Page 76 of Promise Never

We bustle into the area, closing thedoor quietly behind us and turning the latch.

I haul a tarp from containers anddrape it over the dead bodies.

“You two, stay here and watch thedoor,” I order in a low voice. “The rest of you come with me.”

Remaining cautious, we leave the areaand turn down a row with containers on our right. I hear faint voices in thedistance, coming from the dock. But no one’s inside the warehouse.

I ready the gun to fire as we reachthe end of the row.

My breath catches at the sight of mybrother, bloodied, with his arms bound behind him on the chair.

“Fratellino.”I scurry over.

Enrique flinches when I touch hisshoulder, eyes fluttering when he realizes it’s me.

“Mm…” A rag is muffling his mouth.

I pull it down, and he huffs beforegrating, “You shouldn’t have come, Ales. It’s a trap.”

“Nonimporta.”I quickly untie the rope. “Come on.” I help him from the chair, glimpsing hisleft hand with the missing finger.

We’re heading for the row when someoneopens fire back in the room we’d entered, killing my men before they proceedtowards us.

“Fuck.”

The others hold them off as I veer inthe opposite direction, dragging Enrique towards another exit.

Someone fires at us, blocking ourattempt to escape.

Zeno bursts through the back doorthen. More men are with him.

Enrique grunts from pain as I pull himlow between the tall stacks of crates. Only two of my men remain.

“Do not follow,” Zeno orders hisgoons. “They have nowhere to go.” His mocking laugh ricochets throughout thewarehouse and intensifies my rage. “AlessandroFattore!I knew you’d figure it out and come here to save your little brother. Now youand the last son can die together!”

“It’s what he wanted,” Enrique rasps.“You shouldn’t have come.”

“I have reinforcements, Zeno!” I yell.“They’ve heard the shots and are about to charge the warehouse!”

Gunshots resound right after sayingthat.Runiand the others must be fending off theguards out front.

“I suggest you stop your men!” Zenoshouts back. “If you don’t want them blown to pieces!”

“He rigged the front of thewarehouse,” Enrique confirms it.

“Fuck.” I callRunion the earpiece.

“Ales?” he yells amid the gunfire.“Did you get him?”

“Ascoltami! Fallback. Fall back now!”

“What?”

Zeno’s taunting laugh echoes in theair. “Too late!”

“Runi, hehas explosives! You and the others—” A loud blast resounds from outside, fryingthe connection. “Fuck!”

The gunfire ceases.

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