Chapter 14 - THE COST OF SURVIVING
Vincent Costa was dead for forty-seven seconds.
Mave counted every one.
Then his heart started again.
She didn’t know that until a doctor came into the hospital waiting room nearly an hour later.
“He’s alive.”
Her knees almost gave out.
Leo caught her elbow.
The doctor continued.
“The bullet missed his heart. There was significant blood loss, but we’ve stabilized him.”
Mave closed her eyes.
“Can I see him?”
“Soon.”
Leo sank into a chair.
Donovan sat across the room with Emma wrapped in a blanket beside him.
Father and daughter had not stopped holding hands.
Frank stood near the window.
The television above them showed breaking news.
Federal raids.
Police officers arrested.
Judges suspended.
Businesses searched.
A photograph of Salvatore Costa appeared on screen beside the headline:
CRIMINAL NETWORK EXPOSED IN MASSIVE CORRUPTION CASE.
The reporter continued.
“Documents delivered to federal prosecutors early this morning allegedly connect organized crime figures to trafficking operations, bribery, money laundering, and multiple homicides dating back nearly two decades.”
Mave looked away.
Her father had finally been heard.
Her mother too.
But it didn’t feel like victory.
It felt like exhaustion.
Julia Reyes entered the waiting room.
“Ms. Hale.”
Mave stood.
“Is Salvatore alive?”
“Yes.”
Her disappointment surprised even her.
Reyes noticed.
“He’s going to spend the rest of his life in a room with a steel toilet.”
“That helps.”
Reyes almost smiled.
“Anton Voss was arrested too.”
“Good.”
“And Agent Walsh.”
“Better.”
Reyes sat across from her.
“The files include evidence against Vincent.”
Mave’s expression changed.
“I know.”
“You understand what that means?”
“Yes.”
Vincent was not innocent.
He had built an empire from extortion, gambling, smuggling, and violence.
Protecting her did not erase that.
Loving her did not erase it.
Reyes continued.
“His cooperation could matter.”
“What kind of cooperation?”
“The kind that ends the Costa Syndicate permanently.”
Mave stared through the hospital doors.
Vincent would hate it.
Then again, Vincent had nearly died trying to stop the worst parts of his family.
Maybe surviving meant choosing something different.
Three hours later, she entered his room.
Vincent looked terrible.
Pale.
Bandaged.
Annoyed.
“You look awful,” she said.
His eyes opened.
“You always know what to say.”
She sat beside him.
“How do you feel?”
“Like I got shot.”
“Accurate.”
He looked at her for a long moment.
“Salvatore?”
“Alive.”
Vincent grunted.
“Unfortunate.”
“Voss arrested. Walsh too.”
“Leo?”
“Fine.”
“Donovan?”
“Emma is safe.”
Vincent relaxed.
Then Mave said, “Reyes wants your cooperation.”
His face closed immediately.
“No.”
“She can reduce charges.”
“No.”
“You could dismantle everything.”
“I said no.”
Mave stood.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The boss.”
“I am the boss.”
“No, Vincent.”
She looked down at him.
“You’re a man in a hospital bed with twelve stitches, two broken ribs, no organization left, and a secretary who is very tired of taking orders.”
His eyes narrowed.
“My organization is not gone.”
“Half got arrested.”
“Half is still half.”
She stared.
He stared back.
Then Mave said quietly:
“If you rebuild it, I’m gone.”
Vincent’s expression changed.
She continued.
“I will not spend my life wondering whether the man I love is coming home or getting zipped into a body bag.”
He went still.
“You said…”
“Yes.”
“You love me?”
Mave looked annoyed.
“That’s what you heard?”
“It was the important part.”
She almost laughed.
Then her eyes filled.
“I love you.”
Vincent said nothing.
“But love doesn’t mean I follow you into hell.”
His voice was low.
“What are you asking?”
“Choose.”
“Between you and my family?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Between the man they made you and the man you want to be.”
Vincent looked toward the window.
For a long time, he said nothing.
Then he reached for the call button.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling Reyes.”
Mave stared.
Vincent looked at her.
“You said choose.”
May you like
He pressed the button.
“I just did.”
