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25

DANTE

T he Great Sacandaga Lake compound loomed before us, shadows lengthening across its grounds as evening approached. We’d been searching for two hours, but found nothing—no trace of my sister, no sign of Summer or my mother. Even the front door that had slammed in my face earlier now stood ajar, the house beyond it eerily empty.

“Nothing,” Tank reported, emerging from one of the lakeside cabins. “Place is completely cleared out. Whoever was here knew we’d be back.”

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. “Keep looking. Get Tex involved—maybe he can find something in the overheads that we missed in the security feeds.”

My phone buzzed with a message from Admiral, saying that Barbara was stable and had been taken to a regular room for observation. I needed to get to the hospital, to see Lark. The way we’d left things…if I didn’t talk to her soon, I might lose her forever.

“I have to go,” I told Tank. “Keep me updated.”

The drive to Gloversville Hospital seemed endless as my mind replayed Lark’s last words to me. “Just stay away.” The pain in her voice had been unbearable, but I understood. Everything that had happened—her grandmother’s collapse, the secrets we’d unearthed—it was all connected to my family’s legacy.

When I finally walked into the hospital, a stern-faced woman sitting behind a desk stopped me.

“Sir, who are you here to see?”

“Barbara Gregory. She was brought in?—”

“I’m sorry, but Mrs. Gregory already has too many visitors. You’ll have to wait until someone leaves.”

“How many visitors?” I demanded, struggling to keep my voice level.

“With the two men who just went up, six.” She gave me a look that suggested she’d dealt with difficult people before. “Hospital policy is very clear about this. If you intend to be belligerent, I’ll have to call security.”

Something about that number of people didn’t sit right with me. I stepped away, pulled out my phone, and called Alice.

“Hey, Alessandro,” she answered.

“Listen, I just arrived at the hospital, and the pit bull at the information desk won’t let me up to see Barbara. She says there are six people with her now.”

“That’s not right. Pershing and I came downstairs a few minutes ago to get Lark some tea. Blackjack is the only one with her and her grandmother.”

“She said two men just went up.” My stomach clenched. “I need to talk to Admiral. Now. ”

His voice came on the line seconds later. “What’s going on?”

“Someone downstairs said two men just went up to see Barbara. They’re not ours?”

“Negative. No one else from the team is here.” The phone rustled. “I’m on my way.”

“What floor?” I asked.

“Five.”

I glanced at the information desk, where the woman was busy with another visitor, then sprinted for the elevator bank, hitting the button for the fifth floor after easing on one right before it closed.

When the doors opened, I found Admiral waiting with Blackjack, who had a nasty bruise forming on his temple.

“Lark is gone,” said Admiral. “Someone must have been watching, waiting for the right moment.”

My heart hammered against my ribs. Alice was already on her phone, placing a call. “I’m contacting Tex. We need eyes on the hospital parking lot immediately—satellite footage from the last fifteen minutes.”

Seconds stretched like hours as we took the elevator down to the main floor. Finally, Alice’s phone pinged.

“Got ’em. Two men forced Lark into a dark SUV.” She read off the coordinates Tex sent. “They’re heading north on Route 30A toward an old industrial park.”

“How long ago?” I was already moving, Blackjack right behind me.

“Less than fifteen minutes. He’s sending the coordinates to our phones now.”

“I called for backup, and I’ll drive,” said Admiral as the four of us jumped into the SUV I’d left parked near the hospital entrance. “All we’ve got is local PD, but at least it’s something.”

Alice plugged in the coordinates she’d gotten from Tex and navigated us there. When we pulled up, we could see a single gunman standing a few feet away, keeping watch outside a nondescript warehouse. He spotted us at the same time and raised his weapon. Blackjack was ready for him, though, and took him down with a single, clean shot.

“Check for vitals,” I shouted as I raced toward that entrance while Admiral and Alice, who was also armed, went around the back.

I kicked the door to the vast space that was filled with storage boxes. As I crept inside after it opened, my eyes adjusted slowly to the dim light. When I could finally see, a man stood holding Lark with his arm around her throat. Even in the poor light, I could make out the distinctive Mazzeo-family tattoo on his forearm.

“If it isn’t Vincent’s brother, the rat,” he called out. “I wondered how long it would take you to show up.”

“What do you want, Mazzeo?” I shouted, keeping my voice steady despite the rage burning through my veins.

“I want to know where my son’s killer is.” His voice echoed off the metal walls.

“He’s sitting in a jail cell.”

“We both know Vincent didn’t kill Anthony.” The arm around Lark’s throat tightened. “I want Summer. You know where she is.”

“Let her go, and I’ll tell you.”

Mazzeo snickered, and his lip curled. “Sure you will.” When he moved forward, pushing Lark with him, I saw he had a gun held to her side. I just prayed that Lark didn’t attempt any of the self-defense moves I’d taught her. They wouldn’t save her against a firearm.

A shot rang out, and the lights directly above us exploded in a shower of sparks. A scream pierced the air, and a split second later, everything went pitch black. When two more gunshots cracked through the void, I dove in Lark’s direction, knowing I had to save her even if it meant losing my own life.

All at once, emergency lights flickered on, casting an eerie glow across the scene. Lark was still standing, shaking uncontrollably, but two bodies lay on the warehouse floor—the man who’d held the gun on her and a woman. As I sped to gather Lark in my arms, two figures ran from the opposite direction toward the fallen woman. My heart stopped as I recognized them—Summer and Chiara. Which meant the woman on the ground had to be my mother.

“Mom!” I cried as we rushed toward her. Jesus—she’d taken down Mazzeo to save Lark, but at what cost? Blood spread across her shirt where his bullet had found its mark.

The past and present collided in that moment—all the years of searching, all the secrets and lies, all leading to this warehouse floor where my mother lay bleeding for trying to protect the daughter of the woman who, according to my brother, she’d helped save so long ago.

The sound of sirens wailed in the distance, but all I could do was hold my mother’s hand in one of mine, praying I hadn’t found her just to lose her again.

Her eyes fluttered open right before the EMTs burst through the door, and her grip on my hand tightened. “I’m okay, Sandro. The vest caught most of it.”

For the first time, I noticed the tactical gear beneath her bloodied shirt. Relief flooded through me as questions raced through my mind. Before I could ask any of them, the emergency team crowded around to examine her, asking if I could move out of their way.

I turned around and spotted Lark just as Summer stepped forward.

“My beautiful girl,” I heard her say softly as I approached. Summer reached out to touch Lark’s cheek. Tears streamed down both their faces. “I’m so sorry—for everything.”

Lark’s breath hitched. “It’s okay. I know you were trying to protect me.”

Chiara approached cautiously. “The man and woman who followed us in through the back door said the local police have the perimeter secured, and that he’s calling in federal backup.”

My mother sat up with the EMTs’ help, wincing. “We owe you all so many explanations.”

“Later,” I said firmly. “Let’s get you checked out first.”

“So protective,” she said with a sad smile. “Just like your brother.”

That stopped me cold. “Vincent?”

“He kept us safe all these years.” Summer’s voice from behind me was quiet but clear. “The Mazzeos knew I was the one who took Anthony’s life.” She squeezed Lark’s hand. “I had no choice. He threatened to kill me—and you, the baby I was carrying—because I refused to get an abortion. He would’ve that night if I hadn’t…”

“Vincent created new identities for us and kept us hidden,” said my mother. “Then, after my husband died, he arranged for us to be able to return to the compound.”

“It was my fault,” said Summer. “The Mazzeos would never have stopped looking for me. They wanted revenge for Anthony’s death. Today, they almost…”

My mother reached for Summer’s hand. “But they didn’t, sweet girl. We all survived, and we’re going to continue to.”

“I can walk,” my mother protested when the EMTs lifted her onto a stretcher.

“Mom, please, you’ve lost a lot of blood,” said Chiara.

“Very well, but I’m only doing this so my daughter doesn’t worry.” I watched as they took her out to the waiting emergency vehicle.

“After Vincent went to prison, things got really hard,” Chiara said in a quiet voice. “We were all so scared.” She turned to Summer. “Not that you and Mom would admit it.”

When Summer gathered Chiara in her arms, it was apparent that the three women had formed a bond, become family to each other.

“They’re transporting the other gunman now,” reported Blackjack when he came inside. “I hit him, but not where it would be life-threatening.”

“Any idea who he is?” I asked.

Blackjack motioned with his head to where Mazzeo lay on the floor, dead. “His grandson.”

“Can we please get out of here?” Lark asked.

“Of course,” I said, wrapping my arms around her. “I know we have a lot to talk about. I’m so sorry, and I just hope that one day you can forgive me.”

She stopped walking and turned to face me. “I’m the one who’s sorry. The things I said…I didn’t mean them.”

“Hey.” I pressed my forehead to hers. “None of that matters now.”

Around us, federal agents began arriving, securing the scene and taking statements. But at that moment, holding Lark while my mother was loaded into a waiting ambulance, all that mattered was that we’d found what we were searching for—truth, family, and each other.

We all had a lot to talk about, then to heal. “Let’s go,” I said, taking her hand to lead her outside.

“Wait. There’s something I need to say.”

I looked into her eyes. “Okay.”

“I was sure I was going to die today, and my biggest regret was that I never told you how much you mean to me. You may think I’m crazy, but I love you, Alessandro.”

“God, Lark, I don’t think you’re crazy at all. I love you too.” I lifted her in my arms, never wanting to let her go.