Chapter 8 - A Mother’s Strength, A Daughter’s Grace
The second gunman fired wildly, but Vincent rolled behind the kitchen island, returning fire with lethal precision. Two shots echoed through the room, and the second intruder fell still.
"Carmen!" Vincent shouted, moving around the island to her side.
"I'm here! I'm okay!" she gasped, trembling violently but pointing toward the pantry. "Isabella is in there! She’s safe!"
Vincent quickly unlocked the pantry door. Isabella was curled into a ball, clutching her knees, weeping silently. When she saw Vincent, she didn't see a terrifying mob boss; she saw her savior. She lunged forward, throwing her arms around his neck.
"I've got you," Vincent whispered, his voice cracking slightly as he lifted her up. "I've got you both. You are safe."
Outside, the sounds of automatic gunfire erupted as Marco and the Torino reinforcement unit arrived, engaging the remainder of the Marcone hit squad in the front yard. The battle was brief, brutal, and completely one-sided. The Marcone men had expected an easy abduction; instead, they had walked into a meat grinder orchestrated by a furious syndicate.
Marco walked into the kitchen a few minutes later, his weapon lowered. "It's cleared outside, Boss. All threats neutralized. But Donato won't stop. Now that he knows he failed, he’ll go into hiding or launch an all-out war."
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Vincent handed Isabella gently to Carmen. "Take her upstairs. Lock the door. Marco’s best men will stay outside the room."
He turned back to Marco, his expression settling into a mask of absolute, unforgiving finality. "We don't wait for a war, Marco. Tonight, we end the Marcone family forever."
