Chapter 3 - The Man Who Was Supposed to Be DeadThey found Michael's trail at 3:17 in the morning.
It began with a warehouse on the eastern edge of New Orleans.
Vincent's men surrounded it quietly.
No sirens.
No shouting.
No unnecessary violence.
Vincent wanted answers.
Olivia sat in the back of the armored SUV beside Marco.
She had not slept.
She couldn't.
Her father was alive.
Her mother had been kidnapped.
Anthony Russo had betrayed Vincent.
And somehow Michael Bennett was involved.
Every fact seemed to contradict the next.
Vincent opened the vehicle door.
“Stay here.”
Olivia looked at him.
“No.”
“Olivia.”
“You said my father was alive.”
Vincent's jaw tightened.
“I don't know what he is.”
“He's my father.”
“That doesn't mean he's safe.”
She stepped out.
“Neither am I.”
Vincent stared at her for several seconds.
Then he nodded.
“Stay behind me.”
The warehouse was dark.
The smell of oil and dust filled the air.
They entered through the side door.
No one spoke.
Then a voice came from the darkness.
“You shouldn't have come, Vincent.”
Vincent stopped.
“Michael.”
A man stepped into the light.
Olivia forgot how to breathe.
He was older than the man in her photographs.
His hair was almost completely gray.
His face was thinner.
There was a scar along his jaw.
But the eyes were the same.
Gray.
Gentle.
Her father's eyes.
Michael looked at her.
Everything inside his face broke.
“Olivia?”
She whispered his name.
“Dad?”
He took one step toward her.
Then stopped.
Tears filled his eyes.
“You're alive.”
Olivia almost laughed from the absurdity.
“I'm alive?”
Michael covered his mouth.
“I was told you died.”
“What?”
“Anthony told me Grace and you were killed.”
Olivia stared at him.
“My mother is alive.”
Michael closed his eyes.
“Then he lied to both of us.”
Vincent stepped forward.
“What did you do for him?”
Michael looked at Vincent.
“I had no choice.”
“You always had a choice.”
“I was protecting them.”
“You disappeared for twenty years.”
“Because I was threatened.”
“By whom?”
Michael hesitated.
“Luciano Varela.”
Vincent's expression hardened.
“He's alive.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Michael looked exhausted.
“Men like Luciano don't die easily.”
Olivia stepped closer.
“Why didn't you come back?”
Michael looked at her.
“I tried.”
His voice cracked.
“Every year.”
He reached inside his coat and removed a stack of letters.
“Your mother wrote to me.”
Olivia took them.
All of them were unopened.
“She sent these?”
Michael nodded.
“Anthony intercepted them.”
Olivia's hands trembled.
“Why?”
“Because he needed me to believe there was nothing left for me to return to.”
Vincent looked at Michael.
“And you believed him?”
“I had men following me everywhere.”
Michael shook his head.
“I was told that if I returned, they'd kill Grace and you.”
Olivia stared at him.
“Where is Mom?”
Michael's expression changed.
“With Anthony.”
“Why?”
“Because Anthony is trying to force me to give him the original ownership documents.”
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
“What documents?”
“The ones proving I owned forty-seven percent of Caruso Maritime.”
Vincent looked at Michael.
“You still own it?”
“Yes.”
A bitter smile crossed Michael's face.
“Anthony never managed to steal it legally.”
Vincent's expression became calculating.
“Then he needs your signature.”
“And yours.”
“Why mine?”
“Because the original agreement requires both partners to authorize a transfer.”
Vincent understood.
Anthony wasn't merely stealing money.
He was trying to take the entire empire.
Olivia looked between them.
“Then why did he let you live?”
Michael's expression became grim.
“Because I know where the original agreement is.”
“Where?”
Michael looked at Vincent.
“You still have your father's old estate?”
“Yes.”
“There's a vault beneath it.”
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
“I searched it.”
“Not the main vault.”
Michael stepped closer.
“Your father built a second one.”
Vincent was silent.
“Where?”
Michael looked toward Olivia.
“Under the chapel.”
Olivia frowned.
“There's a chapel?”
Vincent nodded.
“My father built it before I was born.”
Michael continued.
“That's where the original documents are.”
Vincent suddenly looked toward the warehouse entrance.
“Where is Anthony now?”
Michael answered quietly.
“He knows I'm here.”
Everyone froze.
Then the lights went out.
A gunshot cracked through the darkness.
Marco shouted.
“Down!”
Vincent pulled Olivia behind a concrete pillar.
More shots followed.
Michael disappeared into the darkness.
“Dad!”
“Olivia, stay down!”
Vincent moved toward the source of the gunfire.
His men returned fire.
The warehouse erupted into chaos.
Olivia crouched behind cover.
Then she heard Michael shouting.
“Anthony!”
A second voice answered.
“I'm sorry, Michael.”
Anthony.
Olivia looked up.
Through the darkness she saw two silhouettes.
Michael had been cornered.
Anthony raised his weapon.
Vincent appeared behind him.
“Put it down.”
Anthony turned.
A long silence followed.
“You really should have stayed out of this, Vincent.”
Vincent's voice was ice.
“You kidnapped my friend's wife.”
Anthony smiled.
“And your friend.”
Vincent's expression changed.
“You're finished.”
Anthony laughed.
“No.”
He looked toward Olivia.
“Not yet.”
He raised his gun toward her.
Vincent moved instantly.
But Michael stepped between them.
The shot rang out.
Michael fell.
“Dad!”
Olivia ran toward him.
Vincent caught her before she reached the line of fire.
“Stay back.”
Michael lay on the concrete.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Olivia screamed his name.
Anthony disappeared through a side exit.
Vincent's men chased him.
But Vincent stayed.
He knelt beside Michael.
“Where are you hit?”
Michael coughed.
“Shoulder.”
Vincent looked relieved.
“It's not fatal.”
Michael grabbed his wrist.
“You have to find Grace.”
“I will.”
“Before Luciano gets to her.”
Vincent's face hardened.
“What does Luciano want?”
Michael looked at Olivia.
“Her.”
Olivia froze.
“Me?”
Michael nodded.
“He knows your bloodline.”
Vincent looked confused.
Michael continued.
“Your mother wasn't only my wife.”
Olivia stared.
“What does that mean?”
Michael's eyes filled with regret.
May you like
“Grace was Luciano Varela's daughter.”
The world seemed to stop.
