Chapter 7 - The Brother Who Wanted an EmpireElena's head felt as though someone had filled her skull with wet concrete.
She forced her eyes to focus.
Warehouse.
Concrete floor.
Metal walls.
One overhead light.
Her wrists were secured behind the chair with plastic restraints.
Matteo DeLuca stood ten feet away.
He looked nothing like a desperate criminal.
His charcoal sweater was expensive.
His shoes were polished.
His hair was perfectly cut.
He could have been waiting for a business meeting.
“You're difficult to kill,” he said.
Elena swallowed.
“You're bad at it.”
Matteo smiled.
“I understand why Gabriel likes you.”
“Does he?”
“Oh, please.”
Matteo dragged a chair closer and sat.
“The man moved half his organization because somebody photographed you.”
Elena said nothing.
“You saved the wrong baby.”
“You mentioned that.”
“My brother made a mistake.”
“Having a son?”
“Falling in love with a Russo.”
Elena studied him.
“You're doing this for money.”
“Money?”
Matteo laughed.
“You think two hundred and eighty million dollars matters to families like ours?”
“Apparently enough to poison an infant.”
His smile disappeared.
“Leo is more than an inheritance.”
“Then explain.”
Matteo leaned forward.
“My brother Carlo controlled legitimate assets that connect half the DeLuca network.”
“Companies.”
“Ports. Construction. Logistics. Real estate.”
Elena understood.
“If Leo lives, Isabella controls those assets as his guardian.”
“Until he becomes an adult.”
“And if Leo dies?”
“I inherit.”
Matteo smiled.
“And the DeLuca organization becomes mine.”
“You're murdering your nephew for a promotion.”
“Don't moralize.”
“He weighs two pounds.”
Matteo's eyes hardened.
“And one day he will weigh two hundred.”
Elena felt disgust.
“You're afraid of a baby.”
The slap came without warning.
Her head snapped sideways.
Pain spread through her cheek.
Matteo crouched beside her.
“Careful.”
Elena tasted blood.
She looked back at him.
“Still afraid.”
His expression darkened.
Then a phone rang.
Matteo answered.
“Yes?”
He listened.
“What?”
His face changed.
“When?”
Another pause.
“Find out.”
He ended the call.
Elena smiled.
“Problem?”
“Gabriel found the transport.”
“Of course he did.”
“He found the transport, not you.”
“He'll find me.”
“You sound very confident.”
“You don't know him.”
Matteo laughed.
“I've known Gabriel Russo since we were children.”
“Then you should be terrified.”
For the first time, Matteo's confidence slipped.
Elena saw it.
Good.
She needed time.
She examined the room.
One door.
Two guards.
A camera.
No windows.
Her restraints were tight but not professional.
Matteo had underestimated her.
Everyone underestimated nurses.
They spent their lives around scissors, needles, tape, tubes, restraints, and frightened people.
Elena began slowly rotating her right wrist.
Matteo paced.
“What exactly did Gabriel tell you about my brother?”
“That he killed him.”
Matteo stopped.
“At least he admitted it.”
“He said Carlo ordered a bombing.”
“He did.”
The admission surprised her.
“Then why defend him?”
“I don't.”
Matteo shrugged.
“My brother was impulsive.”
“You mean murderous.”
“Same family trait.”
He smiled.
“But Carlo had vision.”
“And you?”
“I have patience.”
Matteo approached.
“I waited until Gabriel believed the war was over.”
His voice lowered.
“I placed people inside hospitals, businesses, even his own organization.”
Elena remembered Vittorio.
“How many?”
“Enough.”
That was what she needed.
“Names?”
Matteo laughed.
“You're not interrogating me.”
“No.”
Elena shrugged.
“I'm keeping you talking.”
His eyes narrowed.
Too late.
She had already loosened one wrist.
Outside, a sound echoed.
A distant impact.
One guard looked toward the door.
Matteo immediately drew a pistol.
Another sound.
Closer.
Then silence.
Matteo smiled nervously.
“Your boyfriend is dramatic.”
“He's not my boyfriend.”
“Interesting distinction.”
The lights went out.
Darkness swallowed the warehouse.
Someone shouted.
Gunfire erupted outside.
Elena dropped sideways, pulling the chair with her.
Bullets struck the wall.
The emergency lights flickered red.
Matteo grabbed Elena by the hair and pulled her upright.
The barrel of his pistol pressed beneath her jaw.
“Tell him to stop!”
“You think he can hear me?”
A door exploded inward.
Gabriel entered.
Elena had never seen anything like his face.
Not anger.
Not fear.
Something beyond both.
Matteo pulled Elena against him.
“Stop!”
Gabriel froze.
Carmine and three men spread behind him.
Matteo pressed the gun harder beneath Elena's chin.
“Drop it.”
Gabriel lowered his weapon.
“Let her go.”
“On your knees.”
“Matteo.”
“On your knees!”
Gabriel obeyed.
Elena stared at him.
Gabriel Russo had probably not knelt before another person since childhood.
He did now.
For her.
Matteo smiled.
“This is beautiful.”
Gabriel's eyes remained on Elena.
“Are you hurt?”
“I'm okay.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“Gabriel.”
“Elena.”
Something passed between them.
She understood.
He was not asking casually.
He was calculating.
Assessing.
Waiting.
Elena moved.
She let her knees collapse.
Matteo instinctively tightened his grip.
That shifted the gun away from her throat.
Gabriel moved simultaneously.
A shot exploded.
Matteo screamed.
His weapon fell.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
Carmine crossed the room and kicked the gun away.
Gabriel reached Elena.
He cut the restraints.
His hands trembled.
That frightened her more than the gunfire.
“Elena.”
“I'm fine.”
He touched the bruise on her cheek.
His eyes became black.
“Who did this?”
“Don't.”
“Matteo?”
“Gabriel.”
She grabbed his face.
“Look at me.”
He did.
“I'm alive.”
His breathing slowed.
“I'm here.”
Gabriel closed his eyes.
Then he pulled her against him.
She held him.
Around them, armed men secured the warehouse.
Matteo groaned from the floor.
Gabriel looked toward him.
The old darkness returned.
Elena caught his wrist.
“No.”
“He kidnapped you.”
“I know.”
“He tried to kill Leo.”
“I know.”
“He deserves—”
“Justice.”
Gabriel stared at her.
“Not revenge.”
“Elena.”
“Police.”
The word seemed almost foreign inside the warehouse.
Carmine approached.
“We have recordings.”
He held up a phone.
“Everything Matteo said. The confession about the medication, the inheritance, the people inside Gabriel's organization.”
Elena looked at Gabriel.
“This can end without another body.”
Gabriel's jaw tightened.
For a long moment she thought he would refuse.
Then he looked toward Matteo.
“Call the police.”
Carmine blinked.
“Boss?”
“You heard me.”
May you like
It was perhaps the most difficult order Gabriel Russo had ever given.
And perhaps the most important.
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