The Price Of A Crown

Massimo’s POV

I have spent my entire life preparing for this moment I have fought men twice my age destroyed enemies who believed themselves untouchable and built an empire from the ruins of everything my father left behind I thought becoming Don would be the greatest challenge of my life I was wrong because the photograph in my hand has just changed everything I look at the man standing before me “Where did you get this?”

He folds his hands behind his back “From someone who wants the truth exposed”

“That is not what I asked”

His smile disappears "The photograph was taken three days ago Dante was seen meeting with someone from your inner circle”

I look down at the picture again the image is grainy but the faces are clear enough Dante stands beside a man wearing a dark coat the man's face is turned slightly toward the camera I know him I have trusted him for years I have placed my family's safety in his hands and now I am looking at evidence that he may have betrayed me “Who else has seen this?” I ask

“The entire council knows about the meeting”

A murmur spreads across the hall I can feel every eye on me they are waiting to see what I will do. Some want me to react violently others want me to lose control so they can use it against me they will get neither I fold the photograph and place it inside my jacket “Kelvin”

My brother steps forward immediately “Find out where this picture came from quietly”

He nods and disappears into the crowd I turn toward the man who brought the evidence “And you?”

He lifts his chin “Lorenzo Bellini”

I recognize the name he represents one of the older families a man who has never hidden his dislike of my rise to power “Why bring this to me?”

“Because if Dante succeeds none of us will be safe”

“And you expect me to believe that you are concerned about my safety?”

He smiles without humor “Believe whatever you want Don nut remember this a man who cannot trust his own people has already lost half his empire”

He walks away before I can respond I turn toward Aria she has been watching me carefully her expression tense “What is it?” she asks

“Nothing you need to worry about”

Her eyes narrow “Do not start lying to me already”

I almost smile despite the circumstances “Aria”

“Massimo"

She folds her arms “I am your wife not one of your guards If someone is threatening us I deserve to know”

I look at her for a long moment she is right and that is precisely what frightens me I do not want her dragged into another war. She has already endured more than anyone should have to endure in a lifetime but keeping her ignorant will not protect her I take her hand and lead her toward a quieter corridor “The photograph shows Dante meeting someone close to me”

“Who?”

“I am not certain yet”

She studies my face “But you recognize the person”

I do not answer her expression changes “Massimo who is it?”

Before I can respond a guard approaches “Boss your mother requests your presence there is a security issue”

I release a slow breath “Of course there is”

I turn toward Aria “Stay with Maria”

She immediately shakes her head “No”

“Aria”

“I am not going to sit in a room while you investigate a possible traitor”

“This is not a discussion”

“And I am not one of your soldiers”

Her voice echoes down the corridor I stare at her she stares back. For a moment I remember the woman who pointed a gun at my head on our wedding night the woman who refuses to bow to anyone the woman I fell in love with I sigh “You are impossible”

“And you are controlling”

“Fine, you can come”

Her expression brightens slightly “But you stay beside me”

“Agreed”

We follow the guard into a private room where Maria and Kelvin are waiting Kelvin holds a tablet “I recovered part of the airport footage”

He places it on the table “The attackers entered the airport through a restricted service road someone gave them access codes”

I lean forward “Can you identify the person who provided them?”

“Not yet the access log was wiped but the backup system captured a partial record”

He turns the screen toward me a series of numbers appears Aria steps closer “Wait”

We all look at her she takes the tablet and studies the information “These numbers are not random”

Kelvin frowns “What do you mean?”

“The access records have been altered but whoever did it left a pattern look at the timestamps. They are spaced at irregular intervals, except for these three entries”

She points at the screen “They were created from the same terminal”

I look at her “Can you trace it?”

“Possibly I need access to the complete security logs”

Kelvin immediately sends the files to her laptop Aria begins working. I watch her fingers move across the keyboard her expression growing more focused with every passing second this is the side of her that people underestimate they see a beautiful woman standing beside a powerful man and assume she is nothing more than an accessory.

They have no idea that Aria can notice a detail in a few minutes that trained investigators might overlook for days “There” she says suddenly

She turns the screen toward us “The access code was generated from a terminal inside the estate”

Silence falls Maria's hand moves to her chest “Inside this house?”

Aria nods “Someone used the internal network to open the service gate”

I feel something cold settle in my stomach Dante could not have done this alone someone inside the estate helped him someone who knew our security systems someone who knew we would be arriving tonight I turn toward Kelvin “Lock down the property mobody leaves without my permission”

He nods.“And find the person who accessed that terminal”

We spend the next hour reviewing security footage but the trail stops abruptly whoever helped Dante knew exactly how to erase their tracks eventually, I send Aria to rest while Kelvin and I continue the investigation she argues naturally I kiss her forehead before she can begin another lecture “Please”

She pauses I rarely ask her for anything “Promise me you will come to bed when you finish”

“I promise”

“And do not get shot”

I raise an eyebrow “I will do my best”

She rolls her eyes and leaves.I watch her until the door closes then I turn back toward my brother “We need to talk”

Kelvin's expression becomes serious “You think the photograph is real?”

“I think someone wants me to believe it is real”

“And the person in it?”

I remove the photograph from my jacket “I have trusted him with my life”

Kelvin studies it “Then perhaps it is time to reconsider who deserves that trust”

Before I can respond my phone rings an unknown number I answer “Speak”

A man's voice comes through the line “Congratulations Don”

I recognize the accent immediately Dante my grip tightens around the phone “You have a lot of courage calling me”

He laughs softly “You have something I want”

“Then come and take it”

“Oh, I intend to”

His voice becomes colder “But first I thought you should know that your new position has made you a very busy man hou have a council to control, enemies to eliminate, and a wife who is becoming rather inconvenient”

My blood turns cold “If you touch her”

“You will do what? Kill me?”

He laughs again “You have been trying to kill me for days Massimo perhaps it is time you learned something”

“What?”

“The people closest to you are the easiest to hurt”

The call ends I immediately dial Aria's number no answer I try again still nothing a terrible feeling settles in my chest I rush out of the room “Where is Aria?”

A guard straightens “Mrs Lockwood went upstairs about twenty minutes ago”

“Has anyone seen her since?”

He hesitates my stomach drops “No sir”

I run toward the staircase taking the steps two at a time when I reach her bedroom the door is open the room is empty her phone lies on the bed. A glass of water sits untouched on the table and on the floor, near the balcony, is a single drop of blood I stop breathing “Aria?”

Nothing I rush toward the balcony and look outside the garden is dark the guards stationed below are nowhere to be seen I turn back toward the room something lies on her pillow a folded piece of paper I pick it up with trembling fingers and open it the message is short

COME TO THE OLD CHAPEL BEFORE MIDNIGHT COME ALONE OR YOUR WIFE DIES

Below the message is a photograph Aria is tied to a chair her face pale her eyes wide with fear and standing behind her is Dante I crush the paper in my fist for the first time in years I feel something worse than anger I feel helpless “Kelvin!”

My brother appears in the doorway “What happened?”

I hand him the photograph his face changes instantly “We will get her back”

I load my gun “Yes” I say quietly “We will”

But as I stare at Aria's photograph, one thought refuses to leave my mind Dante did not just want to hurt me he wanted me to know that he could reach her whenever he pleased and if I made one mistake, I would lose the only person who had ever made me feel human I turn toward my brother “Prepare the men”

Kelvin nods “And Massimo?”

I look at him “If this is a trap we need to be ready”

I check the ammunition in my weapon “It is a trap”

“Then why go?”

I look down at the photograph one last time “Because she is my wife"

I pause “And because Dante has forgotten one very important thing”

Kelvin waits I lift my eyes “He thinks he has taken my weakness he has just given me a reason to burn his entire world to the ground”