltration; he had let her inside his home to draw Julian out, all while quietly rescuing the innocent child Julian was using as leverage.

"You used me," Vanessa wept, looking at Julian with absolute hatred. "You made me think my baby was going to die. You made me hurt Emily. You made me a monster!"

"Vanessa, listen to me—" Julian took a step forward.

Vanessa didn't hesitate. She pulled the trigger.

The gunshot was deafening. The bullet hit Julian squarely in the right shoulder. He screamed, spinning backward and dropping the detonator.

Daniel lunged forward, tackling Vanessa to the floor. The gun clattered across the hardwood.

"Get the detonator!" Julian screamed at Daniel, clutching his bleeding shoulder.

I scrambled across the floor on my hands and knees. My fingers brushed the cold plastic of the black remote just as Daniel’s heavy boot came down toward it.

I grabbed the detonator and rolled, tucking it tightly against my chest.

"Give it to me!" Daniel roared, pulling a knife from his belt and diving on top of me.

His weight crushed the air out of my lungs. He raised the knife high above his head, the blade glinting in the chandelier light, aiming straight for my chest.

"Emily!" Luca roared, his voice tearing in desperation.