CHAPTER 53: The Snake in the House

CHAPTER 53: The Snake in the House
 The woman kept the gun pressed firmly against Riccardo’s forehead. Her finger rested on the trigger as she turned and dismissed the guards that had brought Riccardo with a quick nod of her head. They stepped back immediately, exchanged curious glances, before turning and heading back to their post at the gate.
When they were gone and completely out of earshot, she looked Riccardo straight in the eye without blinking.
“Give me one good reason why I should not put a bullet in your skull right now for daring to come here.”
Riccardo kept his hands visible and forced a calm smile.
“Because killing me would be stupid,” he said. “And Vazquez does not strike me as a stupid man.”
The woman’s eyes narrowed, and she regarded him carefully again. “You talk quite big for someone with a gun to his head.”
“I’m simply telling the truth,” Riccardo replied with a shrug. “Your boss lost two men because he pushed Luca Moretti, and I know he's probably still itching for revenge. But then again, he's smart enough to know that he cannot win a war against the Morettis right now…Not alone at least.”
She tilted her head slightly. “So you came to offer help?”
“I came to offer an opportunity,” Riccardo said. “Luca is distracted. He is weak right now. If your boss wants to hurt him, this is the best time to strike.”
The woman surveyed him for a few more seconds, gun still cocked and ready.
“You really expect me that you’re betraying your own Don?”
“I’m simply trying to save what's left of my family,” Riccardo answered with a shrug. “Luca is throwing everything away for a woman. He is blind, and that blindness will likely destroy us all if someone does not act.”
She lowered the gun slightly but did not put it away.
“Search him again,” she ordered her own guards.
Rough hands patted Riccardo down a second time. When they were satisfied that he had no concealed weapon on him, they took his phone and his wallet and handed them over to the woman.
She gave Riccardo another quick glance, then turned to her guards.
“Bring him inside. Mr. Vazquez will decide if he wants to listen to this snake.”
They marched Riccardo through the mansion. Armed men watched from every doorway. No one spoke. The only sound was their footsteps on the hard floor.
A few minutes later, they stopped outside the entrance of the main building. The woman knocked twice, then pushed the door open. Riccardo had very little time to admire the luxurious living room before he was hurried by the guards toward another door that he actually thought was a bookshelf. The camouflage was a work of genius.
Vazquez was seated behind a large desk with a glass of whiskey in his hand. He looked up slowly as Riccardo was pushed into the room, observing him the way one would look at a lost child.
Silence stretched between them.
Vazquez took a slow sip from his glass, then set it down.
“I hear you have been looking for me.”
Riccardo straightened his shoulders and met Vazquez’s eyes directly.
“I have,” he said. “We need to talk.”
Vazquez leaned back in his chair and studied him with cold interest.
“Talk then. But choose your words carefully, Moretti dog. My men are still burying the ones your boss killed.”
Riccardo nodded meekly.
“Luca is the problem,” he began. “Not the Moretti family. He has changed a lot over the last couple of weeks. He is obsessed with his ex-wife, and it's all because she is pregnant with his child. He has lost all focus, ignoring the family business and threats from rivals. He even beat one of our own men nearly to death just because the man insulted her.”
Vazquez raised an eyebrow. “And you expect me to believe you suddenly want to work with me?”
“I expect you to see an opportunity,” Riccardo said. “Luca is vulnerable right now, and I believe if we strike while he is distracted, we can take territory, weaken his power, and maybe even remove him completely.”
Vazquez tapped his fingers on the desk.
“Interesting… You want me to help you overthrow your own Don?”
“I want you to help me protect the empire from his stupidity,” Riccardo corrected. “If Luca continues like this, the entire Moretti structure will collapse. Other families are already watching, and it's no secret that they smell blood already.”
Vazquez smiled slowly, but there was no warmth in it.
“And what do I get in return for helping you?”
“Territory,” Riccardo said without hesitation. “Shares in certain routes. Influence. And the satisfaction of watching Luca suffer.”
Vazquez laughed quietly. “You really hate him, don’t you?”
“I hate what he is becoming,” Riccardo replied. “He used to be strong, but now he has reduced himself to someone being controlled by a woman. A Lorenzo woman at that.”
Vazquez’s expression darkened at the mention of the Lorenzo name.
“That fucking family,” he muttered. “They cost me a lot before going extinct.”
Riccardo nodded. “Exactly. She is a poison, and she seems to be up to no good. Remove her influence and Luca becomes manageable again. Or we remove him entirely and install someone who actually thinks with his head instead of his dick.”
Vazquez leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk.
“I hope you're aware that there is no going back if I actually decide to help you with this. Luca will not forgive your betrayal, and neither will I forgive failure. Do you understand the risks?”
“I understand,” Riccardo said. “I am ready to accept the consequences of my actions.”
Vazquez was quiet for a while, looking at Riccardo who had a determined look in his eyes. Then Vazquez smiled and took another sip of his drink.
“Sit down, Riccardo. Let us talk properly.”
Riccardo moved toward the chair opposite the desk and sat. The woman with the gun remained standing behind him, her weapon now pointed at the floor but still ready.
Vazquez poured another glass of whiskey and slid it across the desk.
“Tell me everything,” he said. “Start from the beginning. I want to know exactly how weak Luca Moretti has become.”
Riccardo picked up the glass, took a sip, and smiled wickedly.