"No motive. Julian's valuable to us but not to them. And the professional execution—this wasn't mob violence. This was calculated. Surgical."
"Then who?" Sandro demanded.
I thought about the card.I'm watching, little spitfire.Thought about Dante Caruso. About his obsession with Julian. About what Julian had told me happened when he was sixteen.
Cold certainty settled in my chest. Replaced panic with focused rage.
"Dante Caruso."
The room went silent.
"He's obsessed with Julian," I continued. Voice flat. Controlled. "Has been since they were engaged. Julian put him in the hospital at sixteen for trying to rape him. But Dante never let it go. He sent Julian a threatening card two weeks ago. 'I'm watching, little spitfire.' He's been waiting for an opportunity."
"The public exposure," Luca said. "When Julian's identity got leaked. That told Dante exactly where Julian was. Who he was with. Gave him a target."
"And Dante has resources," Matteo added. "The Caruso family isn't as big as ours but they've got reach. Got connections. Could absolutely organize a professional kidnapping."
Sandro was already pulling up files on his computer. "The Carusos operate out of Philadelphia but they've got interests in New York. Real estate. Shipping. Several legitimate fronts that could hide someone."
"He won't ask for ransom," I said. My voice was getting rougher. Harder to control. "This isn't about money or leverage. Dante wants Julian. Wants to take back what he thinks belongs to him. Wants to finish what he started when Julian was sixteen."
The thought made bile rise in my throat. Made my vision go red. Made violence surge through me so intensely I could barely contain it.
Dante had Julian. Was holding him somewhere. Doing—
I couldn't finish the thought. Couldn't let myself imagine what Dante might be doing to Julian right now. If I did, I'd lose control completely. Would tear apart this office. Would destroy everything until I found him.
"We're getting him back." Matteo's voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. "We mobilize everything. Everyone. We tear this city apart until we find Julian and bring him home."
"Agreed," Sandro said. "Elio, what do you need?"
Everything. I needed everything. Every resource. Every person. Every tool at our disposal.
"Full mobilization. Every security team member called in. Every street informant activated. I want access to traffic cameras citywide. CCTV from every business in a ten-block radius of the coffee shop. Facial recognition running on Dante and known Caruso associates. Our police contacts checking their systems for any reports."
"Done," Sandro said. "Luca, use your networks. Anyone who might have information. Anyone who's seen Caruso family movement in the city. Find out where they've been. What properties they control."
"On it." Luca was already on his phone. Making calls. Activating connections.
"Matteo, I need your people on surveillance. Every known Caruso property. Warehouses. Businesses. Real estate holdings. If they're using one to hold Julian, I want it identified."
"You'll have it within the hour." Matteo stood. "And Elio? We're getting your man back. Whatever it takes. No limits. No hesitation. We protect family."
The words hit hard.Your man.Family.
They knew. They all knew how much Julian meant to me. And they were all in. United. Ready to go to war.
"Thank you," I managed.
Stefan spoke up for the first time. "This is my fault. I should've stayed with him. Should've made him come inside. Should've—"
"No." I cut him off. "This isn't your fault. This is on Dante. On the people who took him. Not you. You were getting coffee. Julian was with trained security. Nobody could've predicted they'd be that fast. That professional."
"But—"
"Stefan." Sandro's voice was firm. "Elio's right. This isn't on you. What we need now is for you to help. Pull every financial record we have on Caruso family operations. Real estate purchases. Shell companies. Anything that might give us a location. Can you do that?"
Stefan straightened. "Yes. I can do that."
