Chapter 2 - The Secret Bella Had Hidden for Five Years—and the Mafia Boss Who Realized She Was in DangerNico did not drive Bella home.
He refused to.
Instead, he called Everett.
“Clear the west guest house.”
Everett's voice came through the phone.
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
“Should I ask why?”
“No.”
A pause.
“Are we expecting trouble?”
Nico looked at Bella.
“Yes.”
That one word changed Everett's tone.
The guest house belonged to Elena Barzini and sat on a private estate outside the city.
The property had cameras, reinforced doors, two security gates, and enough distance from downtown to make surprise visits difficult.
Bella objected the entire ride.
“I don't need a safe house.”
“You have a child.”
“That doesn't mean you get to move me wherever you want.”
Nico glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
“I am not moving you wherever I want.”
“You just told someone to clear a building.”
“For you.”
“That is still moving me.”
Nico almost smiled.
“You argue when you're scared.”
Bella looked out the window.
“I argue when someone assumes they know what's best for me.”
He respected that.
“You're right.”
She looked back.
“What?”
“You're right.”
Bella stared at him.
“I expected you to argue.”
“I don't argue unless necessary.”
“Your aunt described you as stubborn.”
“My aunt describes everyone as stubborn.”
“She said you once canceled a business deal because the other man insulted a waiter.”
Nico frowned.
“She shouldn't tell people my business.”
Bella's mouth curved.
Despite everything, she laughed.
Then Tilly stirred.
“Mommy?”
Bella turned immediately.
“I'm here.”
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“Is Mr. Thunder coming?”
Nico looked in the mirror.
“Yes.”
Tilly smiled.
“Good.”
Bella sighed.
At the estate, Elena was waiting.
She took one look at Bella.
Then at Tilly.
Then at Nico.
“What did you do?”
Nico frowned.
“I didn't do anything.”
Elena walked toward Bella.
“I'm Elena.”
Bella shook her hand.
“Bella.”
“I know.”
Bella blinked.
“You do?”
Elena smiled.
“My nephew has spent forty-four years pretending he does not need anyone.”
She looked at Nico.
“And now he has brought home a woman and a child on the first night.”
Nico's jaw tightened.
“Aunt Elena.”
“What?”
“Not now.”
She held up both hands.
“Fine.”
Then she leaned toward Tilly.
“And who are you?”
“Tilly.”
“Do you like cake?”
Tilly's eyes widened.
“Yes.”
“Then you'll survive this family.”
Nico muttered something under his breath.
Elena laughed.
For half an hour, the house felt strangely normal.
Tilly ate cake.
Bella apologized for the inconvenience.
Elena told her to stop apologizing.
Then Nico entered the study alone.
He closed the door.
Everett was waiting.
The file on Thomas Honeycutt was already open.
“He really was involved,” Everett said.
Nico stared at the documents.
Thomas had worked for Barzini Shipping twenty years earlier.
He handled offshore accounts.
He knew where everything was.
Then three million dollars disappeared.
The books blamed Thomas.
The police found no body.
No money.
No explanation.
The Barzini family had assumed he fled.
Nico had been nineteen.
His older brother Matteo had been twenty-three.
Their father had ordered Nico never to speak Thomas's name again.
Nico had obeyed.
Until now.
“What's wrong?” Everett asked.
Nico pointed toward the photograph.
“Look at the date.”
Everett did.
“Two months before the money disappeared.”
“What do you see?”
Everett studied it.
Then frowned.
“Thomas is holding something.”
A folder.
Stamped with the Barzini crest.
Nico's expression darkened.
“That folder isn't in the original evidence.”
“You think the photo was taken from inside our office?”
“Yes.”
“Then someone had access.”
“Someone with authority.”
Everett looked up.
“Your father?”
Nico didn't answer.
He didn't want to consider it.
His father had been dead for fourteen years.
But if the three million dollars hadn't been stolen by Thomas, then the entire foundation of Nico's family history was wrong.
And somebody had just brought Thomas's daughter into his life to force him to uncover it.
Meanwhile, Bella sat in the guest house trying to get Tilly ready for bed.
She hated how comfortable the room looked.
Too clean.
Too expensive.
Too safe.
It made her nervous.
She had spent five years learning how to survive on limited money.
Her apartment was small.
Her car old.
Her clothes chosen based on what would survive multiple wash cycles.
She had become an expert at stretching groceries.
At saying no.
At pretending exhaustion was normal.
Now a man she had met three hours ago had placed her inside a mansion.
She did not trust it.
But she trusted his eyes.
That frightened her more.
Nico knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
He stayed near the entrance.
He had changed into a dark sweater.
Without the jacket, his tattoos were more visible.
Tilly pointed.
“I knew it.”
Nico looked at her.
“Knew what?”
“You're a biker.”
Bella laughed.
“No.”
“You have biker pictures.”
Nico sat in the chair.
“I have a motorcycle.”
Tilly smiled.
“I knew it.”
Bella shook her head.
“She's going to interrogate you all night.”
Nico looked at Tilly.
“Does she always ask this many questions?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Bella looked at him.
“Why good?”
“Questions keep children alive.”
The statement was unexpectedly serious.
Bella studied him.
Then she sat on the edge of the bed.
“You think my father didn't steal that money.”
Nico nodded.
“I think someone wants me to believe he didn't.”
Bella lowered her eyes.
“There is something I never told anyone.”
Nico waited.
“My mother used to say my father was afraid of your family.”
He stiffened.
“How afraid?”
“Terrified.”
Bella swallowed.
“She said that the week before he disappeared, two men came to our house.”
“Did she know who they were?”
“No.”
“She said they had Barzini men with them.”
Nico's jaw tightened.
“Why didn't she tell the police?”
“She didn't trust them.”
“What happened after your father left?”
“My mother died two years later.”
“Hospital?”
“No.”
Bella looked down.
“She was murdered.”
Nico went still.
“What?”
“She was found in our apartment.”
“Police report?”
“Robbery.”
“Nothing stolen?”
Bella shook her head.
“Except one thing.”
“What?”
“My father's old ledger.”
Nico stood.
“Your father kept a ledger?”
Bella nodded.
“My mother said it was the reason he ran.”
“Where is it now?”
“I don't know.”
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“But Tilly has something that belonged to him.”
Nico turned.
“What?”
Bella opened the backpack.
Inside was a small stuffed rabbit.
The same Captain Button Tilly had mentioned at dinner.
Bella carefully removed a loose stitched pocket.
Inside was a brass key.
Nico took it.
It had a number engraved on one side.
417.
He stared.
“Where did you get this?”
“My father gave it to me when I was four.”
“What did he say?”
Bella hesitated.
“He told me never to give it to a man with a Barzini ring.”
Nico looked at his own hand.
He wore one.
A black signet ring with the Barzini crest.
Bella saw it too.
Her expression changed.
“That's why he was scared.”
Nico removed the ring.
Then placed it on the table.
“I don't need it to talk to you.”
Bella stared at him.
That small gesture affected her more than anything else that night.
A feared man had taken off the symbol that frightened her father.
And somehow, that made him seem less dangerous.
Not harmless.
Never harmless.
But human.
Nico looked at the key.
“We need to find locker 417.”
Bella whispered:
“Where?”
Nico already knew.
May you like
Indianapolis Union Station.
And if Thomas Honeycutt had hidden something there twenty years ago, someone had gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure nobody found it.
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