Page 63 of Intrigue
“Not bad,” I say, breathing heavily.
“I can handle myself,” she retorts, eyes fierce despite the panic.
Together, we press forward, my men pushing the attackers back. Fire rips through the second building that dayflames climbing the walls, smoke clouding my vision.
Bianchi shouts, “Boss, let’s go!”
“No, take the men and get out of here. We'll converge later.”
He nods and rounds them and they make their way through the back.
“We have to move,” I shout, grabbing Selene’s hand. The building groans around us, beams cracking.
The fire spreads, beams collapsing around us, cutting off escape routes. “Selene, this way!” I shout, grabbing her hand. We move toward the back exit from where my men left, but the path is obstructed. Out of the smoke, Don Marconi steps from the shadows, gun raised, eyes cold with fury.
“You should’ve died long ago,” he spits at Selene, voice trembling with disgust. “Just like your whore of a mother. I’m done waiting for your death to be part of some grand scheme. I’m taking you out now!”
His gun is aimed at Selene, his face twisted in a mask of fury. “I guess I just have to do this the way I should have the minute I found out you were a bastard,” he spits, finger tightening on the trigger.
I step swiftly between them, meeting his stare unflinchingly. “You’ll have to kill me first.”
My words hang heavy between us, a promise I’m fully prepared to keep. Death has always been my shadow, but tonight, I’ll embrace it gladly. For her.
Don Marconi’s eyes flash dangerously, his finger squeezing the trigger.
“Your move, old man,” I challenge. “But you only get one shot.”
The Don’s finger twitches on the trigger. “You disappoint me, Sandro. I made you what you are.”
“You made me nothing,” I reply, tracking his subtle movements. “Everything I am, I built myself. While watching you destroy everyone around you.”
A beam crashes nearby, showering sparks. Through the chaos, I hear Selene’s steady breathing behind me. The Don’seyes move between us, calculating. His legendary control finally cracks.
“You ungrateful slut!” He fires wildly at Selene. I tackle him, the bullet embedding in my shoulder instead of her heart. We crash to the ground, trading blows. His age shows in his movements, but desperation makes him dangerous.
“Alessandro!” Selene’s warning comes just as Giovanni Moretti emerges from the smoke with his gun raised.
“Family takes care of family,” he announces coldly. His shot catches the Don in the chest. Blood blooms across expensive silk.
The Don laughs, choking on his own blood. “You think... this ends anything? The girl... killed Edoardo. Blood... demands blood.”
“Edoardo was a monster,” Selene steps forward. “Like you. I chose my own family.”
Giovanni considers her words. “You have Adriano’s spirit. But you killed Edoardo.”
“Edoardo tried to rape me,” Selene states flatly. “Do you think your cousin, Adriano have wanted that for his daughter?”
Something shifts in Giovanni’s expression. The gun lowers slightly. “No. I guess he wouldn’t.”
More beams crash around us. The building groans, ready to collapse. I grab Selene’s hand. “We need to move. Now.”
“This isn’t finished,” Giovanni warns, but steps aside. “Blood still calls for blood.”
“Then come find us,” I challenge. “But tonight, we walk away.”
Giovanni nods and soon disappears as he tries to find his men in the haze to escape.
But we don’t see the next thing coming. Like a phantom from the embers, still grasping for air with the hole in his chest, Don levels at Selene’s chest as he coughs blood trying to talk. “You’re coming with me, bitch...”