Chapter 10 - MICHAEL’S LAST BETRAYAL
I stared at the gun.
Then at Michael.
Three years of my life stood in front of me.
Every lie.
Every excuse.
Every second chance.
And somehow, the gun hurt less than the engagement ring he had pawned.
“You really never loved me.”
His face twisted.
“I did.”
“No.”
“Elena—”
“You loved what I gave you.”
“I had debts.”
“You always had something.”
“Caruso will kill me.”
“And that makes killing me okay?”
His hand shook.
“I don’t have a choice.”
I almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
Then I remembered Matteo crying.
My mother being moved from her home.
My apartment torn apart.
The glass in my back.
“You always have a choice.”
Michael looked broken.
Then he tightened his finger on the trigger.
A shot exploded.
I flinched.
Michael’s gun fell.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
Dante stepped from behind a container.
His weapon was raised.
His face was terrifying.
“Move away from her.”
Michael dropped to his knees.
Dante approached.
Slowly.
I knew that look.
“Dante.”
“He tried to kill you.”
“I know.”
“Move.”
“No.”
“Elena.”
“If you execute him in front of me, I will never forget it.”
Dante’s jaw clenched.
“He deserves worse.”
“Probably.”
Michael stared at me.
“Why are you protecting me?”
“I’m not.”
I looked down at him.
“I’m protecting myself from becoming like you.”
Sirens sounded in the distance.
Dante’s men had anonymously tipped off federal agents.
Apparently even mob bosses occasionally found law enforcement convenient.
“Where’s Matteo?”
“Safe,” Dante said.
Relief hit me so hard my knees weakened.
Dante caught me.
“You’re okay.”
“I’m fine.”
“You say that too much.”
“Occupational habit.”
Then an explosion shook the terminal.
Fire burst from the eastern loading area.
Caruso.
Dante turned.
“He’s destroying evidence.”
We ran.
Smoke filled the warehouse.
Caruso’s men were fleeing.
Then I saw him.
Vincent Caruso stood near a burning office.
The flash drive in his hand.
He smiled at me.
“You want the truth about your father?”
I stopped.
Dante grabbed my wrist.
“Don’t.”
Caruso laughed.
“Dante knows.”
I looked at Dante.
“What does he mean?”
“Elena, move.”
“What does he mean?”
Caruso shouted through the smoke.
“Ask him who killed Gabriel Serrano.”
Everything stopped.
I stared at Dante.
His face told me before his mouth did.
“You know.”
He said nothing.
“Dante.”
Caruso laughed.
“His father ordered the hit.”
My chest tightened.
“That isn’t news.”
“No.”
Caruso’s smile widened.
“But Dante pulled the trigger.”
Silence.
I looked at Dante.
He looked devastated.
Not guilty.
Devastated.
“Tell me he’s lying.”
Dante opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
My heart broke.
“Tell me.”
His voice was barely audible.
“I was nineteen.”
I stepped backward.
“You killed my father?”
“I didn’t know who he was.”
“You killed him?”
“He was armed.”
“You killed him.”
“Elena—”
The fire roared between us.
For the first time since that restaurant, I didn’t see the man who protected Matteo.
I saw what everyone else saw.
Dante Moretti.
Killer.
Mafia boss.
The man who had killed my father.
I pulled my hand from his.
May you like
“Don’t touch me.”
And the look on Dante’s face told me that bullet would have hurt him less.
