Chapter 7 - Blood in the Snow
Vittorio didn't shoot Lucian. He wanted his half-brother alive long enough to answer to the syndicate council.
Vittorio fired two rapid shots, hitting the two mercenaries standing beside Crane in the shoulders. At the exact same time, Baron lunged through the darkness, taking down the third mercenary with a bone-shattering snap of his jaws!
Crane screamed, dropping his suppressed pistol, turning to sprint down the long marble corridor toward the rear kitchen exit!
“Mara, stay here!” Vittorio commanded, his voice cold as ice.
“No!” Mara grabbed a dropped 9mm handgun from the floor, racking the slide with a technique that made Vittorio pause for a fraction of a second. “I’m coming with you!”
Vittorio gave a tight, dark nod of approval. “Cover my left.”
They moved through the darkened estate like shadow hunters. The house was filled with the smell of cordite, rain, and iron.
Outside, in the snow-covered central courtyard, Dr. Crane scrambled toward a black SUV that was idling near the wrought-iron fountain.
He reached the driver's door, his key fob trembling in his hand.
CLICK.
The cool steel barrel of a weapon pressed against the back of Crane’s neck.
“Running away again, Doctor?” Mara’s voice echoed softly in the freezing night air.
Crane froze, his hands slowly rising above his head. He turned around, staring down at the night nurse. She wore her navy scrubs, soaked with rain, holding a heavy tactical handgun aimed directly between his eyes with absolute, unshakeable stability.
“Mara... please,” Crane gasped, his knees shaking against the slick cobblestones. “I was forced into this! Lucian had gambling debts with Valenti! He threatened my family!”
“You swore an oath to do no harm, Edmund,” Mara said, her hazel eyes burning with disgust. “You tried to murder a patient in my care.”
From the shadows behind her, Vittorio emerged, dragging a bloody, bound Lucian by his collar, tossing him onto the wet cobblestones at Crane’s feet.
Behind Vittorio, fifty heavily armed Moretti enforcers—led by Vittorio’s fiercely loyal head of security, Dominic—filled the courtyard, their rifles raised, securing the entire perimeter.
Dominic stepped forward, bowing his head to Vittorio. “Don Bellandi. The traitor forces inside the gates have been neutralized. The Valenti strike team at the dock has been wiped out.”
Vittorio didn't look at Dominic. He looked at Lucian, then at Crane.
“Take them to the deep vaults,” Vittorio commanded, his dark voice carrying over the whistling winter wind. “They will stand trial before the Seven Captains tomorrow morning.”
“Vittorio! Please! I’m your brother!” Lucian shrieked as two heavy enforcers dragged him across the snow. “Vittorio!”
Vittorio turned his back on them.
He walked across the blood-stained snow toward Mara. She lowered her weapon, her hands shaking slightly now that the adrenaline was beginning to drain from her veins.
Vittorio stood inches from her. He reached out, taking the heavy handgun from her cold fingers and clicking the safety on. Then he wrapped his warm, heavy arms around her, pulling her small, curvy frame flush against his chest, burying his face into the side of her neck.
Baron stood beside them, leaning his heavy body against Mara’s legs, letting out a soft, satisfied sigh.
“You’re safe now, Mara,” Vittorio rasped into her skin, his chest rising and falling against hers. “My Queen is safe.”
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Mara wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her forehead against his chest, listening to the strong, steady, unyielding beat of the heart she had saved.
“I was never worried, Vittorio,” she whispered. “I had you.”
