Page 41 of Empire of Temptation

Or, was it one of my countless enemies?

The edges of my vision wavered, my mind reeling. It was my greatest fear as a father, that I would fail to keep one of my children safe. But the guards were supposed to keep an eye on both boys. So, what the fuck happened?

I would skin someone alive for this.

I heard talking. It was Aldo, so I glared at him, but he was grinning into the mirror, speaking to someone on his mobile. What did he have to be so fucking happy about?

I returned my attention to Leonardo. “Who was the last person to see him?”

“He was at the club with some of the boys. Cameras show him leaving with a guard around midnight.”

I wasn’t surprised Leonardo had pulled security footage. My boy was so smart. My mind raced as we pulled up to the gate. I would need to get on a plane immediately. There was no time to lose.

Instead of waving us through, one of the guards approached the car. That was odd. Aldo lowered the car window and rested an arm on the frame. “Che cosa?” he asked the guard.

“Papà, are you still there?” Leonardo asked in my ear.

“Yes,” I answered. “I’ll be on the jet within the hour.”

The guard was saying to Aldo, “They just showed up. We didn’t know what to do.”

Someone was here? “Who showed up?” I barked.

“What is going on there?” Leonardo said in my ear.

“Gabriele is here, Don Benetti,” the guard said, peeking into the back seat at me. “Inside. He arrived about ten minutes ago.”

“What the fuck!” Leonardo shouted, obviously overhearing.

I clenched my jaw, hard. Cazzo madre di dio! Gabriele was here in New York. Relief and anger warred inside me. My fingers squeezed the glass and metal rectangle in my hand. “Gabriele has been found,” I gritted out as Aldo started up the drive. “He’s here with me, apparently.”

“That stronzo!” my oldest son hissed. “I thought he was dead.”

“He might still be, when I get through with him,” I said softly. “We will speak later.”

I rang off, then tapped my mobile absently on my leg. The stupidity, the sheer recklessness. If I had done something like this, my father would’ve beat the shit out of me.

“He brought a guard with him,” Aldo said from the front seat. “They flew private under an assumed name. He did it smart.”

“You knew?”

“I found out a minute before you did. Don’t be too hard on him. You know how sixteen-year-old boys are.”

No, I didn’t. Because at sixteen I did everything my father told me, never daring to take a step out of line. He’d been cruel and ruthless, determined to mold his oldest boy into a powerful don.

I locked all that away as the car pulled up to the front door. I got out and tore up the steps. The entry was empty, just the usual dry fountain surrounded by gold cherubs.

“Gabriele!” I called. “Where the fuck are you?”

“Ciao, Papà!” My youngest son appeared at the top of the stairs, a wide smile on his face. One of the soldiers was with him and his downcast expression told me he was smart enough to be worried.

I pointed at the soldier. “I will deal with you later.” To my son, I said, “Get in my office.Now.”

“Papà,” Gabriele said with a heavy sigh as he came down the steps. “Don’t be angry with Totò. I didn’t give him a choice.”

I didn’t want to hear it. At the very least this soldier should’ve informed Sergio with what was going on.

“Follow me,” I said and started for my office. I was furious. At a time when I already had too much to deal with, now Gabriele had to act out, too? Didn’t he realize the danger in leaving home, let alone coming here with only one man to protect him?

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