Chapter 5: Blood in the Mansion
Enzo drove his shoulder into Luca as Vittorio fired.
The bullet shattered a portrait behind Harper.
She dropped behind the stone doorway and returned fire. Her shot struck one of Vittorio’s men in the leg.
Enzo twisted Luca’s wrist until the gun fell, then slammed him against the table.
“You chose wrong.”
Luca struck him across the jaw.
“I chose blood.”
Enzo hit him harder.
“So did I.”
Guards loyal to Enzo poured into the hall. Vittorio’s men fired from behind marble columns. Glass exploded. Furniture splintered. The wedding flowers still decorating the mansion were torn apart by bullets.
Harper crawled toward the staircase.
A hand grabbed her ankle.
One of Vittorio’s wounded soldiers dragged her backward.
She kicked him in the face, but he pulled a knife.
Before he could strike, a gun fired.
The man collapsed.
Harper looked up.
Luca stood over her, smoke rising from his weapon.
His face was twisted with guilt.
“Go,” he said.
“Why?”
“Because Nathan saved my life once.”
Across the room, Vittorio saw his nephew lower the gun.
“You pathetic boy!”
Vittorio fired.
The bullet struck Luca in the chest.
Enzo caught him before he hit the floor.
Luca struggled to breathe.
“My pocket,” he whispered.
Enzo reached inside Luca’s jacket and found a small recorder.
“I knew he’d confess if you pushed him.”
“You planned this?”
“I hoped I wouldn’t have to.”
Blood filled Luca’s mouth.
“Don’t let him win.”
His body went still.
Enzo lowered him gently.
Then he looked at Vittorio.
Something changed in his face.
Vittorio stepped backward.
“Enzo—”
Enzo fired.
The bullet struck Vittorio’s shoulder, spinning him against the wall.
Enzo crossed the room and dragged him upright.
“You carried my brother’s coffin.”
Vittorio smiled through the pain.
“And I would do it again.”
Enzo pressed the gun beneath his chin.
Harper ran toward them.
“Wait!”
Enzo did not look away from Vittorio.
“Why?”
“We need him alive.”
“He murdered Nathan.”
“And Preston will deny everything unless Vittorio testifies.”
“I don’t need a courtroom.”
“No,” Harper said. “But Nathan did.”
That stopped him.
Harper stepped closer, her hands still shaking.
“Nathan tried to expose them. If you kill Vittorio now, your brother becomes another dead gangster in the newspaper. Preston will survive by blaming everything on him.”
Vittorio laughed.
“She’s smarter than you.”
Enzo struck him across the mouth.
Harper continued.
“We make them turn on each other.”
“How?”
She looked at the bloodied recorder in Enzo’s hand.
“We let Preston believe Vittorio is dead.”
Vittorio’s expression shifted.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
An hour later, Enzo’s men removed the bodies and locked Vittorio in an underground room beneath the estate.
Harper sat in the library while a doctor cleaned a cut on her arm.
Enzo entered.
“You saved him,” he said.
“I saved the evidence.”
“You also walked into a gunfight.”
“You left me upstairs.”
“I told you to stay there.”
“I’ve spent my whole life staying where men put me.”
Enzo looked at her for a long moment.
“Not anymore.”
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Preston Whitcomb’s voice came through the line.
“Is my daughter alive?”
Enzo glanced at Harper.
“For now.”
Preston exhaled.
“Bring her to me tomorrow night.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because I have something you want.”
“What?”
May you like
A pause.
Then Preston said, “Your brother’s real killer.”
