Chapter 9 - THE FATHER WHO PRETENDED NOT TO KNOW ME
Dr. Gabriel DeLuca disappeared before we reached his clinic.
That alone told me enough.
His apartment had been emptied.
Phone discarded.
Bank accounts untouched.
Not a man leaving forever.
A man hiding.
Rachel knew more than I did.
“Elena never told me who your father was.”
“Why?”
“She said knowing would endanger you.”
I stared at Dante.
“Is everyone in your world allergic to direct communication?”
“Yes.”
At least he was honest.
We found Gabriel through Orion.
Literally.
His veterinary records showed Gabriel owned a cabin in the Catskills under a trust.
Dante gave me the choice.
Go.
Or stay.
That mattered.
I went.
Gabriel opened the cabin door before we knocked.
He looked at me for a long time.
Then whispered:
“You have her eyes.”
I wanted to slap him.
Instead:
“You met me three days ago.”
“I know.”
“You examined Orion while I was in the next room.”
“I know.”
“You said nothing.”
“I was afraid.”
I laughed.
“Of Dante?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“Of loving you.”
That answer made me angrier.
He explained.
Gabriel and Elena had been together secretly.
Vittorio would never have allowed it.
Elena became pregnant.
Gabriel wanted to run.
She refused until she had evidence against Vittorio.
Then everything collapsed.
“Did you know Laura took me?”
“No. Not for years.”
“When did you find out?”
“Your tenth birthday.”
I stared.
“You knew for sixteen years.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you come?”
“Laura begged me not to.”
“My mother is dead.”
“I know.”
“Three years.”
He looked down.
“I was still watched.”
“By Antonio?”
“Yes.”
I stepped away.
I had expected some miraculous feeling.
Blood recognizing blood.
Nothing.
He was a stranger who shared my DNA.
Laura was still my mother.
That clarity helped.
“Why did Orion’s reaction scare you?”
Gabriel’s face changed.
“Because Antonio knew Elena trained Nero’s line.”
“So?”
“He knew if Orion reacted to someone the same way Nero reacted to Elena, Dante might investigate.”
“You think Antonio had someone watching the restaurant?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Gabriel looked toward Dante.
“Someone close to him.”
We had already exposed Marco.
Dante frowned.
“Marco?”
“No.”
“Who?”
Gabriel hesitated.
Then said:
“Your fiancée.”
Silence.
I turned to Dante.
“You’re engaged?”
His face became stone.
“No.”
Gabriel frowned.
“Then Bianca hasn’t told you?”
Dante’s jaw tightened.
Bianca Romano.
Daughter of a powerful allied family.
Dante explained the families had discussed marriage.
He had never agreed.
Bianca apparently had.
Rachel muttered:
“This keeps improving.”
Gabriel told us Bianca had visited him two weeks earlier.
Asking about Orion.
Elena.
The missing baby.
Me.
Dante called his estate.
No answer from the guard assigned to the east wing.
Then the alarm notification arrived.
Security breach.
We raced back.
The mansion was silent.
One guard unconscious.
Another missing.
Rachel’s room empty.
I panicked.
Then Orion began barking upstairs.
We followed him into Dante’s bedroom.
Bianca stood beside the open safe.
Rachel sat tied to a chair.
A gun pressed beneath her chin.
Bianca looked at me and smiled.
“There you are.”
May you like
Then she looked at Dante.
“You always did make me wait for the important things.”
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