Page 37 of Marco

“Men. As many as you can spare. We attack at midnight.”

Bruno gives a sharp nod. “Consider it done.”

I clasp his shoulder, a silent thanks passing between us. My next stop is an auto shop downtown, one of my most lucrative fronts. The owner, Gianni, was once my right-hand man, as loyal as family. But he too walked away from this life, tired of the violence and chaos. Still, there are bonds that endure beyond this world—and Gianni owes me his allegiance.

Tonight, I’ll call in the last of the favors I’m owed. Luca and I have a plan, but we’ll need all the help we can get. The Rosales won’t go down without a fight, and if we fail—there will be no future for me and Alessia. No escape from this life that has taken everything from us both.

The cost of victory will be high. But defeat is not an option. Not when we’ve finally glimpsed our future, not when freedom is so close I can almost taste it. Tonight, the Rosales era ends. And with the dawn, a new life begins.

Midnight. The old shipping yard is eerily empty, moonlight glinting off rusting metal and shattered glass. My men are in position, stationed throughout the dilapidated buildings and behind crumbling cargo containers. Luca and Gianni flank me, a grim anticipation etched into their features.

And behind them, Alessia. She insisted on coming, even though I warned her of how dangerous it would be. "You might distract me," I had told her. "I need all of my focus on taking out Rosales." "We are a team," she had replied "We went into this together, and we're coming out of it together." I had begrudgingly agreed, startled by her bravery even though I know she contains an inner strength that never fails to amaze me.

In my pocket is a single bullet. One way or another, this ends tonight.

The minutes tick by. My muscles are coiled tight, senses straining for any sign of movement. Then a flicker of light in the distance—the beam of a flashlight cutting through the darkness. I nod to Luca and my men fan out, melting into the shadows as a dozen figures emerge from the gates.

Rosales soldiers. And at their head, the snake himself—Hector Rosales.

They walk into the trap unknowing, confident in the territory they control. They thought I was done for good, not hunting them from the shadows. In the solitude of this place, there are no witnesses. No one to hear the gunshots that will ring out, or the cries of the dying.

My finger tightens around the trigger, every fiber of my being screaming to put a bullet in Rosales’ head. But I hold steady, waiting for the right moment.

“Well, well,” Rosales calls out, his mocking tone grating. “The infamous Marco De Luca. To what do we owe the pleasure?”

I step forward, standing in a pool of light. A challenge and a dare. “Your attempt to rain terror down on this city ends tonight.”

Rosales laughs, the sound echoing through the yard. “Big words. Let’s see if you can back them up.” His men fan out, mirroring mine as a tense standoff ensues. The calm before the storm.

In this moment, I see it all with stark clarity—the violence that has shaped me, the love that saved me, the life I’m leaving behind. I tighten my grip on the gun, steeling myself for what comes next. For Alessia. For the future that awaits us.

I meet Rosales’ gaze, a grim promise in my eyes. “I mean it, Hector. It ends tonight.”

The first shot rings out. And all hell breaks loose.

Bullets whiz past, a hail of gunfire from both sides. My men take cover, returning fire as Rosales' men do the same. But I stand motionless, waiting. Watching.

There. A flash of movement to my left. One of Rosales' men emerges, taking aim. Before he can fire, a sharp crack rings out. He crumples with a cry, a bullet hole in his forehead.

I glance over to see Alessia lowering her gun, a steely glint in her eyes. She's found her target.

A surge of pride and fear wars within me. I want to shout at her to take cover, to get to safety. But I know she won't listen. Not when there are lives at stake. Not when this fight is as much hers as it is mine.

She's no longer the woman I met months ago, cowering in her gilded cage. The Alessia by my side is a force to be reckoned with—my partner in crime, my wife, the one person I know I can always count on.

Together, we stride into the fray, coordinating our shots to pick off Rosales' men one by one. The odds are still against us, but with Alessia at my side, I know we'll win this. We'll build the future we deserve, one bullet at a time.

Rosales snarls, realizing his forces are dropping like flies. He ducks behind a pile of crates, no doubt plotting his next move. But he won't get the chance.

I catch Alessia's eye and nod. It's time to end this.

We fan out, flanking Rosales on both sides. He emerges with a roar, guns blazing—only to falter at the sight of our guns trained on him.

Checkmate.

Rosales' eyes dart between us, rage and disbelief twisting his features. He opens his mouth for one final taunt—

Two shots ring out in unison. Rosales crashes to the ground, a bullet in his head and heart.

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