Chapter 4 - Uncle Vincent SmilesVincent Romano received the news in the private dining room of a restaurant that had no sign, no menu, and no windows facing the street.
He was seventy-one years old, handsome in the way old wolves were handsome, with silver hair brushed back from a face that had spent decades pretending patience was kindness.
Across from him, Damian Sterling poured himself a drink with a hand that would not stop shaking.
Vincent noticed.
He noticed everything.
“You look nervous,” Vincent said.
Sterling laughed once. “A child was supposed to disappear cleanly. Instead half the city is awake, three warehouses are on fire, and Gabriel Romano is going to tear Chicago apart by sunrise.”
Vincent lifted his wine.
“Gabriel has always been emotional.”
Sterling stared at him.
That was not the word most men used for Gabriel Romano.
“He will kill me.”
“Not if he is looking somewhere else.”
Sterling slammed the glass down. “Your plan failed.”
Vincent’s smile did not move.
“My plan revealed something.”
“What?”
“That Mia Carver is more dangerous than we thought.”
Sterling cursed.
“She is an accountant.”
“She is Daniel’s accountant.”
“She worked for the family.”
Vincent leaned forward.
“No. She worked for Daniel.”
The distinction settled between them.
Sterling looked away first.
Vincent had known about Mia for years.
At first, she had been a nuisance. A quiet young woman with sad eyes and an unfortunate talent for numbers. Daniel had protected her after she discovered irregularities in one of the foundation accounts. He had promoted her, trusted her, and worse, respected her.
Daniel had always been foolish that way.
He believed people deserved truth.
Antonio had despised that about him.
Gabriel had inherited Antonio’s empire, his caution, his brutality when necessary.
Daniel had inherited his mother’s conscience.
One son could rule.
The other could ruin everything.
So Daniel had been removed.
Cleanly.
Sadly.
Publicly.
A highway accident in rain.
A grieving pregnant widow.
A brother too devastated to ask the right questions.
Only Mia Carver had continued looking.
Vincent had underestimated her.
That irritated him.
Sterling pushed back from the table. “I never agreed to murder a baby.”
Vincent’s eyes sharpened.
“Nobody asked you to murder him.”
“You asked me to take him.”
“I asked you to create pressure.”
“He’s six months old.”
Vincent sighed. “Spare me your conscience. You built your company by starving smaller men until they sold to you for pennies.”
“Companies,” Sterling snapped. “Not infants.”
Vincent smiled.
There it was.
The line every monster drew so he could sleep.
“You wanted Gabriel weakened,” Vincent said. “I offered you an opportunity.”
“You told me Mia had documents that could destroy him.”
“She does.”
“Then why take the child?”
“Because Gabriel would burn every document in America to get that boy back.”
Sterling looked sick.
Vincent enjoyed that.
Fear made men honest.
A phone buzzed on the table.
Vincent glanced at the message.
BOY WITH SOFIA. MIA WITH G. C COMPROMISED.
Vincent’s smile vanished.
Sterling noticed. “What?”
Vincent stood.
“What happened?” Sterling demanded.
“Your men failed twice.”
“My men? You insisted on using your inside contact for the route.”
Vincent buttoned his jacket.
Sterling’s expression shifted.
Realization came slowly.
“You had someone inside Gabriel’s house.”
Vincent looked at him.
Sterling backed away from the table.
“My God. You weren’t just going after his company.”
Vincent said nothing.
“You’re going after Gabriel.”
Vincent walked toward the door.
Sterling grabbed his arm.
It was a mistake.
Vincent looked down at the hand touching him.
Sterling released him.
“You said we would force him to sell the shipping division,” Sterling said. “You said the family trust would fracture if the widow panicked.”
“The widow did panic.”
“Not enough.”
“No,” Vincent said. “Not enough.”
Sterling’s face hardened. “I’m out.”
Vincent almost laughed.
Men like Sterling always believed there was an exit after they had already stepped into blood.
“There is no out.”
“I’ll go to Gabriel.”
“Then tell him what?” Vincent asked mildly. “That you hired men to take his nephew, but only because you thought it was business?”
Sterling went pale.
Vincent stepped closer.
“Gabriel may be sentimental about women and children, but he is not forgiving.”
Sterling’s throat worked.
Vincent softened his tone.
It was the voice he used on frightened relatives, grieving widows, prosecutors considering retirement.
“Damian. I am not your enemy. I am the only reason you may survive the week.”
Sterling did not believe him.
But desperate men rarely needed belief.
They needed options.
Vincent gave him one.
“Find the girl.”
“Mia?”
“Before Gabriel understands what she knows.”
Sterling shook his head. “She’s with him.”
“For now.”
“Then she’s untouchable.”
Vincent smiled again.
“No woman is untouchable if you know what she loves.”
Sterling’s eyes narrowed. “Her family?”
“Her father lives in Oak Park. Retired locksmith. Bad knees. Keeps a porch light on even during the day.”
Sterling stared. “You knew that already.”
“I told you,” Vincent said. “Mia Carver is dangerous.”
“And Gabriel?”
Vincent paused at the door.
For a moment, the mask dropped.
What appeared beneath it was not fear.
It was old resentment.
“Gabriel was never meant to inherit all of it.”
Sterling frowned.
“Antonio promised me half the legitimate holdings. Daniel found the document changes. Gabriel never knew. If Mia proves what Daniel found, everything my brother built becomes a courtroom circus.”
“Then kill her,” Sterling said.
Vincent’s eyes cooled.
“Do not be crude.”
Sterling swallowed.
Vincent opened the door.
Two men waited outside.
“Bring Mr. Sterling somewhere safe,” Vincent said.
Sterling stepped back. “Wait.”
Vincent adjusted his cufflinks.
“You wanted to be in business with the Romanos,” he said. “Now you are.”
The men grabbed Sterling.
His shout was cut off as the door closed.
Vincent walked alone into the alley, where a black car idled beside the curb.
His phone buzzed again.
This time, the message was from Cassandra.
G KNOWS ABOUT DANIEL.
Vincent stared at the words.
May you like
Then he typed one sentence.
Then make sure Mia does not wake up again.
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