Page 106 of Forbidden Vengeance

Through my earpiece, I hear his forces engaging with our security teams throughout the hospital. The sounds of precise violence echo through supposedly sterile corridors as Siobhan’s crews and DeLuca security work to contain the threat.

“Three hostiles neutralized in the east stairwell,” Dante reports. “But they’ve got more coming in through the service entrance.”

“We’ll see about those rights,” I snarl, moving to block his view completely. The urge to strangle him rises as Anthony’s eyes fix hungrily on my daughter. “But right now, you’re leaving. Elena just gave birth. Any legal discussions can wait.”

Instead of retreating, his face transforms into something almost pitying. “You really think you can escape blood?” he asks softly. “That you can play happy family with my child? We both know what you are, Mario. What Giuseppe made you. Some darkness runs too deep to escape.”

“Maybe.” I let him see exactly what kind of monster lives in me now—all the violence Giuseppe carved into my bones focused on one purpose. Protecting what’s mine. “But I choose to use it protecting them instead of destroying everything like you. Like my father. Like everyone who thought love was weakness.”

Behind me, Stella starts to cry—a sound that makes something primal and deadly rise in my chest. Through my earpiece, I hear the coordinated chaos as our allies fight to protect us. “Two more teams breaching the fourth floor,” Antonio warns. “They’re trying to secure a path for transport.”

I see the moment Anthony’s control snaps—his eyes going wild as he lunges toward Elena’s bed. But I’m faster, Giuseppe’s lessons serving their true purpose as I slam him against the wall, my forearm across his throat.

“Touch them,” I growl, pressing until he gasps, “and I’ll show youexactlywhat kind of darkness Giuseppe created.”

Because Anthony’s right about one thing—there is darkness in me. But now it serves a better purpose than revenge or power.

Now it protects what matters.

“Love is weakness,” Anthony spits, struggling against my grip. His carefully maintained composure shatters as Stella’s cries grow louder—the sound of my daughter clearly driving him toward madness. “My uncle understood—power is the only thing that matters.”

Elena’s voice cuts through his rant, that steely determination never wavering even after hours of labor: “Power?” Her laughter cuts like glass as she cradles our crying daughter closer. “You want to talk about power while your empire crumbles? While every young crew chooses modernization over tradition? You’re fighting a war that’s already lost, Anthony.”

That final thread of sanity snaps from Anthony as he breaks free, his hand moving toward his weapon. But I’m faster, my body responding without even thinking.

The gun doesn’t even clear his jacket before I have him by the throat, slamming him against the wall again hard enough to crack plaster. Through my earpiece, I hear his forces being systematically eliminated throughout the hospital—our allies working in perfect coordination to protect my family.

“East stairwell clear,” Dante reports. “Medical transport team neutralized.”

“Perimeter secured,” Antonio adds. “They’re running out of options, Mario.”

Anthony struggles against my grip, that polished veneer completely shattered. His eyes fix on Stella with desperate hunger, making my grip tighten until he gasps. “The baby—” he chokes out.

“Again, is mine.” The words come out like a vow, like a promise written in violence. “Not by blood, but by choice. By love. By everything you’re too broken to understand.”

Because that’s what Anthony will never comprehend—some bonds are stronger than blood. Some choices matter more than tradition.

Behind us, Elena holds Stella protectively while coordinating with our teams through her earpiece—still running operations even from her hospital bed. I catch fragments of her conversation as I focus on Anthony:

“Release everything,” she orders quietly. “Every file, every document, exactly like we planned.”

“Understood,” Siobhan’s voice carries faintly and then I hear her tell someone, “Do it now.”

“Your empire is gone,” I tell Anthony quietly, watching realization finally dawn in his eyes. “Your old guard allies either dead or switching sides. Even your own family is turning against you—choosing progress over your outdated traditions.”

His sneer holds pure Calabrese arrogance, but fear edges his voice. “I willneverstop coming for them. Nothing you do will prevent me from taking my child. And when I get my hands on her, we’ll disappear where you’ll never?—”

The threat diesin his throat as I increase pressure, but I maintain perfect control. “Remember that flash drive Elena gave Sean Murphy?” I ask conversationally. “When you tried to kidnap her at her office?”

I feel him freeze, that arrogant facade cracking further.

“Funny thing about that,” I continue, my grip tightening as he tries to reach for another weapon. “Every illegal operation, every connection to trafficking, every corrupt deal—it’s all being released. Right now. To law enforcement, to rival families, to everyone you tried to convince you were better than your uncle.”

Through comms, I hear the chaos unfolding:

“Files received by FBI.”

“Interpol confirming?—”

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