Chapter 4 - The Bloodline of Deceit
By dusk, the estate was under covert lockdown. Damiano had quietly assembled a circle of six men whose loyalty had been forged in fire alongside Enzo during the waterfront war. Renato Salvi remained entirely unaware that his plot had been exposed.
In the study, Damiano poured two glasses of scotch and pushed one toward Renato.
"The Brennan account is settled," Renato said, sliding a leather folder across the desk. "And the judge's son has been handled. You can rest easy tonight, Damiano."
"Rest easy," Damiano repeated quietly, taking a sip. He looked out the window at the looming oak tree in the twilight. "Renato, do you remember the night my father died?"
Renato paused, his silver eyebrows lifting slightly. "Of course. It was rainy. I brought you coffee in this very room."
"My father trusted you with his life," Damiano said, turning around slowly. "He told me on his deathbed that if I ever needed to know who was loyal, I should look to the man who never asked for power, only responsibility."
"Domenico was a wise man," Renato murmured.
"Then why did you meet Marcus Doyle in the south garage last night?" Damiano asked coldly.
Renato’s hand froze mid-air. The colour drained from his face, replaced instantly by a sharp, calculating glint. He didn't deny it. He knew Damiano never asked a question unless he already knew the answer.
"You've grown soft, Damiano," Renato whispered, dropping his polite facade. "Twenty years of hiding behind walls, sleeping with a gun under your pillow, refusing to expand, refusing to take what belongs to us. The Bellandis offered a partnership that will double our revenues in six months. You were an obstacle that needed removing."
"And Marcus Doyle?" Damiano asked.
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"A desperate idiot willing to do the dirty work in exchange for his woman and kid," Renato spat. "He's coming through the south gate in twenty minutes with thirty armed men. Your perimeter sensors are already disabled."
Damiano chuckled—a low, dangerous sound that sent a chill down Renato's spine. "Did you really think I didn't know about the secondary relay beneath the wine cellar, Renato? My father built this house. I know every wire."
