SECRETS IN THE SYNDICATE

Luca stared at the ring in Claire’s palm, the pieces violently locking into place.

"The Russians," Luca murmured, his voice deadly quiet. "They couldn't beat me in the streets, so they put a Trojan horse in my bed."

Vanessa hadn't just manipulated Julian and Dante; she had orchestrated the entire downfall of the Moretti family to hand Chicago’s underworld over to the Volkov cartel. And tonight, at Pier 4, she was finalizing the handover using Luca’s own weapons shipment as the buy-in.

"We have to go to the police," Claire said, wiping Julian’s blood from her hand.

"The police are owned by Dante," Luca replied, moving back to the passenger seat. "If we go to the cops, they'll arrest me for the fire at the estate, and they'll hand Leo straight to Child Services—which means Dante gets him."

"Then what do we do?"

"I go to Pier 4," Luca said, chambering a round in his rifle. "I stop the shipment. I put an end to Vanessa and Dante. You take Leo and drive to a motel outside the city. Lay low until I come for you."

"No," Claire said firmly.

Luca looked at her, surprised by the absolute authority in her voice.

"I'm not leaving you," Claire said, her eyes blazing with determination. "Marco is still out there. If he finds out you're at the pier, he'll come for you. You need someone watching your back."

"It's a suicide mission, Claire. You're a civilian."

"I stopped being a civilian the moment Vanessa crushed my hand in that door," Claire shot back. "I'm going. Leo can hide in the car. But I'm going in with you."

Luca stared at her. She was stubborn, fearless, and incredibly beautiful in the harsh streetlight. He realized then that he didn't want a submissive mafia wife. He wanted exactly this. A partner.

"Drive," he said.

They reached Pier 4 just after midnight. The rain had intensified into a torrential downpour. Massive steel shipping containers were stacked like metal mountains against the black water of Lake Michigan.

Claire parked the SUV behind a rusted crane, out of sight.

"Lock the doors," Luca instructed Leo, handing the boy his own secure cell phone. "If anyone except us taps on the window, you hit the red button. It calls a man named Rossi. He’s loyal to me. He’ll come get you."

Leo nodded bravely, clutching the phone and his blue elephant. "Be careful, Auntie Claire."

Claire’s heart swelled at the title. She kissed his forehead. "I'll be right back, sweetie."

Luca and Claire moved through the shadows, slipping between the towering containers. The sound of the rain masked their footsteps.

They approached Warehouse 7. The massive bay doors were open. Inside, glaring floodlights illuminated the space.

Luca motioned for Claire to climb a metal utility staircase leading to the catwalks above. They crept along the steel grating, looking down at the warehouse floor.

Below them stood Dante, surrounded by six heavily armed men.

Opposite them stood Vanessa. She wasn't wearing her red silk gown anymore. She wore a sleek black trench coat. Beside her stood a massive, bearded man—Alexei Volkov, the head of the Russian mob.

"The cargo is verified," Dante said, gesturing to open crates filled with military-grade rifles. "The Moretti syndicate is dissolved. Luca is dead in the fire."

"Excellent work, Dante," Vanessa smiled, her voice echoing in the cavernous space. "The Russians take the South Side. You take the North. A profitable partnership."

Dante smirked, stepping forward to shake Volkov’s hand.

But as Dante reached out, Vanessa casually raised a silenced pistol and shot Dante directly in the chest.

Dante collapsed, his men freezing in shock as Volkov’s heavily armed guards raised their weapons, outnumbering them ten to one.

"There are no partnerships, Dante," Vanessa sneered down at his bleeding body. "There is only the Bratva."

Up on the catwalk, Claire gasped quietly.

Vanessa’s head snapped up. Her eyes scanned the rafters.

"Well, well," Vanessa called out, a cruel smile spreading across her face. "It seems the dead man decided to show up after all. And he brought the help."