Chapter 13 - Blood on the Marble FloorThe clash of steel echoed through the concrete cavern like hammer strikes.
Matteo was wild.
Desperate.
He slashed with frantic, vicious arcs.
Luca was precision.
Ice.
Discipline.
Luca sidestepped a lethal slash aimed at his throat.
He drove his shoulder into Matteo’s burned chest.
Matteo gasped as broken ribs cracked under the impact.
The red detonator flew from Matteo’s hand, clattering harmlessly into the dark corner.
Matteo stumbled backward, swinging his blade wildly.
The knife caught Luca’s right forearm.
Blood sprayed across the concrete.
Luca didn't even blink.
He grabbed Matteo’s wrist with his injured hand.
He twisted the joint until the bones splintered.
Matteo screamed.
His combat knife clattered to the floor.
Luca drove his forehead straight into Matteo’s broken nose.
A brutal headbutt.
Blood exploded from Matteo’s face.
The older brother collapsed onto his back in the dirt.
Luca stood over him.
Chest heaving.
Blood dripping from his forearm onto Matteo’s ruined cheek.
Luca raised his carbon steel blade above Matteo’s chest.
“Do it,” Matteo spat through bloody teeth.
He coughed, choking on his own blood.
“Do it, Luca! Finish what you started two years ago!”
Luca stared down at the man who shared his blood.
His jaw muscles ticked.
The blade hovered two inches above Matteo’s heart.
I stepped forward from the shadows of the gas valve.
“Luca,” I said softly.
Luca didn't look away from Matteo.
“He tried to kill my family, Emma.”
“If you kill him now,” I said, my voice trembling but clear,
“the Bellinis win.”
Luca’s eyes flicked toward me for a fraction of a second.
“The Feds have the fraudulent tax records,” I said.
“They need a living witness to testify that the signature was forged.”
I pointed at Matteo.
“He is your evidence. Without him, the Feds will bury your legitimate businesses forever.”
Luca stood completely still.
The storm raged outside the cracked concrete walls.
Rain dripped from the ceiling, splashing onto the cold floor.
Matteo laughed, a pathetic, bloody gurgle.
“Listen to your maid, brother. She’s smarter than you.”
Luca suddenly dropped the knife.
He drove his heavy steel-toed boot straight into Matteo’s jaw.
Matteo’s head snapped sideways.
He went completely limp, unconscious in the dirt.
Luca turned toward me.
His face was covered in sweat, rain, and blood.
He walked over to where I stood beside the gas pipe.
His breathing was heavy and ragged.
He looked at my torn clothes.
My bruised knees.
My trembling hands.
He reached out and gently cupped the back of my neck with his warm, bloodied hand.
He pulled my forehead against his chest.
“It's over,” Luca whispered into my hair.
I closed my eyes.
The exhaustion hit me all at once.
My legs finally gave out.
He caught me effortlessly in his arms, lifting me against him.
Outside, the distant wail of sirens cut through the rainy night.
Dozens of them.
Red and blue lights began to flash against the high silo windows.
The federal agents had arrived.
Luca looked down at me.
“Are you ready to tell the truth, Emma?”
May you like
I looked toward the flashing lights outside.
“Every single word.”
