Page 71 of Damon

I cup her face in my hands, feeling the softness of her skin, memorizing the way she looks in the moonlight streaming through the windows.

"I promise you, Viviana Bonacci, that I will do everything in my power to come back to you if it’s the last thing I ever do."

"That's not the same thing."

"It's the best I can give you."

She nods, understanding that in my world, even that much is more than most people get.

Chapter 22: Damon

Later that night…

The Verga compound sits in the industrial district like a fortress, surrounded by high walls and razor wire. Three buildings connected by covered walkways, multiple escape routes, and enough firepower to hold off a small army.

Too bad they're not expecting a large army.

"Everyone in position," Tommy orders through my earpiece. "Front gate team ready. North exit covered. Warehouse team standing by."

I adjust my position on the rooftop across the street, checking my rifle scope one more time. The compound is well-lighted, guards visible at regular intervals, exactly as our intelligence predicted.

"Overwatch in position," I report. "I count twelve visible targets. Two roving patrols, stationary guards at each building entrance."

"Roger that." My father's voice comes through the command channel. "Leandro Manzo confirmed inside the main building. Primary target is neutralization of leadership in the upper rooms. Secondary objectives are elimination of weapons cache and destruction of financial records."

"Rules of engagement?" Tommy asks.

"No survivors," my father responds coldly. "This ends tonight."

I scan the compound through my scope, identifying targets, calculating angles, preparing for what's about to become a slaughter. Because that's what this is, not a battle,but an execution. The Vergas declared war when they attacked our safe house. Now they're going to learn why that was a mistake.

"Initiate on my mark," I say into my comm. "Three... two... one... mark."

The world explodes into violence.

The front gate team breaches with shaped charges, the explosion lighting up the night sky. Gunfire erupts from multiple positions as our men advance through the smoke and chaos.

I acquire my first target through the scope, a guard running toward the main building with an assault rifle. One shot, center mass. He drops immediately.

"Guard tower, eleven o'clock," I report, swinging my rifle toward the elevated position. Another shot, another target eliminated.

"Main building breached," Tommy reports. "Heavy resistance on the first floor."

"Copy that. Providing overwatch support."

Through my scope, I can see muzzle flashes from the windows of the main building. I identify a sniper position and put two rounds through the window, eliminating the threat.

"North exit secured," one of Roberto's men reports. "Three targets down, no survivors."

"Warehouse team encountering problems," another voice calls out. "Request immediate support."

"On the way," I respond, already moving across the rooftop to get a better angle on the warehouse building.

The Vergas are fighting hard, but they're outgunned and outmaneuvered. This isn't a fair fight. It's a coordinatedoperation designed to eliminate every member of their organization in one night.

I put a round through a Verga soldier who was trying to flank Tommy's position, then shift to cover the warehouse approach. Through my scope, I can see our men stacked up outside the loading dock, preparing to breach.

"Warehouse team, you have one sniper in the second-floor window, northwest corner," I report.