Chapter 7 - RECKONING IN THE RAIN
The alleyway descended into pure, chaotic war.
Sparks flew off the brick walls as heavy automatic rounds tore through concrete and glass. Vance’s men were cut down in seconds, caught entirely off guard by the tactical force dropping from the roofs.
Cassian Vance tried to reach his truck, but three of my elite shooters caught him in the crossfire. He collapsed onto the wet pavement, his reign over the New York underworld ending in a silent puddle of rainwater.
Victor was running.
Despite his age, the old traitor scrambled through the smoke, heading toward a narrow service stairwell that led up to the elevated railway tracks behind the factory.
"VICTOR!" I roared over the sound of gunfire.
I gave chase, my boots splashing through the crimson-stained puddles on the concrete.
I cornered him on the rusted metal landing halfway up the fire escape. The rain washed over us, soaking my suit and plastered Victor’s white hair to his forehead. He turned around frantically, raising his silver pistol with shaking hands.
CLICK.
The chamber clicked empty. He had fired his last round into the dark.
Victor froze, throwing the empty gun at my chest in a fit of cowardly rage. It bounced off my tactical vest harmlessly.
I stepped onto the landing, towering over him. The cold rain dripped from my jaw line as I looked down at the man who had tried to destroy my life.
"Please... Aleandro..." Victor stammered, backing up until his spine hit the iron railing. His hands came up in a desperate, pleading gesture. "I... I was confused! Vance forced me into this! He threatened my family!"
"You don't have a family, Victor," I said, my voice empty of all emotion, cold as the grave. "You traded them away years ago for greed."
"I raised you!" he wept, tears mixing with the rain on his withered cheeks. "I was there when your father died! I held you at his funeral!"
"And that is why your death will be quiet," I whispered.
I didn't use a gun. I stepped forward, grabbed Victor by his lapels, and slammed him against the iron railing.
I looked deeply into his wide, terrified eyes—letting him see the full, terrifying truth of the monster he had created.
"You tried to take my bride," I whispered into his ear. "You tried to murder an eight-year-old child. You betrayed my blood."
With one powerful surge of strength, I lifted him over the rusted iron barrier.
Victor let out one long, piercing shriek as he plummeted forty feet into the dark, rain-swept alleyway below.
CRASH.
Then, there was only the sound of the rain falling against the metal roof.
I stood on the landing for a long moment, catching my breath, watching the smoke clear from the alleyway below. My men were already securing the perimeter, piling the weapons, and sweeping the area.
I pulled my satellite phone from my pocket and dialed the one number that mattered.
It rang once.
"Aleandro?!" Isabella’s voice sobbed through the speaker, frantic and desperate. "Aleandro, please tell me you're alive! Are you okay?!"
I wiped the rainwater from my eyes and took a deep, clear breath.
May you like
"She's safe, Isabella," I said, my voice softening completely. "Sofia is in my car. We are coming home."
On the other end of the line, I heard Isabella fall to her knees, weeping tears of pure, overwhelming joy.
