flash
The pressurized air of the cabin suddenly felt thick, heavy, and suffocating. My lungs burned as I fought the urge to grab Julie by her linen collar and force the rest of the truth out of her right there at thirty thousand feet. / Chapter 18 / 20

Chapter 18 - The Ambush in the DarkBefore Salvatore's arm could finish its downward gesture, a deafening explosion shattered the corrugated steel roof of warehouse four.

BOOM!

A blinding flash-bang grenade dropped through the skylight, detonating with a concussive shockwave that sent Salvatore’s enforcers stumbling backward, clutching their ears and screaming in blindness.

I didn't hesitate. I dropped to one knee, drawing my Sig Sauer in a fluid, practiced motion, and fired three rapid shots.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Two of Salvatore’s guards collapsed instantly, their weapons clattering against the concrete floor.

Through the smoke and shattered glass raining down from the ceiling, a black tactical rope dropped, and Marcus, followed by six heavily armed Moretti loyalists who had remained loyal to me rather than the old regime, rappelled directly into the warehouse.

"Surprise, Uncle!" I shouted over the deafening roar of gunfire.

Salvatore stumbled backward, his face twisting in absolute shock and rage as he scrambled to pull a revolver from his holster. "Kill them! Kill them all!"

The warehouse erupted into a chaotic firefight. Bullets ricocheted off steel containers, sending sparks flying through the smoky air. Marcus laid down a suppressive wall of fire, pinning the remaining syndicate enforcers behind wooden crates.

I charged straight toward Salvatore, dodging a stray round that zipped past my ear and shattered a wooden pallet beside me.

Salvatore raised his revolver, his hand shaking with age and fury as he aimed directly at my chest. "You arrogant little bastard—"

I lunged forward, slamming my palm upward against his wrist. The revolver discharged harmlessly into the concrete floor, sending a shower of sparks into the air. With a swift, brutal sweep of my leg, I knocked Salvatore off balance, sending him crashing hard onto the floor.

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The heavy oak door of the master suite swung wider, letting out a sharp draft of chilled air that smelled faintly of expensive bourbon and cold rain. Lorenzo Moretti did not blink.

The heavy oak door of the master suite swung wider, letting out a sharp...

The rain in the lower district did not fall; it drifted like smoke, slicking the asphalt and carrying the smell of coal smoke and rotting citrus from the wholesale market two blocks down.

The rain in the lower district did not fall; it drifted like smoke, slic...

The word mother hung in the sterile terminal air like a frozen dagger.

The word mother hung in the sterile terminal air like a frozen dagger.

I pressed the barrel of my pistol directly against his forehead.

The warehouse went dead silent, save for the heavy panting of the surviving guards dropping their weapons around us.

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Chapter 19 - The Final Verdict"It's over, Salvatore," I whispered, my voice echoing off the cavernous metal walls. "Your era ended ten years ago. You just refused to accept the burial."
Chapter 20 - Sunrise Over ManhattanThe sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, painting the Manhattan skyline in brilliant shades of amber, gold, and rose.

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