Chapter 11 - DARKNESS

Gunfire exploded through the darkness.

Paolo dropped to the floor.

“Talia!”

“I’m here!”

“Stay down!”

Ava screamed somewhere to his right.

Paolo crawled toward the sound.

Emergency lights flickered red.

Renato’s men fired toward the loading bay.

Marco had cut the power.

Exactly on time.

Darius entered through the side corridor with two men.

“Move!”

Paolo saw Ava’s chair.

He ran.

A gunman appeared.

Paolo slammed into him before he could fire.

They hit the concrete.

The weapon skidded away.

Paolo drove his shoulder into the man and knocked him unconscious.

“Ava!”

“Daddy!”

He reached her.

“Close your eyes.”

“I’m scared.”

“I know.”

He cut the ropes.

She jumped into his arms.

For the first time all night, Paolo breathed.

Then someone pressed a gun against his back.

“Put her down.”

Renato.

Paolo froze.

Ava whimpered.

“Uncle.”

“Put the child down.”

Paolo lowered her gently behind a steel support.

“Run to Aunt Talia.”

Ava didn’t move.

“Go!”

She ran.

Renato kept the gun on Paolo.

“You always were stubborn.”

“You kidnapped a child.”

“I kidnapped leverage.”

“She’s your blood.”

Renato laughed.

“That word means nothing.”

Paolo looked at him.

“At least you finally said one honest thing.”

Renato’s eyes hardened.

“You took everything from me.”

“I was nineteen.”

“Your father chose you.”

“I didn’t ask him to.”

“He gave you the future that belonged to me.”

“And you spent twenty years proving why he didn’t.”

Renato raised the gun.

“You sound like him.”

“Good.”

A shot rang out.

Paolo flinched.

Renato’s gun fell from his hand.

Blood spread across his sleeve.

Talia stood behind him, holding a pistol with both hands.

She was shaking violently.

Renato turned.

“You stupid little girl.”

Talia’s voice broke.

“Stay away from my brother.”

Renato lunged.

Paolo tackled him.

They crashed into a stack of metal crates.

Renato fought like a man half his age.

He drove an elbow into Paolo’s jaw.

Paolo hit back.

Years of anger came with every blow.

Sicily.

Elise’s car.

Ava crying.

Six stolen months.

Renato grabbed a piece of broken pipe.

Before he could swing it, Luca threw himself into him.

Both men crashed against the railing.

“Luca!”

Paolo grabbed him.

Renato hung over the edge.

One hand gripping the railing.

Below them was a twenty-foot drop to the factory floor.

Renato looked up.

“Help me.”

Paolo stared down at him.

For one terrible second, he wanted to let go.

Every part of him remembered Ava tied to the chair.

Elise mourning a living husband.

The bullets in Sicily.

Renato whispered, “Paolo.”

Paolo reached down.

He grabbed his uncle’s wrist.

Renato smiled.

Then tried to pull Paolo over the railing with him.

Luca grabbed Paolo’s coat.

Talia screamed.

Darius rushed forward.

Renato lost his grip.

He fell.

A metal platform broke his fall before he hit the concrete.

He survived.

Barely.

Paolo stood above him.

Breathing hard.

Renato groaned.

Paolo looked down.

“You don’t get to die and escape this.”

Police sirens sounded outside.

Marco ran in.

“Ava’s safe.”

Paolo closed his eyes.

Then opened them.

“Victor?”

Marco’s expression darkened.

“Gone.”

Paolo stared at him.

“What do you mean, gone?”

“He disappeared during the attack.”

Luca leaned against the railing.

“Then this isn’t over.”

Paolo looked toward the open loading bay.

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