Chapter 1

 “Kill her!”  Vito Tucci hissed through clinched teeth.  “Wait.”  His mind wheeled.  A perfect plan formed which included his lifetime enemy, Detective Butch Dasco.  He laughed from the depths of his gut; it was so brilliant.  “Capture her.  Bring her to me.” 

His glare darted between his two brutes who sat across from him inside his limousine out front of NYPD.   “Get the word out.  Twenty K upon her delivery.”   He passed them a police photo of Sophia Paulo.  “Make copies, hand them out to the best on the street.  And, don't show your ugly faces back at the estate until you have good news.”  He waved for them to leave.   “Get!” 

The two scrambled out of the black limo.  

The gush of cold November air didn't penetrate Tucci's anger.   “Damn her!”   Sophia Paulo's audacity threatened him and his empire.  She had challenged him in front of his men and the whole goddamn police force. 

Alive, oh yes.  He reveled in the thought to enjoy Sophia personally, toy with and conquer her.  Sweet Maria's image flashed in, her laugher, their first kiss....  Dasco's image interrupted hers, and he remembered Maria’s betrayal.    “Dasco, you're dead!”  He punched the side door, welcoming the pain. 

Sophia? Maria? Seeing Sophia that first moment, strolling towards him inside the police station, Tucci faltered, thinking it was Maria's ghost.  Uproar of emotions flooded him briefly.  Logic took prestige.  He quickly accessed the situation.  It was no secret that Maria was adopted.  And right before him, stood her twin, Sophia Paulo, the every reason he had been brought in.  “Hector, get this junk heap moving!”  Tucci shouted.  His personal bodyguard nodded. 

“You're cheek, sir, lipstick.”  Tucci caught the white handkerchief Hector tossed back.

Curses flew while Tucci rubbed at the red residue.  “Goddamn it!”  The lipstick would not come off.  Had Sophia applied the everlasting lipstick to make a fool out of him? “Oh Sophia, playing games with me?” He laughed, “You're way over your head, bitch.”  His mood was now delightful.  “Games, oh yes,” he rubbed his hands together, “I love to play and I play to win.”