Sunset bled across the sky . Orange . Red . The colour of endings .
Seventeen rounds.
I counted them again. Alessio's gun was heavy in my lap . Heavier than it looked. Heavier than then choice I was making.
The Buick's engine hummed . I was alone .
He said ' mine ' . That means I don't die without permission.
But he also said ' run ' . And I was done running.
I passed the compound on fifth . His men were there . Big cars . Bigger guns . Waiting for an order that was not coming. If I stopped, they'd lock me in a room and call him . He'd bleed out in that basement trying to save me .
My choice.
I didn't stop .
The docks smelled like salt and rust and diesel . Seagulls scattered as my tires crunched over broken glass . Three black SUVs . Just like the hospital. No plates. No mercy .
Moretti stood of a shipping container. The door was open . Dark inside. He was smiling . That was the worst part .
Don De Luca was on his knees in the gravel . Chained . Shirt torn . Face swollen , one eye shut . But alive. Breathing.
Barely .
A man I'd only seen in pictures . Alessio's father . The real don . The reason this war started six months ago .
" Where is he?" Moretti asked. He didn't look at me . He looked past me , like Alessio would rise from the concrete.
" Dead ." The lie came easy . Too easy . " You killed him at the hospital. I'm all that's left ."
Moretti's smile widened. He walked to Don De Luca . Pressed a gun to the old man's temple . The metal clicked.
" Then you're worthless to me , girl."
I stepped forward. Hands empty. Palms up .
" He told me things ."
That stopped him.
" He told me where the bodies are ." My voice didn't shake . I was proud of that . " All of them . The ones you've been looking for since '98 . The ones that would put you away for life ."
Moretti's eyes narrowed. " You're lying."
" Am I ?" I tilted my head . Just like Alessio did when he was about to kill . " He said you burried your brother in the foundation of your first casino . Said you used his wedding ring to pay off the cement truck driver. Said the driver still has it. In a box , under his bed. "
It was a guess. A good one. Alessio talked in his sleep when the fever got bad . Names . Places . Sins .
Moretti's finger twitched on the trigger.
I kept going. " Kill me , you never find them . Kill him–" I nodded at Don De Luca .
" –and I take it to the Feds myself. Trade me , and I'll tell you . One body at a time . For every month he lives . "
A negotiation. Not begging.
Don De Luca raised his head . His one good eye found mine . He didn't look surprised . He looked.... proud.
Moretti laughed. It was an ugly laugh . " You've got a mouth on you . Just like him . " He gestured the with the gun . " Walk . Into the container. Slow . "
I walked.
The shipping container smelled like oil and old blood . A single bulb hung from the ceiling. There was a chair in the middle . Metal . Botled down . Restraints on the arms .
This was where they were going to keep me .
Moretti followed. Two of his mens behind him . The rest stayed with Don De Luca . Outside.
" Chain her ," Moretti said .
One man grabbed my arm .
I didn't fight . Not yet .
Because Alessio taught me one thing : Always let them think they've won . Until they are close enough to choke .
The man locked the first cuff around my wrist . Cold . Tight.
" Other hand ," Moretti said .
I gave it to him . Smiled. " You should have checked the car ."
Moretti frowned. " What?"
" The Buick." I nodded toward the open container door . Sunset painted the docks red . " Alessio bled out over the passenger seat . On the way here ."
His face went white .
" You didn't think I'd come alone , did you?" I leaned forward , as far as the chain let me. " He's not dead , Moretti. He's just late . And he's very , very angry ."
It was a bluff . Half a bluff .
I hadn't called Alessio's men . I hadn't called anyone.
But I did do one thing before I left the basement.
I'd taken the burner phone from the shelf . The one that rang .
And I'd texted one word to the only number in its call log .
Docks.
I didn't know who was on the other end . Alessio's man . Moretti's man . Didn't matter.
Because if it was Alessio's, they'd come.
If it was Moretti's, they'd think I was calling for backup . They'd get sloppy . Nervous.
Either way , I win .
Moretti grabbed my jaw . Squeezed . " You little–"
The first shot didn't come from him .
It came from the roof of the warehouse across te yard .
One of Moretti's men dropped . No sound. No scream . Just a hole where his eyes used to be .
Moretti spun, dragging me with him , using me as a shield. " De Luca!" he screamed at the docks . " Show yourself!"
Nothing.
Then a second shot . Another man down .
Panic . The remaining Moretti soldier fired blindly into the rafters . Wasted bullets.
Don De Luca Sr. was still on his knees outside. One of Alessio's men – I didn't know his name , just the tattoo – dropped from the fire escape, cut the old man's chains , and dragged him behind a crate.
It was happening. It was actually happening .
Moretti's gun was at my temple now . His breath hot on my ear . " Call them off! Or I swear to God –"
" You first ," I said .
And then I bit him .
Hard . On the meaty part of his hand between thumb and finger. Big down until I tasted blood.
He screamed . The gun went off .
Next to my ear . The sound took the world away . All I heard was ringing . All I saw was white .
But I was alive.
He wasn't holding me anymore .
I fell to my knees . The chain yanked my arm . My shoulder screamed.
When the white faded , I saw him .
Alessio.
He wasn't supposed to be here . He was supposed to be in that basement, bleeding, dying.
He was here .
Leaning on a shipping crate . White shirt soaked red . Again . Always . Gun in his hand . Shaking. But aimed . Right at Moretti's head .
" Touch her," Alessio said . His voice was a ruin . Broken glass and bourbon ." And your whole family dies tonight . I'll start with your sons . Then your wife . Then I'll burner your houses . Just like you burned mine."
He walked to me . Each step looked like it would kill him . He stepped in front of me . Back to Moretti. Facing me .
Full trust .
" Noone trades what's mine , principessa. "
I was furious. " You'll die! You can barely stand!"
" Then we die together."
He dropped to his knees. Hard . His face was inches from mine . He cupped my cheek . His thumb wiped blood from my lip . His or mine . Didn't matter .
" Mine," he growled. " Now you're really mine ."
He kissed me .
Not soft. Not sweet .
Bloody . Desperate. Like it was the last thing he'd ever do . Like he was trying to crawl inside my lungs and stay there .
" Alessio–"
More gunfire . From the roofs . From the ground. From everywhere.
Moretti was screaming orders . Don De Luca Sr. was being dragged to cover , a bullet in his shoulder. Red on his white shirt . Like father ,Like son .
Moretti broke through th pe chaos . Grabbed me by the hair . Yanked me up . The chain snapped my wrist. Pain . Bright. Hot .
He dragged me in front of him . Gun to my temple. Again .
Alessio went still .
He dropped his gun . It clattered on the concrete . He raised his hands . Empty . Surrending .
" Let her go ," Alessio said . No more Don . No more steel. Just a man begging. " Take me . Kill me . She's done nothing."
Moretti laughed. Bloody spit on his chin . " Both of you die . But her first . So you can watch ."
The gun clicked against my skull .
I looked at Alessio.
No tears . No begging.
I smiled. Bloody . Defiant . His .
" Two ," I whispered. " You're catching up ."
Click .