Chapter 7 - Shadows of the Past
While peace had returned to the DeLuca estate, the underworld was never entirely quiet.
Three months after Vincent’s execution, a new threat emerged from the shadows of New York’s harbor districts.
Don Carmine Moretti—the bitter, aging patriarch of the Chicago syndicate—was furious over the failure of his New York takeover. He had lost millions in bribe money, and his reputation had taken a severe hit among the five families.
In an act of sheer desperation, Carmine hired a notorious group of mercenary enforcers known as the "Iron Dogs"—men who operated outside mob etiquette, specializing in high-profile kidnappings and extortion.
On a rainy Tuesday evening, Sophia was sitting in the estate’s library, helping Emma color in a picture book.
Lorenzo was working at his desk across the room, reviewing harbor shipping manifests with Marco.
Suddenly, Marco’s secure satellite phone buzzed violently on the desk.
Marco answered it, listened for five seconds, and his jaw instantly locked. He hung up and looked at Lorenzo.
“Boss. We have a problem at the port,” Marco said, his voice tight. “A shipment of medical supplies meant for the pediatric hospital in Brooklyn was hijacked at Pier 42. Two of our guards were wounded.”
Lorenzo’s face darkened instantly. The DeLuca family’s charitable foundations funded three major children's hospitals in the city—a strict legacy established by Lorenzo’s father that was considered holy ground.
“Carmine Moretti?” Lorenzo asked, his tone dangerously quiet.
“It has his signature all over it,” Marco confirmed. “The hijackers left a message pinned to the truck door. They want a meeting at the old grain silo on the waterfront at midnight. Just you and two men.”
Sophia stood up from her chair, her face turning pale. “Lorenzo, no. It’s a trap! They know you’ll come because it involves the children’s hospital!”
Lorenzo stood up from his desk, walking over to Sophia. He placed his hands gently on her waist, pulling her close.
“I know it’s a trap, Sophia,” Lorenzo murmured, looking down into her anxious eyes. “Which is why I’m not going in blind.”
May you like
He looked over her shoulder at Emma, who was happily humming a nursery rhyme while drawing a pink picture on her paper.
“Carmine Moretti thinks he’s playing a game of intimidation,” Lorenzo said, his voice hardening into steel. “He thinks he’s dealing with a man who has something to lose. He doesn't realize that protecting this family is the only thing that keeps me breathing.”
