Chapter 8 - The Shadow at the Gate
The storm that hit Long Island three weeks later was the worst the coast had seen in years. High winds battered the cliffs of Oyster Bay, knocking down power lines and turning the Atlantic Ocean into a churning mass of black waves.
Inside the Moretti mansion, the emergency generators kicked on instantly, bathing the long hallways in warm, ambient lighting.
Lorenzo was in his library, reviewing the security reports with Matteo. The storm had disrupted the estate's primary radar perimeter, forcing the security detail to rely on manual patrols around the four-acre estate.
"Paulie’s team spotted a suspicious vehicle near the south forest perimeter twenty minutes ago," Matteo reported, holding a radio unit in his hand. "We think it's Dominic. He's taking advantage of the storm blinding the thermal cameras."
Lorenzo pulled his Sig Sauer from his desk drawer, checking the chamber with a swift, practiced movement.
"Have Paulie close the south gate," Lorenzo ordered coldly. "Tell the patrol to fire on sight if anyone crosses the fence line."
Before Matteo could respond, the heavy mahogany library doors flew open.
Mrs. Gable stood in the doorway, her face pale with terror, her hands shaking violently.
"Mr. Moretti!" she cried out over the sound of the wind howling outside. "It's Miss Lily! She... she went down to the conservatory to close the glass roof panels before the hail hit, and... and the side door was forced open!"
Lorenzo’s heart slammed into his chest with a violent, sickening thud. The cold, calculating demeanor he maintained at all times shattered instantly.
"Where is she?" Lorenzo roared, striding past Mrs. Gable so fast he nearly knocked her over.
"The east wing conservatory!" Mrs. Gable gasped, trying to keep up. "I heard a man's voice screaming at her!"
Lorenzo didn't wait for Matteo or the rest of his security detail. He sprinted through the long corridors of the mansion, his leather shoes slamming against the hardwood floors, his gun drawn and ready.
He reached the heavy glass doors of the conservatory—a massive glass structure attached to the east wing, filled with tropical plants, stone fountains, and high iron catwalks.
Through the rain-streaked glass, Lorenzo saw the scene unfold in horror.
Dominic Costa—looking disheveled, wet from the storm, his eyes wild with cocaine-fueled desperation—was standing near the central stone fountain. He had his left arm wrapped tightly around Lily’s neck, pulling her body against his, while his right hand held a snub-nosed revolver pressed directly against her temple.
Lily was crying quietly, her hands clutching her baby bump, trying to pull away from his grip without triggering the gun.
"Dominic!" Lorenzo’s voice echoed through the vast glass room like a crack of thunder as he kicked open the conservatory doors.
Dominic spun around, tightening his grip on Lily, using her small body as a human shield as he raised his revolver toward Lorenzo.
"Stay back, Moretti!" Dominic screamed, his voice high-pitched and hysterical over the sound of rain hammering against the glass roof above. "Stay right there, or I swear to God I’ll put a bullet through her head! I’ll kill her and the bastard inside her!"
Lorenzo stopped ten feet away. His face was a mask of deathly absolute calm, but inside his chest, an inferno of pure, unadulterated rage was burning. His gun was pointed directly at Dominic, but Lily's head was blocking a clear shot at Dominic's vitals.
"You are making a fatal mistake, Dominic," Lorenzo said, his voice chillingly steady, dropping so low it seemed to vibrate the glass panels around them.
"You killed my brother!" Dominic shrieked, tears of rage mixing with the rainwater dripping from his face. "You put Vincent in the ground over a worthless maid! I lost everything because of you! Now you’re going to give me ten million in cash and a chopper to the coast, or she dies right here!"
Lily looked past the barrel of the gun at Lorenzo. Despite the terrifying situation, despite the gun pressed against her head, she saw no panic in Lorenzo’s dark eyes. She saw only an absolute, unshakeable promise.
"Lorenzo..." Lily whimpered softly. "The baby..."
"Listen to me, Lily," Lorenzo spoke directly to her, ignoring Dominic completely, his voice soft and commanding. "Close your eyes."
"Don't you talk to her!" Dominic screamed, his fingers tightening on the trigger of his revolver. "Look at me, Moretti! Look at—"
"Close your eyes, Lily. Now," Lorenzo repeated firmly.
Lily closed her eyes tightly, trusting him completely.
In that fraction of a second, as Lily leaned her head slightly downward in obedience, a tiny two-inch gap opened between her ear and Dominic's jawline.
Lorenzo didn't hesitate. He pulled the trigger.
BANG!
The single shot from Lorenzo's heavy pistol shattered the night. The bullet tore through the air with surgical precision, passing inches above Lily's shoulder and entering directly through Dominic's right eye socket.
Dominic’s body went completely limp, his grip on Lily releasing instantly as he collapsed backward into the stone fountain, turning the clear water crimson.
Lily stumbled forward, her knees buckling from the shock.
Before she could hit the marble floor, Lorenzo was there. He dropped his gun, catching her in his broad arms, pulling her tightly against his chest as he sank to his knees on the wet floor.
"I have you," Lorenzo whispered frantically, his arms wrapping around her trembling body, his face buried in her dark hair as he kissed her temples again and again. "I have you, Lily. You're safe. You're safe."
Lily buried her face into his neck, sobbing uncontrollably, her arms clinging to his shoulders as if he were the only solid thing left in the world.
Matteo and the security team burst into the conservatory seconds later, guns drawn, but stopped in their tracks as they saw the scene.
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Lorenzo looked up at Matteo, his eyes burning with a fierce, protective fire that no man in the syndicate had ever seen before.
"Clear this trash out of my house," Lorenzo commanded hoarsely, cradling Lily in his lap as he scooped her up into his arms. "And call the doctor to check on her and the baby. Now!"
