Chapter 5
The sudden arrival of the Morelli family sent a shockwave through the lodge. The Morellis were a ruthless rival syndicate operating out of the West Coast, long-time enemies of the Bellacorte empire. For them to show up at Richard’s private mountain retreat in the middle of a blizzard meant only one thing: someone had invited them.
Richard walked down the grand staircase, his heavy footsteps echoing through the high-ceilinged hall. He had re-buttoned his suit jacket, his dark eyes burning with lethal focus.
Down in the foyer, six of Richard’s senior bodyguards stood with their weapons drawn, facing the heavy timber front doors. Frank walked beside Richard, his rifle ready.
"Tell them to enter alone," Richard ordered calmly. "If more than two men cross that threshold, open fire."
Frank nodded to the guard at the security intercom. A moment later, the heavy oak doors opened, letting in a gust of freezing mountain wind and swirling snow.
Stepping into the warm light was Victor Morelli, a forty-five-year-old high-ranking lieutenant in the Morelli family. He wore a heavy leather coat, his fair face scarred across the jawline, flanked by a massive, silent bodyguard.
"Richard," Victor said, his American accent sharp and arrogant as he wiped snow from his shoulders. "Happy sixty-first birthday. Sorry to crash the party, but your son owes us twenty million dollars."
Richard didn't flinch. He stood near the fireplace, his broad shoulders imposing, his signet ring gleaming under the chandelier. "Mark doesn't have twenty million dollars."
"He doesn't," Victor agreed with a cruel smirk. "But he gave us collateral three weeks ago. A legal claim to forty percent of the Bellacorte timber operations."
Richard felt a cold realization wash over him. The wooden airplane. The yellowed paper. Mark hadn't just tried to hide the trust from Richard—he had tried to sell Noah’s inheritance to the Morellis to pay off his own gambling and failed business debts.
"Mark had no legal authority to sign over those timber rights," Richard said, his voice dangerously smooth. "That land belongs to my grandson."
"Mark showed us the deed, Richard," Victor said, stepping closer to the rug. "He said the kid was an orphan with no legal standing, and that once the boy was... disposed of... the trust would transfer to Mark automatically."
Richard’s hand twitched near his holster. "Disposed of?"
"Mark promised us the deal would be finalized tonight," Victor continued, oblivious to the lethal tension filling the room. "He said he’d have the original land deed ready for us at the lodge. So where is he? And where's our money?"
Richard took two slow steps toward Victor. The temperature in the room seemed to plummet. "Mark is in my basement. And you are standing in my house, talking about putting a hit on a three-year-old child."
Victor’s smirk faded as he realized the horrific mistake he had made. He reached toward his coat, but before his fingers could touch his weapon, Richard moved with terrifying speed.
Richard grabbed Victor by the lapels of his leather coat, driving his knee violently into Victor's stomach. Victor doubled over with a breathless gasp, and Richard slammed his head down onto the heavy oak display table, shattering a crystal vase.
In a split second, Frank and the Bellacorte bodyguards tackled Victor's bodyguard to the floor, disarming him instantly.
Richard held Victor pressed against the table, his hand pinned against the man's throat. "Listen to me very carefully, Morelli," Richard growled into his ear. "If I see another one of your vehicles on this mountain, I will personally burn your Denver club to the ground with every one of your men inside it. Do you understand me?"
"Richard... wait!" Victor choked out, his face turning red. "It wasn't just Mark! Mark didn't orchestrate this alone!"
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Richard lowered his face, his eyes piercing through Victor's panic. "Who else?"
"The nurse!" Victor gasped. "The nurse from the Denver clinic! She's the one who sold Mark the location of the old estate safe three years ago! She's sitting in a cabin across the frozen lake right now, waiting for Mark's signal!"
