"What do we do with him?" Giulio asked quietly.
I looked at Matteo—betrayer, coward, victim of Viktor's manipulation. In the old days, there would be only one answer. Elimination. Quick and permanent.
But Paola's presence changed the equation. She was watching, waiting.
"Take him to a secure location," I said finally. "We'll question him properly. Find out everything he gave Viktor."
"And after?" Giulio asked.
"After, we'll decide."
Giulio's team took Matteo away. The man didn't resist, just walked between his guards with his head down.
I turned to Paola. "We need to tell Piero. He deserves to know he was framed."
She nodded. "And Viktor?"
"Viktor just made his biggest mistake."
"What mistake?"
"He left us alive. And now we know his playbook."
We were walking back to the car when my phone rang.
An unknown number. I answered.
Viktor's voice, amused and smooth. "Congratulations, Cesare. You found your rat. Well done. But did you really think Matteo was my only source? My only plan?"
My blood ran cold. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about insurance. Contingencies. While you were chasing Matteo to the airport, I made a move of my own."
"What move?"
"Your brother Piero. He's no longer at his apartment. He's with me now. And if you want him back alive, you'll give me exactly what I asked for: fifty percent of YOUR empire. The Monti empire. Not whatever Giovanni left you.”
My jaw clenched. "You already got what the other Dons got, as well: twenty percent of the New York territory. That was the restitution we agreed on."
"That was restitution for the wedding deception. And you’re forgetting, that twenty percent was divided up betweenallof us. This is payment for all the trouble you've caused me since. Destroying my alliance with Bianca. Raiding my penthouse. Humiliating me repeatedly." His voice hardened. "You want your brother back? Fifty percent of the MONTI empire. Your ports, your shipping routes, your legitimate businesses. The real power, not Giovanni's declining scraps. Twenty-four hours, Cesare. Or Piero dies screaming."
The line went dead.
I stared at the phone, the world tilting beneath my feet.
Viktor had Piero. My brother. The person I'd just proved was innocent.
And now I might lose him for real.
Paola's hand found mine. "What did he say?"
I could barely get the words out. "He has Piero."
Her face went pale. "No."
"Twenty-four hours. Fifty percent of everything. Or Piero dies."
We stood in the JFK parking garage, five weeks of peace shattering around us like glass.
