My family.
Finally, I do wade in from the sea. Luna has long moved on, and she and Caterina are making sandcastles at the edge of the surf. I steal some of Gia’s sandwich before settling into a beach chair.
“They’re a good pair,” Gia comments.
I don’t respond.
My phone rings, breaking the day’s peace. I answer it, noting my second-in-command is calling.
“Boss,” Nico barks from my phone.
I answer in Italian, my eyes shooting to where Caterina is playing with Luna in the sand. The tone in Nico’s voice makes me think that I should not respond in English, in case they overhear. “What?”
“Where are you?”
“Out with my family. Nico, say your piece.”
“The Russians.”
I sigh. “What about them?”
“They’re taking credit for the hit on your daughter.”
I see red.
Fury descends over me, and I turn from where I am watching and stalk away. I snap my fingers to get Gia’s attention, and she rises quickly, following me.
“Tell us what you know,” I hiss.
Nico rattles off the details, and with each one, my mood darkens.
The Russians knew that Luna was alone. They knew she was with an old woman.
And somehow, they knew she was my daughter.
When he hangs up, I look at Gia. “How did they know before you did?” I hiss.
She narrows her eyes at me. “Don’t look at me like that. There’s only one way they could have known.”
“And what’s that?”
She turns to look at Luna and Caterina, who are still playing.
“Someone in Caterina’s family is a rat,” Gia says softly. Her voice might be quiet, but it promises death.
I nod. “Yes. They are. Are you going to find them?”
“Yes,” she says without qualification.
“Are we going to tell Caterina?”
Gia studies me, then blinks. “She’s your wife. You make the call. I’m just going to take down the motherfucker who put my niece in the line of fire,” she promises in that same lethal tone.
I shiver.
God help the person who sold Luna to the Russians.
Because, De Luca or not, they are about to go through hell to pay for their crimes.