Chapter 2 - The Brass Key
I rushed frantically to the private bank in the Diamond District surrounded by four heavily armed guards.
The small brass key Eleanor always wore hidden inside her plain wool coat was the only physical access to box 814.
I bullied the terrified bank manager and used my emergency biometric override to enter the heavily fortified subterranean vault.
The manager opened the heavy metal box with trembling, sweat-slicked hands.
I stared into the cold metal container and felt my heart completely stop.
It was completely, devastatingly empty.
The only physical ledger recording ten years of illegal mafia bribes, extortion payments, and political payoffs was entirely gone.
If that little black book reached a federal prosecutor, I would undoubtedly spend the rest of my natural life in a maximum-security prison.
I drove aggressively back to my Upper East Side mansion, my mind racing through dozens of terrifying, apocalyptic scenarios.
Celeste was waiting for me in the grand foyer, complaining loudly about the house staff blatantly ignoring her arrogant orders.
I completely ignored her pathetic whining and marched straight to the bar to pour myself a double glass of expensive whiskey.
Before the amber liquid even touched my lips, my private, highly secure line began to ring.
It was Victor Rossi, the ruthless head of the rival Brooklyn syndicate who had wanted my territory for a decade.
"Your beautiful, brilliant wife just paid me a very interesting visit, Lucian," Victor purred smoothly into the receiver.
My blood ran completely cold, replacing the alcohol with pure, unadulterated adrenaline.
"If you touch a single hair on her head, I swear to God I will burn your entire territory to the ground."
Victor laughed softly, a sinister sound that echoed terribly through the encrypted phone line.
"I am absolutely not going to touch a woman who commands that much respect."
"She just paid me five million dollars in clean, completely untraceable cash."
"She bought absolute, undeniable immunity from my family and all of my associated hitmen."
"And she left a very specific message for you."
May you like
I gripped the phone tightly enough to crack the expensive plastic casing.
"She said you should finally ask your beautiful, naive new mistress who actually pays her monthly rent."
