Chapter 9 - A Sanctuary Built from Ashes
Before Matteo could pull the trigger of his rifle, flashbang grenades crashed through the glass ceiling above, exploding in a blinding light and deafening roar. Marco and ten of my elite loyalists descended on tactical ropes from helicopters hovering outside the penthouse.
Gunfire erupted through the grand living room, glass shattering and marble splintering under a hail of bullets. I dived behind the thick oak dining table, popping up to fire twice into Dominic’s chest as he tried to aim at Marco. Dominic collapsed, his eyes wide in disbelief as his life drained onto the floor.
Matteo retreated toward the broken terrace, firing wildly behind him. I sprinted through the smoke and crossfire, pursuing him out onto the open balcony fifty stories above Manhattan. Rain was pouring down now, mingling with the blood on the tiles.
Matteo tried to reload his weapon with slick, bleeding hands, but I kicked the rifle out of his grip, sending it spinning over the edge of the terrace into the abyss below. I grabbed him by the throat, slamming him against the glass railing.
“You threatened my daughter,” I growled, my teeth bared, the monster inside me unleashed in full force.
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“Vincent... wait...” Matteo gasped, struggling for breath as his eyes bulged with fear.
“There is no waiting in hell,” I whispered, and with one final, powerful surge, I lifted him over the railing and let him fall into the dark, rainy night below.
