Chapter 13 - BROTHERS
Roman moved so fast Vincent barely reacted.
He knocked the gun aside and drove his brother into a steel support beam.
Sophia screamed.
“Stop!”
Roman hit Vincent once.
Twice.
“You used a newborn!”
Vincent blocked the third punch.
“I was trying to end this!”
“You abandoned Sophia!”
“I was being watched!”
“You let her sleep in a stairwell!”
“I didn’t know!”
Roman hit him again.
Arthur watched like a man enjoying theater.
“That’s enough,” Lily whispered.
Nobody heard her except Sophia.
She crossed the floor toward the child.
Arthur’s head snapped around.
“Stay where you are.”
Sophia kept moving.
“I said stop.”
She looked at him.
“No.”
Arthur’s smile vanished.
“You think being a mother makes you brave?”
Sophia’s voice shook.
“No.”
She took another step.
“It makes being scared irrelevant.”
Arthur lifted his gun.
Roman saw it.
“Dad!”
Gunfire exploded.
Vincent tackled Roman.
Sophia dropped beside Lily.
A bullet struck the metal wall.
Then another shot.
Arthur stumbled.
Everyone froze.
Victoria Callaway stood in the warehouse entrance holding a pistol.
Roman stared at his mother.
Arthur looked down at blood spreading across his shoulder.
“Victoria.”
She trembled.
“You should’ve stayed dead.”
Arthur laughed.
Then armed men poured from the side doors.
Roman realized too late.
Arthur had backup.
Samuel’s federal team crashed through the opposite entrance seconds later.
Chaos erupted.
Shots.
Shouting.
Metal screaming from ricochets.
Roman pulled Lily behind machinery.
Sophia crawled beside them.
“Are you hurt?”
Lily shook her head.
Vincent fired toward Arthur’s men.
Samuel shouted, “Move!”
Then Arthur grabbed Victoria.
Gun to her throat.
Roman froze.
Arthur backed toward an exit.
“Drop it.”
Roman lowered his weapon.
Vincent didn’t.
Arthur smiled at him.
“You always were the difficult one.”
Vincent’s voice shook.
“Let her go.”
Arthur laughed.
“Which mother? The one who lied to both of you your entire lives?”
Victoria closed her eyes.
Arthur backed through the door.
Roman took one step.
Arthur fired.
Victoria fell.
“Mom!”
Roman ran.
Arthur disappeared into the dark.
Roman dropped beside Victoria.
Blood spread across her blouse.
Her hand grabbed Roman’s wrist.
“Lily…”
“She’s safe.”
Victoria struggled to breathe.
“No.”
Roman leaned closer.
“What?”
“She has a sister.”
Roman stopped.
May you like
Victoria’s lips moved.
“Evelyn had twins.”
