Chapter 13 - THE CALM AFTER THE STORM
By Friday morning, the syndicate war was officially over before it had even begun.
Julian Vance was behind bars, facing federal racketeering, extortion, and conspiracy charges that guaranteed he would never see daylight again.
The New York syndicate, leaderless and fractured, folded within forty-eight hours, signing away their shipping rights to Moretti Holdings.
In the sunlit living room of the Elm Street apartment, Chloe sat with Liam, watching the morning news broadcast detailing the dismantling of the East Coast criminal network.
The front door unlocked.
Victor walked in.
He looked tired, a small bandage resting near his temple, but his gray eyes were bright and steady.
Liam stood up, extending his hand. "Mr. Costello... I heard what happened at the docks. Thank you for keeping us safe."
Victor shook Liam’s hand firmly. "Call me Victor, Liam. And you don't need to thank me. Protecting my family is not a favor; it's a duty."
Liam smiled, excusing himself to the kitchen to give them privacy.
Chloe walked over to Victor, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and burying her face against his chest.
"You could have been killed," she whispered, her voice muffled against his shirt.
May you like
"I told you, Chloe," Victor murmured, resting his chin on her hair. "Nobody touches my world."
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