The Crown I Stole

her footsteps silent on the plush carpet. She had changed from her professional attire into black pants and a fit

rtraits lined the walls, generations of Castello patriarchs staring down with cold, calculating eyes. Alessi

den doors throughout the rest of the house, this one was modern, with a sleek electronic card

t if she turned back now, she might lose her only chance to

ar. She had come t

ck disengaged with a soft click. She pushed the door open, he

was not what s

Monitors lined one wall, displaying feeds from cameras throughout the property. Another wall held a large

lass surface that she recognized as a sophisticated touch-screen

irt, which were rolled up to his elbows, revealing strong forearms. His dar

imply, his expression

er, maintaining a safe distance.

ith me?" There was a hint

be?" she

then gestured to the room around

ed more suitable for a government intelligence agency than a private

rner of his mouth lifting. "A

room, carefully cataloging every detail. This was Dante's command cent

eplied, surprising her. "So

ing. He was admitting, indirectly, that he knew she und

dangerous," sh

g what appeared to be architectural blueprints. "These are the plans for th

he Grand Metropolitan Hotel where the charity event was scheduled to take place-but these weren't t

nts," she said, looking up a

eplied simply. "Among othe

o holdings were more extensive

me this?"

His dark eyes held hers. "The foundation is importan

ght her attention. "You c

ieve?" There was a chal

amily? Yes." The words slipped

wed something like satisfaction. "So you

al error, revealing too much too soon. But

said with a careful shrug. "It would be naive of me to

nd, Sofia?" He moved around the table towar

the Castello Foundation does good work. I a

ch

erprises," she said boldly. "And buying influence

he didn't expect was Dante's laugh-low and genuin

so directly," he said, stopping just close enough t

is?" she asked, refus

playing a dangerous game, Sofia Bianch

er spine. There was something in his inflection th

ul event," she replied, keeping h

nough that she could see the flecks of am

motive cou

rand of hair from her face with surprising g

dy. This close, she could smell his cologne, mixe

d, forcing herself to remai

thing but that, Sofia. Or shou

y stopped. "Wha

s table again. The blueprints disappeared, replaced by a seri

tment building. Meeting with Marco in a café. Visiting

fia Bianchi-orphaned at sixteen, raised by an aunt in Milan, graduated from

h her options. Deny everyth

d the table again, bringing up one fi

looked older, thinner, but unmistakably alive. He sat in what appeared t

dead for seven years. Serving a life sentence in Blackgate Prison under

ll along. This wasn't just a trap-it was a game he had

tinctively to the

ee armed guards outside that door, and the entire

she managed to ask, her v

wouldn't investigate every person who enters my home? Espec

he had known who she was all along, why let her g

m me?" she asked, fin

e," Dante replied, his eyes nev

t under

is alive because I arranged it. He's been protected

ep the disbelief from her voice.

ps offense. "I did not. My father ordered the hit

ed of doubt. Marco had always told her it was Dante who gave the order, but

without proof," Dante said. He touched t

with his father in this very room. There was no audio, but the body language was c

" Alessia asked, unable to te

ns-I'm not claiming to be a saint-but because it was bad business. The Ricci

m out of... what

was unreadable. "Am

he room. Moments later, Salvatore Castello picked up a phone,

ed like genuine regret. "By the time I learned the details of the plan, his

of our people to die,"

is the art of compromise, Alessia. And in ou

through her. Seven years of hiding, of becom

emanded. "Why bring me here, keep me clo

tened slightly. "Becau

you except your des

ompromised, outmaneuvered, and at my mercy. Meanwhile, your father remains in Blackgate, his hea

Your father is rea

for his terminal cancer," Dante confirmed. "And running certain

fall into place. "

ization my way. The old methods-the violence, the vendettas-they're bad for busi

me?" Alessia asked though she was beg

pproved of what happened to the Riccis. If Antonio were to return-pardoned, rei

"You want to use my father as a po

a place at the table," Dante counte

hange f

on hardened. "Salvatore Castello deserves to pay for what h

erything. "Why should I trust a word you're

uld have had you killed at any time. Instead, I've given you access to my home, my business,

ad simply wanted her dead, sh

with a Castello," she said, but the

io Ricci, sitting across from a visitor in the prison meeting room. The visitor's face was

cold. "You've

firmed. "He's cons

co-" She stopped, realizing she had

nte said. "He believes you're safe in Euro

hy

s expression softened slightly. "He loves you, Alessia. Everything he's done-in

and fought them back fierc

into his pocket and withdrew a sm

she thought had been lost the night of the massacre. She would recognize it anywhere, with its

f I ever found you," Dante said qui

ered, weighed down by years of absence and grief. She opened it, and inside, wh

andwriting was unmistakably her father's-the stro

ando piegare il ginocchi

ws when to bend the k

en she was learning the game. Sometimes, to win, you had to sacrifice a piece-even

ly?" she asked, her

med. "When I told him I susp

saying is true-that you saved my father, and that you oppose wha

on first. To build enough support within the organization that I cou

d n

Many of the captains recognize that his old-school approach is becoming a lia

at the mention of R

se my father promised him territory and autonomy. Prom

that Rossi might

er offers the most advantage," Dante said. "Currently, t

t the calculated charm to the truth be

om power-permanently-and in return, I secure your father's release

ordinates,"

Dante's lips. "As my partn

f I re

onight and never return. You and your father continue as you a

ho I am and what I was plan

before you arrived, and I haven't moved against

destroyed her family? Or walk away, leaving her father to rot

to my father,"

great. If my father or Rossi discovered that Antonio Ric

ust that anything you've told

ed as if coming to a decision. "There is a w

liste

g a rehabilitation program we fund there. I could arrange for you to accompany me, dis

r father after seven years was too powe

he asked. "That you won't have me arr

hat you won't try to kill me the moment my back is turned. A

familiar engraving. Her father had sent her a message-a directive,

ce," she said slowly, "wha

gala. Maintain your cover as Sofia Bianchi. But start feeding

orrent. Marco had protected her, trained her, b

our father's consigliere. He must have maintained connections with former Ricci all

strategic way. But it st

e prison visi

y, we move to phase two," Dante rep

an his

er means necessary. He's a dying man, Alessia. One way or another, his t

ante Castello went against everything she had believed for seven

ear what my father has to say. After that, I

. "Fair enough." He extended his h

d it had likely spilled. Then she thought of her father, ali

ghtly callused-not the soft hands of a man who had never worked

she agreed.

perhaps, of how similar they truly were. Both fighting against the legacies

to each other in ways n

and. "You should go," he said, his voice slightly rougher than before. "The g

tch securely into her pocket. "How will

ow." He moved to the door, unlocking it with a code.

him. "One more thing. Those security came

d by morning,"

nes in my

re are none. Contrary to what you might

to believe him, but she nodd

t, Alessi

he had touched something private and precious. She turned without another wor

ng emotions. Relief that her father was alive. Anger at having been manipulated by Dante. Confusion about his

eance. Now she found herself contemplating allian

wn she had meant to steal might inste

-

lance cameras. She moved with the grace and caution of someone well-tra

came through the interco

replied. "

had gone more or less as he had planned, but Alessia Ricci was pr

, something that resonated with his own experience. They were both children shaped by the si

ing a Swiss number he r

wered, keeping h

nce-powerful voice was now raspy fro

," Dante replied carefully.

lead us to all of Antonio's

he Ricci family," Dante finished, the words

es, my son," Salvatore warned. "The

lty lies," Dante replied trut

he security monitor. He had just lied to his father-something he h

family-a future Dante envisioned as something very different from his father's b

nd then destroy her. A simple plan

he question was whether Alessia wou

around each other, laughing at the camera. One was his mother, Elena Castello, beautiful and vibrant before illness too

had torn them apart. Until Salvatore had or

r mothers had once been as close as sisters. That the bad bloo

Alessia chose to ally with him. If not... he would do what was necessary to secur

y. And crowns, once stolen, exacted a