Chapter 11 - THE WAREHOUSE
Donovan broke.
“Please.”
Salvatore smiled.
“Funny word.”
“Let her go.”
“You betrayed me.”
“I did what you wanted.”
“You failed.”
Salvatore looked at Vincent.
“Put down your gun.”
Vincent did.
Mave turned sharply.
“Vincent—”
“Do it.”
Salvatore laughed.
“Still playing hero.”
Vincent placed the weapon on the concrete.
Voss kicked it away.
Men surrounded them.
Mave’s hidden transmitter pressed against her ribs beneath the blue dress.
Still active.
She needed access to a terminal.
Salvatore walked toward her.
She forced herself not to step back.
“You have Martin’s files.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He smiled.
“You’re a better liar than your father.”
Mave’s anger sharpened.
“You killed him.”
“Yes.”
The casual answer hit harder than she expected.
“You poisoned my mother.”
Salvatore tilted his head.
“She asked too many questions.”
Donovan made a sound of disgust.
Vincent’s entire body tightened.
Mave stared at Salvatore.
Seventeen years of grief.
Hospital rooms.
Her mother vomiting after treatments that never worked.
Her father’s empty chair at Christmas.
All of it stood in front of her wearing an expensive suit.
“You’re proud of that?”
“No.”
Salvatore shrugged.
“Pride has nothing to do with survival.”
Mave almost smiled.
“You’re scared.”
His eyes changed.
“What?”
“You’ve spent seventeen years killing anyone who might know the truth.”
She stepped closer.
“You’re terrified.”
Salvatore slapped her.
Vincent moved instantly.
Three rifles aimed at him.
Salvatore smiled.
“There he is.”
Mave tasted blood.
Vincent’s voice was deadly.
“Touch her again.”
“And?”
“I’ll forget you’re my uncle.”
Salvatore laughed.
“You already forgot what family means.”
“No.”
Vincent stared at him.
“I learned.”
Mave looked past Salvatore.
A computer terminal sat inside a glass office thirty feet away.
She needed thirty seconds.
Maybe less.
Salvatore turned toward Vincent.
“Your father understood loyalty.”
“My father was a coward.”
Salvatore’s smile disappeared.
Vincent continued.
“He knew what you were and let you live.”
“Careful.”
“No.”
Vincent stepped forward.
“Martin Hale had more courage than everyone with the Costa name combined.”
Mave’s throat tightened.
Salvatore raised his gun.
That was when Donovan moved.
He slammed into the guard holding Emma.
The warehouse erupted.
Gunfire.
Shouting.
Vincent tackled Salvatore.
Mave ran.
Voss saw her.
“Stop!”
She reached the office.
Locked.
She grabbed a fire extinguisher.
Smashed the glass.
Climbed through.
Bullets hit the wall behind her.
Mave reached the computer.
USB.
Connect.
Upload.
12%.
Outside, Vincent fought two men at once.
Leo’s rifle cracked from somewhere above.
28%.
Voss entered the office.
Mave turned.
He pointed his gun directly at her.
44%.
“Move away from the computer.”
She didn’t.
53%.
“I said move.”
Mave looked at him.
“No.”
Voss cocked the gun.
The upload reached 61%.
Then he smiled.
May you like
“You really are Martin’s daughter.”
And pulled the trigger.
