Chapter 5 - The Throne of AshThe mercenaries froze in absolute horror. The man they had been told was a helpless cripple was now standing six feet tall, his hands crushing the windpipe of their employer.
“Drop your weapons,” Salvatore growled, his voice echoing through the burning penthouse like thunder. His legs were shaking, his muscles screaming in agony as his raw nerves fired at full capacity, but he didn't falter. He stood like iron. “Drop them, or I snap his neck right now.”
The mercenaries looked at each other. They were professionals; they knew when a contract was dead. One by one, they lowered their rifles and stepped back into the elevator.
Salvatore turned his gaze down to Anthony, whose face was turning a dangerous shade of purple. “You took my driver. You took my peace. You tried to take her,” Salvatore whispered, his grip tightening. “You are no longer family.”
With a sudden, violent twist, Salvatore threw Anthony over the shattered balcony railing. The old man disappeared into the Chicago night, falling seventy-two floors into the dark streets below.
The room fell into a heavy, smoking silence, broken only by the crackle of the flames.
Salvatore’s legs finally gave out. He collapsed to his knees, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The pain in his spine returned with a vengeance, a blinding white agony that threatened to take his consciousness.
But through the haze of pain, a pair of strong, familiar arms wrapped around his chest.
Serena pulled him against her, using her own body to support his weight. She didn't care about the smoke, the blood, or the danger. She held him tightly, her warm tears wetting his shoulder.
“You stood,” she whispered, her voice shaking with awe. “You actually stood.”
“I couldn't let him take you,” Salvatore gasped, his hand finding hers in the dark, his fingers locking into hers. “I need you, Serena. Not just as a nurse. As my anchor.”
Serena looked around the ruined penthouse. The sirens were wailing in the distance, drawing closer. The Ritchie empire was in chaos, but amidst the ash, something new had been born.
May you like
“We need to go,” Serena said, helping him slide into a sitting position against a solid pillar. “The police will be here in minutes. Your empire is going to fall apart by morning if you aren't there to claim it.”
Salvatore looked up at her, a dark, brilliant smile touching his lips despite the pain. “Then let it fall. Together, we will build a new one.”
