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“No, he thinks I’m interested in becoming a member.”
“So it was a club like you thought?” Alfred placed the shiny logo against the sunlight streaming through the window.
“If my uncle knows about it, I assure you, it’s way more than that.” I shifted my gaze toward Ava’s photo on the murder board. Her innocent smiling face was like a kick to the gut. So much time had gone by and I’d yet to deliver on my promise to her.
Two years ago, my fiancée Ava Conti died in a car accident. Or at least, that was what the police report had said—she’d been drunk when she drove straight into a tree. Looking for closure, I hired a hacker to get me a copy of Ava’s case. I didn’t need to be a detective to know that the number of inconsistencies on the report could only add up to one thing—Ava had been murdered.
I blamed myself for bringing someone as innocent as her into my world. She had died because of me. Though I’d yet to prove that the Society or any other mafia group had been involved.
The Society, the century old enclave that my family belonged to, prided itself in keeping the peace and protecting our people. That was all a bunch of crap, of course. All the families cared about was power and the money that came with it. Ava and her modest life as a teacher didn’t even register on their radar. I was Ava’s only link to the mafia. Though she didn’t know about it. Just as my family didn’t know about her.
I hated that she had died alone. That no one cared that she was gone. She had no family. And she was new to the city. I was all she had, which was why I couldn’t let her murder go unpunished.
“I haven’t forgotten about Ava.” I strode toward the wall facing the desk and glared at the many newspaper clippings and photos—so many questions and not a single fucking answer.
“Or maybe it’s time you let it go?” He poured coffee into my cup.
“I can’t.” I shook my head. “I’m sure this club is the piece of the puzzle we were missing. She was there the night she was killed. You saw that stamp on her wrist. It matches the logo on the business card.”
“Yes, it’s a solid lead. Though.” He shrugged. “I’m wondering, how you plan on juggling a murder case with Ms. Salvatore in the mix. She’s not thequiet, do as you’re told, kind of woman your uncle believes.”
“God, no, she’s not. But my situation with Donata has nothing to do with Ava. I can handle both.”
“Are you sure?”
“I know what I’m doing.”
“Of course, sir.”
Alfred had been with my family for years. More than an employee, the old man was a friend and a wise adviser. When he called me sir, it usually meant he felt I wasn’t listening to him. Going to the club was a dangerous move. But that was exactly why I had to go. Every piece of evidence on that board pointed to the stamp on her wrist. Now I had more than blurry ink on a picture. I had an address and a long list of suspects.
“What exactly is your plan here, Luca?”
“I don’t know yet. I can’t openly ask if anyone knew Ava. I need to become a regular first. Maybe one of the sex workers will trust me enough to tell me what they know. Maybe I’ll find another clue. Maybe something catches my attention.”
“That’s a lot of maybes.”
“I know.” I rubbed the stubble on my cheek. “This logo and this club feel like the end of the line.”
I’d followed other leads before. Not one of them felt as concrete as this one. Not to mention that I was fresh out of clues. I had searched literally under every rock. Ava had no friends or family I could speak to. So there wasn’t a past for me to dig into. Whatever secrets she had, she took them with her to the grave. When it came to the night of the murder, I wasn’t even in town when it happened. The police had managed to bury a lot of things before I got my hands on Ava’s file.
“Sounds like maybe it’s time to give it a rest.”
“Please don’t start with that again. I know what I’m doing.”
“You keep saying that. People who know what they’re doing, don’t feel the need to keep saying that they know what they’re doing.” He cocked his brow. “What if…?”
The front doorbell rang and saved me from having to answer more of Alfred’s questions.
“I believe that’s your cue.” I gestured toward the downstairs.
“Fine. I’ll leave you to it.” He ambled out the door, mumbling something about having a mind to call my mother.
I rolled my eyes. He didn’t need to worry. And he sure as fuck didn’t need to get Mom involved. If she found out what Uncle Jimmy had asked me to do, she would ruin all our plans by going straight to Signoria Vittoria.
An eerie silence lingered in the air like thick smoke—as if my own conscience was trying to tell me something. Whatever it was, I didn’t want to hear it. Uncle Jimmy wasn’t wrong. The Society was at a crossroads, and that put our family in danger.
Donata was the key to making sure we survived Michael Alfera’s abdication. When he stepped down as king, he sent our world into turmoil. Now the families were fighting to keep their power. Though Uncle Jimmy wanted way more. He wanted it all.
