Chapter 8 - Blood on the Pier
Together, fighting side-by-side in a terrifying dance of death, Adrienne and Simone cleared the main floor of the foundry. They were a terrifyingly synced team—Adrienne providing brutal, overwhelming firepower, and Simone providing sharp, tactical cover.
They pushed Vance back toward the edge of the pier overlooking the churning dark waters of the East River.
Vance was bleeding from his shoulder, backing away toward a waiting speedboat tied to the dock. "You think you've won, Romano?!" Vance coughed, blood spilling from his mouth. "Your empire is ruined! The police are raiding your headquarters right now! Daniel sent all your offshore records to the FBI before we came here!"
"Then I’ll build a new empire from the ashes," Adrienne said coldly, raising his gun to end Vance’s life.
CLICK.
Adrienne’s chamber locked back. Empty.
Vance let out a wild, crazed laugh, instantly raising his firearm directly at Adrienne’s chest. "Goodbye, Don Romano."
BANG!
A shot echoed across the river. But it didn't come from Vance’s gun.
Vance gasped, looking down at the massive hole blew through his sternum. He collapsed backward into the freezing, black waters of the river, splashing into oblivion.
Behind him stood Simone, her gun smoking, her arms shaking violently as the adrenaline finally crashed. The weapon slipped from her fingers, clattering onto the wooden dock.
Adrienne dropped his empty weapon and rushed to her, catching her just as her knees buckled.
He pulled her tight against his chest, collapsing onto the rain-soaked wood of the pier. He buried his face in her wet curls, his heart hammering violently, his arms wrapping around her as if she were the only real thing in a world falling apart.
"I have you," Adrienne whispered, his voice trembling with uncharacteristic tears. "I have you, Simone. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry for everything."
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Simone rested her head against his bleeding shoulder, closing her eyes as the distant sound of police sirens began to wail across Manhattan. "Five years, Adrienne... you never saw me."
"I see you now," Adrienne sobbed quietly, pressing his lips against her forehead. "God help me, I see you now."
