Chapter 9 - The Final Reckoning
Before the gunman could pull the trigger, a dark shadow erupted through the shattered doorway behind him.
Luca Marino slammed into the tactical operative like a freight train, driving him backward into the mahogany bookshelves. Heavy tomes rained down as the two men tangled in a violent, desperate struggle for the weapon.
A single shot went wild, embedding itself harmlessly into the plaster ceiling.
With a brutal twist, Luca disarmed the operative, slammed the butt of the submachine gun against the man’s temple, and sent him crashing unconscious to the hardwood floor.
Luca stood up, breathing heavily, blood trickling from a cut above his left eyebrow. He looked at Josie and Mila.
“You okay?” Luca panted.
“We’re okay,” Josie whispered, dropping the brass poker with a metallic clang. Her knees finally gave out, and she slid down against the wall, pulling Mila into a fierce, protective hug.
“Dante’s back,” Luca said, pressing his hand to his earpiece. “Arthur’s men have been rounded up across the estate. The threat is neutralized.”
Ten minutes later, the fog outside parted as Dante Rossi strode through the shattered front doors of the estate, his coat soaked with rain and sweat. He didn't wait for his men to brief him; he rushed down the hallway, bursting into the library.
When he saw Mila sitting safely in Josie’s arms, unharmed, the terrifying syndicate boss dropped to his knees before them.
He pulled both of them into his arms, burying his face against Josie’s shoulder while his hand cupped the back of Mila’s head.
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“You’re safe,” Dante murmured, his voice thick with unshed tears. “You’re both safe. It’s over.”
Josie rested her chin on his shoulder, letting out a long, trembling breath that felt like it had been trapped inside her for years. For the first time since she started working at Callahan’s Pub, the crushing weight of survival lifted from her chest.
