Chapter 6 - Blood on the Marble
A blinding, terrifying rage exploded inside Daario’s chest—a fire so white-hot that it wiped away all fear, all pain, and all hesitation.
"Vance!" Daario roared.
Before Vance’s men could react, Daario vaulted completely over the second-floor stone railing, dropping fifteen feet through the air, landing heavily on top of the mercenary holding the explosive case. The impact crushed the man’s chest, killing him instantly.
Daario rolled across the marble floor, drawing his secondary firearm from his thigh holster, firing four rapid shots.
The three remaining mercenaries dropped like stone statues, bullets tearing through their chests before they could even raise their rifles.
Vance gasped, staggering backward in absolute horror. The cold, calculated Don he had prepared to fight had vanished. Standing before him was a primal predator, blood dripping down his forehead from a shrapnel cut, his eyes burning with demonic fury.
Vance raised his silver revolver with shaking hands, firing wildly.
One bullet grazed Daario’s shoulder, tearing through his tactical vest, but Daario didn't even flinch. He closed the distance in a fraction of a second, grabbing Vance’s wrist, twisting it until the silver revolver clattered onto the floor.
Daario drove a massive fist straight into Vance’s jaw, knocking the rival Don onto his back across the blood-stained rug.
Vance scrambled backward on his hands and knees, clutching his broken jaw, sobbing hysterically. "Wait! Wait, Kanti! Please! We can make a deal! I’ll give you my territory! I’ll give you everything!"
Daario walked toward him slowly, his heavy boots crunching over shattered glass and spent bullet casings. He reached down, grabbing Vance by his collar, dragging his heavy frame across the floor toward the grand entrance doors.
"You brought war to my home," Daario said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "You threatened my wife. You threatened my son."
"She’s just a maid!" Vance choked out through blood and broken teeth.
"She is my queen," Daario corrected him, his eyes black with final judgment. "And this is my domain."
Daario pressed the barrel of his sidearm directly against Vance’s forehead.
BANG.
The gunshot echoed off the distant hills, cutting through the fading rain as Vance’s body went limp on the marble steps.
Silence fell over the estate.
The remaining mercenaries outside, seeing their leader dead and hearing the approach of Lev’s tactical reinforcement vehicles coming up the driveway, abandoned their weapons and fled into the dark forest.
Daario stood on the front steps, drenched in rain and blood, holding his chest as his wound bled heavily through his black vest.
Lev rushed up the steps, his face covered in soot, two armed guards following close behind. "Boss! The perimeter is clear! The rest of Vance’s men are running!"
Daario didn't answer. He turned around, stumbling back into the ruined, smoke-filled foyer, heading straight down the cellar stairs into the deep darkness beneath the house.
He reached the heavy steel blast door of the subterranean safe room. His hands were shaking violently as he typed the four-digit emergency override code into the digital keypad.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. ACCESS GRANTED.
The heavy steel door unlocked with a deep pneumatic hiss, swinging open.
Inside, sitting on a soft bench under the warm yellow emergency light, was Elena. She was holding Matteo close to her chest, her face pale, tears streaming down her eyes.
When the door opened and she saw Daario standing in the doorway—bleeding, bruised, but alive—she let out a sob, stood up, and rushed into his arms.
"Daario!" she wept, burying her face in his neck, completely unbothered by the blood on his uniform.
Daario collapsed onto his knees right there in the doorway, wrapping his broad arms around both Elena and Matteo, pulling them against his heart as if he would never let them go.
"It’s over," Daario rasped, his voice trembling as he pressed his lips against Elena’s forehead, then against Matteo’s soft cheeks. "It’s over, my love. You’re safe. I’ve got you."
Matteo reached out his tiny hand, patting Daario’s bloody cheek, letting out a quiet babble, completely unharmed.
May you like
Elena looked into Daario’s exhausted eyes, seeing the deep, profound love shining through the grime and violence. "You came back for us," she whispered.
"I will always come back for you," Daario swore softly, his thumb gently wiping away her tears. "Always."
