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“I need you to kill Nico Mancini.”

My stomach drops to my feet. “Why do you need that?”

“Why do you sound upset? I know you want him dead. For killing your father, if I recall.”

“I did. I do. But?—”

“But what?”

But I want to leave with this money and save Ellie. She’s more important than vengeance.

Of course, I can’t tell Mr. Moore a single word of my plan.

“You want to run away with my daughter, don’t you?”

I blink and try not to show any emotion on my face. “We’re married now. Ellie and me.”

“And you think that gives you a right to her?”

“Doesn’t it?”

“Here’s my proposition, Vincent. Kill Nico for me, and I’ll let you have my daughter. I’ll back off. How does that sound?”

“Using Ellie as a bargaining chip?”

He shrugs. “I do what I have to do. So, what’s it going to be?”

I get right up in his face as I answer. “No. I’m leaving now.”

“Then you won’t ever get justice for your father’s death.”

“I don’t care about that.”

“Then you’ll never learn the truth.”

I pause and slowly look at him. “What truth?”

“I think you know.”

His cryptic words hit me in my core. The reason everything felt familiar with Aurora. The reason I have the same pendant as their kid. The fact I have the same name even.

I need to know if I’m really Nico and Aurora’s son.

But I can’t do what Mr. Moore wants from me. If Nico is somehow really my father, then I can’t kill him. I need answers.

I also need Ellie.

“I’m leaving,” I say.

“Then you won’t get Ellie. She’ll remain here under lock and key until you do what I want. Until you kill Nico Mancini. Is that clear?”

“I can just save her now.”

Mr. Moore pulls out a gun but doesn’t point it at me. We’re not at that point yet. This is a threat. “You won’t get my daughter. I’ll make sure of that.”

“If you kill me, then I can’t kill Nico for you.”

“It’s not you I’ll kill.”