Chapter 1

Elodie Moretti's POV

I had just tucked my daughter, Lucia Falcone, into bed when I heard the bodyguards' orderly footsteps downstairs.

My husband, Severo Falcone, was home.

Several of his men followed him inside, each of them carrying a long black case.

Standing at the top of the stairs, I folded my arms and asked coldly, "What's all this?"

Severo took off his damp jacket and handed it to the butler. "Lucia's birthday present."

He opened one of the cases. Inside was a complete set of shooting gear for young children, a bulletproof vest, and a specially designed training helmet.

"Ylenia's foundation partnered with an equipment company," he told me. "They had a shipment sitting in storage, so I picked some of it up. Lucia will be able to use these when she begins her training."

I picked up the bulletproof vest. The gear was for children ages ten to twelve.

I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "Severo, Lucia is five."

His hands stilled. After a moment, he frowned at the case. "It's fine if they're a little big. She'll grow into them eventually."

Footsteps rang from the stairs. Moments later, Lucia appeared in the doorway, clutching her stuffed bunny.

"Are those for me, Papa?" She looked at the cases and asked softly.

Severo beckoned her over. "Do you like them?"

Lucia didn't move.

"I wanted you to be there when I blew out my candles today."

The living room fell silent.

Severo glanced at his watch. "I had some things to take care of today. I'll make it up to you next year."

"Oh." Lucia lowered her head, unable to hide her disappointment.

…

At 1:00 am the following night, a piercing alarm suddenly blared around the estate's perimeter. Almost simultaneously, two gunshots rang out in the distance.

I shot up in my bed.

Six years ago, when I was still pregnant wth Lucia, I'd survived an ambush. A bullet had shattered the car window right in front of me.

Ever since then, the sound of gunfire at night had made it nearly impossible for me to fall back asleep.

Severo had already grabbed the gun on his nightstand when a voice crackled over the radio.

"It was just a false alarm from the sensor on the north wing, Don Falcone. The patrol team shot an animal that got through the fence."

He acknowledged the report and set his gun back down. Then, his phone rang.

Once he picked up, Ylenia's tearful voice came through the speaker.

"Were there gunshots around your estate, Severo? I think there might be someone outside my place, too. I'm too scared to go back to sleep," she cried.

Severo immediately threw back the covers. "Lock the doors. I'm on my way."

I grabbed his wrist, and he looked down at me. Clinging to one last sliver of hope, I asked, "What if I'm scared, too?"

He froze. "There are more than 20 armed guards here. You've lived in this kind of environment since you were a teenager, Elodie. How could you possibly be afraid? I don't think you should be getting jealous over something like this."

I slowly loosened my grip.

He was already getting out of bed and pulling on his shirt.

"Ylenia's estate doesn't have nearly as much security as we do. Stay here and wait for me to come back," he instructed.

Here we go again. For years, I'd been told to wait more times than I could count.

Moments later, he closed the front door behind him, and the convoy pulled out of the Falcone estate.

At some point, Lucia had slipped into my bedroom. Clutching her pillow, she climbed into bed next to me and asked, "Did Papa go to see Ylenia again, Mamma?"

I didn't answer and simply pulled her into my arms.

She buried her face against my chest and murmured, "Once we leave, we won't have to wait for him anymore, right?"

I held her close. "That's right."

In six days, it would all be over.