Chapter 3 - My Daughter Asked Why I Had Never Come to Her Birthday Parties, and I Had No AnswerLily woke before sunrise.
She looked at me.
Then at the unfamiliar ceiling.
Then back at me.
“Where am I?”
“My apartment.”
“Your real house?”
“Yes.”
She looked around.
“It’s big.”
I laughed.
“Too big.”
“Do you have a bathtub?”
“Several.”
“Can I see?”
That was how the most dangerous man in New York spent his morning.
Giving his six-year-old daughter a tour of his apartment.
She counted bathrooms.
She opened closets.
She inspected the kitchen.
Then she found my collection of watches.
She stared.
“Are these all yours?”
“Yes.”
“Why do you need so many?”
“I don't.”
She nodded.
“That's silly.”
I couldn't argue.
Then she found the photograph.
A picture of me at thirty.
Standing beside Nico.
She touched his face.
“Is that him?”
I froze.
“Yes.”
“Uncle Nico?”
I looked at her.
“Your mother told you?”
“No.”
She pointed at the photograph.
“You look sad.”
I stared at the picture.
She was right.
Nico had been my best friend before he became my greatest enemy.
We had grown up together.
Shared everything.
Until money and power changed us.
Or perhaps they simply revealed what had always been there.
Lily asked,
“Why don't you talk about him?”
“Because some people hurt us.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“Yes.”
“Did he hurt Mommy?”
“Yes.”
Her face became serious.
“Did he hurt me?”
I knelt.
“No.”
“But he wanted to?”
I hesitated.
“Yes.”
She hugged me.
“It's okay, Daddy.”
I closed my eyes.
I wasn't ready for how much that word could break me.
Later that morning, Elena came into the kitchen.
She looked surprised to see Lily sitting beside me eating pancakes.
“You made those?”
I looked at the burned stack.
“Yes.”
Lily shook her head.
“Daddy burned them.”
Elena laughed.
It was the first time I'd heard her laugh in seven years.
For a moment, everything felt normal.
Then Marco called.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“We found Adrian Cole.”
“Where?”
“Queens.”
My eyes moved toward Elena.
“Location?”
Marco gave me the address.
It was only four blocks from the apartment.
I immediately stood.
“Stay here.”
Elena looked worried.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
She knew I was lying.
Lily looked up.
“Are you leaving?”
I crouched.
“I have to take care of something.”
“Are you coming back?”
“Yes.”
“Promise?”
I held out my little finger.
She stared at it.
Then wrapped hers around mine.
“Promise.”
I left.
But before I reached the elevator, Marco called again.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“There's something else.”
He sounded nervous.
“Adrian wasn't alone.”
“Who was with him?”
“A woman.”
“Name?”
Marco paused.
Then said,
“Isabella Moretti.”
My mother.
Dead for five years.
At least, according to the family.
I stopped breathing.
It was becoming obvious.
May you like
Too many people I had buried were alive.
And they were all connected to Lily.
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