Chapter 8: The Last Order
Rain swept across the South Docks as Dante’s car stopped beside Warehouse Nine.
Lena Ortiz looked at the tracking screen.
“The signal is inside.
Federal officers are four minutes away.”
“Four minutes is too long.”
Patricia caught Dante’s arm.
“If Vincent sees you angry, he will use it.”
“He has my wife.”
“And she needs the man who left her room when she was afraid—not the man Vincent expects.”
Dante looked at her, then lowered his hand from the p*stol inside his coat.
“Stay with Lena.”
“No,” Patricia said.
“He is my husband.
Serena is my daughter.
I finish this with them.”
Inside the warehouse, Vincent held Serena beside a metal desk while Carlo poured liquid over boxes of records.
Serena stared at him.
“Destroying paper will not erase the files.”
Vincent pushed a phone toward her.
“Call Arthur.
Tell him the recording is false.”
“No.”
“Do it, and Dante lives.”
“You promised Mom the same thing upstairs.”
Carlo struck a match.
A voice came from the shadows.
“I would not drop that.”
The night captain, Elias Mercer, stepped into the light.
Carlo froze.
“You were bought.”
Elias lifted his phone.
“I took your money because Agent Ellis needed proof.”
Vincent’s face hardened.
“You betrayed me for a badge?”
“No.
I watched you threaten a woman who called you Dad.”
Carlo rushed at Elias, but Dante stepped from behind a support pillar and blocked him.
“Stay away from her.”
Vincent pulled Serena against him.
“Another step and you lose her.”
Dante stopped.
“Let Serena go.
Take the docks.”
“You would surrender everything?”
“For her, yes.”
Serena looked at him.
“Dante, don’t.”
Vincent smiled.
“There.
That is why your father lost.
He loved people more than power.”
Dante’s eyes narrowed.
“You admit you ordered his death?”
“I gave Carlo one simple instruction.”
Elias angled his phone toward Vincent.
Carlo shouted, “Stop talking!”
Vincent turned on him.
“You think silence will save you?”
Carlo threw the match onto the wet floor and ran for the side door.
Lena entered with two federal officers.
“Carlo Esposito, stop.”
Carlo halted with his hands raised.
Vincent dragged Serena toward a waiting car.
Patricia stepped into his path.
“Move.”
“No.”
“You have obeyed me for thirty-four years.”
Patricia removed her wedding ring.
“Then you have had your last day.”
She dropped it at his feet.
Vincent aimed the p*stol at her.
Serena drove her heel down on his foot and twisted free.
Dante reached her as officers surrounded Vincent.
“Put it down,” Agent Mara Ellis ordered.
Vincent looked from Patricia to Serena, then at Dante holding his wife.
“You think this makes you better than me?” he asked Dante.
“No,” Dante said.
“What I do after tonight will answer that.”
Vincent let the p*stol fall.
Mara fastened restraints around his wrists.
“Vincent Romano, you are under arrest for conspiracy, attempted m*rder, bribery, extortion, and obstruction.”
Another officer restrained Carlo.
Carlo glared at Vincent.
“I will tell them everything.”
Vincent laughed without humor.
“You were a servant when I found you, Carlo.
You will be a servant in prison.”
Mara led Vincent toward the door.
He looked back at Serena.
“You will regret choosing a Cavali.”
Serena took Dante’s hand.
“No, Dad.
I regret how long it took me to stop choosing you.”
Vincent’s face emptied as the officers led him into the rain.
Serena turned into Dante’s arms and began to shake.
“You came,” she whispered.
He held her carefully.
“This time, I knew you wanted me to.”
Mara approached with the recovered memory card sealed in an evidence bag.
“This recording changes everything,” she said.
“Including Serena’s legal position.”
Dante’s arm tightened around his wife.
“What legal position?”
May you like
Mara looked at Serena.
“Vincent listed you as an officer in every company tied to the South Docks.”
