Page 26 of Lucky

Before I can respond, a screech of tires slices through the air. The sound sets every man in the room on edge. Guns are drawn. My heart pounds as I glare toward the source of the noise.

“What the hell is that?” Vito mutters, already pulling his weapon.

The warehouse doors burst open, metal screaming against metal, as an SUV barrels into the room. It’s chaos in an instant. Men spill out of the vehicle, armed to the teeth, shouting commands and moving with precision. My gut tightens as I recognize the leader of the group.

“Daniel,” I growl, stepping forward even as Emilio swears under his breath.

Daniel Russo. The name feels like bile in my throat. One of the most vocal of the Vicci dissidents, he strides into the warehouse with the smug confidence of a man who knows he has the upper hand. His crew fans out, weapons raised.

“Motherfucker!” Emilio hisses.

“Didn’t think you’d start the party without us, Marco,” Daniel says, his voice mocking me.

“This clown one of yours?” Emilio spits. He’s fuming, and an angry Emilio Cavallo is not someone you want to have on your speed dial.

“This is none of your business, Daniel,” I snap. “You’re defying orders by being here.” I step between Daniel and the crates. “Jack isn’t going to be happy about this.”

Daniel smirks. “Jack doesn’t speak for all of us anymore.”

He doesn’t say what everyone in the Vicci camp is already thinking; that after Jacklyn executed two of our own, faith in her leadership has all but vanished. Daniel’s breach of this deal feelslike the final nail in the Vicci coffin—the clear sign that we’re all aboard a sinking ship that’s going no-where.

Before I can respond, the first shot rings out.

The world explodes into chaos.

The Cavallo guards fire back immediately, their precision honed by years of dealing in blood and violence. The warehouse becomes a war zone, bullets ricocheting off steel beams, crates splintering under the assault.

I duck behind a stack of crates, my heart pounding. I fire at one of Daniel’s men who’s taken cover behind a forklift. The man crumples, and I curse under my breath, realising that our own men organized a full-blown ambush. This, now, will also put us on the Cavallo family’s radar. My mind races. The Cavallos will see this as a betrayal, and if they walk away, the Vicci family will lose not just the arms but another crucial ally.

“Marco!” Vito shouts from across the room. “We’re outnumbered!”

“Hold them off!” I yell, firing again.

I can see the Cavallos retreating as the firefight rages on, their faith in the deal shattered. Emilio shoots me a look before ducking into his car, and I know exactly what he’s trying to tell me.This is on you.

As the Cavallo vehicles peel out of the warehouse, Daniel’s men surge forward. My loyalists, overwhelmed by the sheer number of men attacking us, fall back.

Daniel grabs one of the crates, laughing as he barks orders to his men. “Load ’em up! Tonight, we take what we’re owed!”

The sight sendsa surge of fury through me. This isn’t just disobedience—it’s treason.

I lunge forward, tackling Daniel to the ground. We grapple, fists flying. My knuckles connect with his jaw, a satisfying crunch, but he recovers quickly, slamming his head into mine. Pain explodes across my skull, and I stagger back.

“You’re done, Marco,” Daniel sneers, blood trickling down his lip. “Jack’s reign is over, and so is yours. The minute I put a bullet in your head, I’m out of here and I’m off to finish what remains of the Vicci line. This city needs new blood.”

“Fuck you, Daniel! You don’t have what it takes to be a leader,” I hiss.

“You don’t think I’d do a better job than your little whore?”

I lunge at him, but his men grab me, dragging me to my knees. A gun presses against my temple, cold and unyielding.

“Finish him,” Daniel orders, turning his back on me as if I’m already dead.

But then the sound of sirens pierces the night.

“Cops!” someone shouts.

Daniel’s men scramble, grabbing what they can and retreating into their vehicles. Within moments, the warehouse is empty, save for the bodies and the blood.

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