Chapter 1 - THE BLOOD-STAINED NOTE
Danica Merritt had spent two months inside the Castellion organization without ever pretending it was safe.
She was a senior forensic accountant, hired to untangle the legitimate companies used to move casino money through Valerio Castellion’s empire. She was supposed to finish the work, collect her fee, and leave Chicago.
Instead, she caught the attention of the one man everyone else feared.
Valerio Castellion was controlled, dangerous, and nearly impossible to read. He had deliberately kept Danica at a distance, even while privately admiring her intelligence, confidence, and refusal to be intimidated by him.
Danica had no idea how deeply he wanted her.
At a November charity gala inside the historic Etor Hotel, Valerio watched from a dark alcove as his younger brother, Veto, danced with Danica.
To everyone else, she appeared to be enjoying the attention of the charming Castellion brother.
Valerio saw something different.
Danica was frightened.
Her breathing was too quick. Her hands were tense. Her smile never reached her eyes.
When the dance ended, she crossed the ballroom toward Valerio, stumbled deliberately beside his table, and left behind a folded white cocktail napkin stained with fresh blood.
Inside, written hurriedly in eyeliner, were five words:
“Coat room. Oswaldo’s dead. Veto’s coup.”
Valerio immediately understood that the gala was a trap.
Veto stood near the ballroom entrance beside members of the rival Felicity faction and smiled at him with cold satisfaction.
Valerio warned Ignatio, the only trusted enforcer still beside him, and decided to escape through the hotel kitchens.
But first he went after Danica.
Inside the coat room, Valerio found Oswaldo, his loyal friend of fifteen years, murdered behind a rack of expensive coats.
Danica was gone.
Then a crash sounded near the service elevators.
Valerio ran toward it.
He found a large man holding Danica by her hair, slamming her against the wall while pressing a suppressed pistol toward her face.
Danica fought him instead of begging.
And Valerio realized two things at once.
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Someone wanted him dead.
And whoever was behind the coup had decided Danica Merritt knew enough to die with him.
