Page 85 of Blood Vows

“There’s a private vault company in Manhattan that used three-letter client prefixes in the early 2000s.”

Elena’s pulse quickened. “Is it still operating?”

“Yes,” Luca said.

“Can we access it?” she asked.

“Not without credentials,” Luca said.

Elena held up the key. “I have credentials.”

Luca shook his head. “You need identity verification tied to the account.”

“Whose identity?” she asked.

He looked at the file. “Antonio Romano.” Her heart sank, and Dante stepped closer.

“Unless he added a beneficiary,” Dante said. Luca typed on his laptop, and a few moments passed before he stopped. Elena knew before he spoke.

“What?” she asked. Luca turned the screen to show her that there was one beneficiary—Elena Romano. Her mouth went dry. “When can we go?”

“Tomorrow morning,” Luca said.

“No.” Everyone looked at her.

“Today,” she insisted.

“Elena,” Dante said.

She rounded on him. “No. I’ve waited two years for answers. I’m done waiting.”

“The vault closes in an hour,” Luca said.

“Then we have an hour to get there,” she said. Dante looked at Luca as something silently passed between them. Elena hated that. “No silent mafia conversations.”

Isabella almost smiled, but Dante didn’t. “It could be a trap.”

“So could my apartment,” she said. “The safehouse and the storage units could have all been traps, because apparently my entire life is a trap, Dante.”

His jaw tightened. “That’s exactly why I’m saying we plan this.”

“I am planning this,” she said.

“No, you’re reacting, and that will get you killed,” he said.

“Maybe I’ve earned the right to just react.” He went quiet, and Elena immediately knew she’d won, not because Dante agreed, but because he couldn't argue with that.

Luca closed the laptop. “I’ll call the vault.”

Elena nodded. “Thank you.”

“I’m coming,” Luca said.

Dante’s expression darkened. “So am I.” She looked at him. For a second, she wanted to say no. She wanted to punish him. Elena wanted him nowhere near whatever her father had left for her, but then she thought about Hale and about the people hunting her. She remembered how safe she had felt with Dante before she knew the truth. That safety hadn’t been a lie. Her feelings hadn’t been a lie either, because complicated didn’t mean false.

“Fine,” she said.

Dante looked surprised. “Fine?”