Allegra gave her younger brother an incredulous stare, then turned to Umberto. “You know, Papa, there are times I think someone at the hospital mixed the babies up when my brother was born. They took my brother and replaced him with…this,” she said, pointing to the man splayed on the couch. “Do you hear yourself? Scratch that. Do you ever think before speaking?”
“Will you stop being so overly dramatic and explain to Dad why my idea isn’t the simplest and most brilliant you’ve ever heard?” Chadwick wore a satisfied, arrogant smile as he spoke. “We’ll get rid of the problem once and for all. Then, while those idiots are busy fighting each other, we take what’s ours.”
“Enough.” Umberto’s cold voice made his son’s enthusiasm disappear. “Your sister is here to share her perspective with us, and I want to hear what she has to say, so shut up and listen to her.”
“Thank you, papa.” Allegra shifted from relaxed to professional, sitting up straight with her hands in her lap, fingers laced. “I identified at least three major flaws in my dearest brother’s plan. First, what makes you think The Council will keep their arms crossed when one of them is in need? They would organize search parties and leave no stone unturned until they find the boy, alive or in pieces.”
Umberto nodded in approval. “That’s right. Whether we like it or not, Ottavio is one of them now, even if he doesn’t hold a seat on The Council. Those people have access to human and material resources beyond imagination, and they are like a hive, always helping each other, so there will be no war.”
“The second flaw,” Allegra continued, encouraged by her father’s words. “Let’s say no one helps the Ottavio guy and his oldest is wiped out. He has three more children, two boys and a girl. Yes, it’s true, they’re only a few months old, and a lot could happen before they come of age, but still… Besides, if hisentire bloodline is extinguished, his younger brother, Martino, automatically becomes his successor.”
“Your sister is right again,” Umberto said, giving his son a disappointed look. “What would you do in this case? Kidnap and kill them all?” His voice dripped with sarcasm.
“Last, but not least, how can we truly know what this man genuinely feels toward his illegitimate son?”
CHAPTER 9
“What do you mean?” Chadwick let out a short laugh. “That kid is his firstborn, and he’s a boy. Of course, the guy loves him. If he were a girl, things would’ve been completely different, but it’s impossible not to love a son.”
Umberto shook his head, exasperated. “You know, I think Allegra is right; my baby really was changed at birth, and I ended up with…you.” He took a sharp inhale. “I was lucky my father loved mamma and wanted to keep her and me close, but do you have any idea how many Mafia men reject their illegitimate sons?”
“Well, if that’s the case, let’s see sissy’s bright idea,” Chadwick said, rolling his eyes. “I don’t know why the hell you even bothered to call me here,” he muttered under his breath, casting a sidelong glance at his father.
“I think we should test Ottavio to see whether and how much he loves the boy,” Allegra said, looking at her father and ignoring her brother. “You know what the most beautiful part of my plan is? It doesn’t involve anything illegal or dangerous.”
Umberto nodded, his heart swelling with paternal pride. “I’m glad to hear that; we don’t want problems right from the start. What does your plan involve, if you don’t mind my asking?”
Allegra let out a long sigh. “Actually, if that’s all right with you, Papa, I’d prefer to keep the details to myself for now. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but the fewer people who know about this, the better.”
“I understand and completely agree with you,” Umberto nodded in approval. “Even if it’s legal, if the information falls into the wrong hands, we risk losing this war before it even begins. We can’t afford unnecessary risks.”
His father’s words set Chadwick's blood boiling. The hell with both of you. I didn’t come here to be insulted, he thought,standing and leaving the room without saying goodbye or looking at his father or sister. I was summoned here just to be laughed at. I should’ve realized it the second Daddy’s princess walked into the room.
Fuck them both. I’m going to sit back and watch sissy dearest fail miserably, then save the day with my plan, just as it’s supposed to. I have a feeling little Miss Allegra didn’t do her homework this time, which is why she was so evasive when daddy dearest wanted to learn more about her clever plan.
Fuck, this story about the old man, the son of a hotshot Mafia boss, who wants to grab the biggest piece of a multimillion-dollar cake once again messed with Linc’s and my schedule. Still, if we do this job right, it’ll bring us way more money than sending sissy to Hades. And it’s just a delay—we’re not giving up on our dream.
Ah, when the time comes, Linc will be a very sexy widower, Chadwick smiled inwardly. The thought of ravaging the man’s body on his first night as a widower made him rock-hard. Fuck. Now I’ll have to take care of this big problem, or I’m going to cream in my shorts. I’ll make my little toy pay tonight for indirectly putting me through this.
While her brother was lost in thought, Allegra was heading to the media company. I can’t believe I got myself into this, she thought, tightening her grip on the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. She did it only to annoy Chadwick and impress Papa. The woman shook her head, her lips pressed in a tight line.
I have no information about the kid, his mother, what happened to her, whether he lived with relatives—if he had any—or was placed in foster care after her passing. Her own recklessness drove Allegra into despair, and she had to do breathing exercises to steady herself.
I need to find something quickly before Chadwick realizes I was only bluffing and embarrasses me in front of Papa, she thought, parking her car in the specially reserved spot in the company’s parking lot. With a heavy sigh, the woman stepped out of the vehicle and headed toward the imposing building, trying to focus only on the presentation she had in a few hours.
Being alone with her thoughts in the VIP elevator’s solitude wasn’t what Allegra needed, so she hurried to the staff elevator, squeezing in just before the doors closed. With a sigh of relief, she closed her eyes and listened to the chit-chat around her when a very familiar voice made her almost jump with joy.
I can’t believe my luck, Allegra said to herself. All my problems are solved. A few inches away from her, leaning against the elevator’s wall, was Joshua Michaels, the star dirt digger working for the company’s most popular tabloid. He is going to help me with anything I need and more, she thought, pulling her phone from her purse and typing a message.
Allegra openly showed her satisfaction at Joshua’s shocked reaction upon reading the text. No secret was too well hidden or secure once the journalist started asking around and uncovering all the details and life events the investigation subjects believed were long forgotten or erased from the public’s memory.
After offering him the story she heard from Esteban and Richard, Allegra said in the message she sent to Joshua, 'I need as much as possible on this.' It wasn’t much, but the man worked miracles with less. The reply came back quickly, assuring her that she would have the information in about half an hour.
This guy deserves a raise, and he’s going to get it. Allegra gasped in shock at the sight of the promised email, which arrived a few minutes before the sender’s self-imposed deadline. How Joshua Michaels managed to find out so much with so little to start from was a mystery to her, one she wasn’t interested in solving.
Now I have what I need. Allegra smiled triumphantly after printing the email and reading it for the second time. It’s time to start moving; the sooner, the better. Tomorrow is perfect for making the first move, with nothing important on the agenda. Well, brother dear, it’s time you saw how things are done. Watch and learn.
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