Chapter 7 - THE MAFIA KING’S LAST COMMANDBy sunrise, the hospital was surrounded by federal vehicles.
Vale was in custody.
Sebastian Blackwood was dead.
Damian remained in critical condition.
And Adrian sat beside Ethan’s bed, holding his son’s hand as though letting go would cause the world to end.
The cultured treatment would take weeks to prepare.
Adrian did not have weeks.
His organs were already beginning to fail.
The doctors estimated three days.
Damian had less.
Ethan donated a small amount of blood under strict supervision. He complained more about the needle than the gunfire.
“I hate hospitals,” he announced.
Adrian brushed his hair away from his forehead.
“So do I.”
“Can we get pancakes when we leave?”
“You may have the restaurant.”
“I just want pancakes.”
“Then you will have all the pancakes.”
I watched them from the doorway.
Seven years of anger lived inside me.
Adrian had abandoned me, even if unknowingly.
He had built an empire from violence.
His name had forced me to hide.
Yet the man beside Ethan was not the monster I remembered fearing.
He was simply a father running out of time.
Later that afternoon, Adrian summoned his captains to the hospital chapel.
Twelve men entered.
Each one commanded crews, territory, money, and blood.
Adrian stood before them with an IV line in his arm.
“This organization ends tonight,” he said.
The men stared at him.
One captain laughed nervously.
“Boss?”
“All trafficking operations stop. All extortion ledgers go to federal prosecutors. Every legitimate company will be placed into a trust for employees and victims.”
A gray-haired captain named Russo stepped forward.
“You cannot erase a hundred years because you found a child.”
Adrian’s expression did not change.
“I am not erasing it. I am burying it.”
“You will destroy us.”
“No. I will prevent you from destroying him.”
Russo reached beneath his coat.
Damian’s voice came from the chapel entrance.
“I would not do that.”
He stood supported by two nurses, pale but conscious.
Russo froze.
Damian lifted Adrian’s discarded pistol.
“The Blackwood empire began with two brothers,” Damian said. “It will end with two.”
Adrian looked at him.
“You are agreeing with me?”
“I spent twelve years wanting your throne.” Damian glanced toward Ethan, who watched from behind me. “Then I met the only heir worthy of it.”
Ethan whispered, “I don’t want a throne.”
Damian smiled weakly.
“That is why you are worthy.”
Russo drew his weapon.
The shot thundered through the chapel.
Damian stepped in front of Adrian.
The bullet struck him in the chest.
Adrian caught his brother before he hit the floor.
Chaos erupted.
Federal agents stormed the room and dragged Russo away.
Adrian lowered Damian against the altar steps.
“You fool,” Adrian whispered.
Damian coughed.
“Little brother…”
“Save your strength.”
“I was never Ethan’s father.”
Adrian stared at him.
Damian smiled faintly.
“Vale falsified the registry match. Ethan carries fragments of my engineered sequence, but the original embryo was yours.”
My breath caught.
Adrian’s eyes widened.
“The paternity test—”
“Designed to divide us.” Damian’s voice weakened. “Vale knew we would kill each other before discovering the truth.”
I covered my mouth.
Ethan was Adrian’s biological son.
He had always been Adrian’s son.
Damian gripped his brother’s wrist.
“I hated you because Father chose you.”
“He did not choose me. He used us both.”
“I know that now.”
Blood spread beneath Damian’s body.
Adrian bowed his head.
“I should not have left you in that fire.”
“You came back.”
“Too late.”
Damian looked toward Ethan.
“No. Perhaps not.”
His eyes closed.
The monitors attached to him began to shriek.
Doctors rushed forward.
Adrian was pulled away as they worked.
For several minutes, the chapel filled with frantic commands.
Then the lead doctor looked up.
“I’m sorry.”
Adrian stood perfectly still.
His brother was dead.
Ethan slipped his hand into Adrian’s.
Adrian looked down.
“I didn’t know him long,” Ethan said softly. “But I think he wanted to be good at the end.”
Adrian’s face broke.
May you like
He sank to his knees and held Ethan against his chest.
For the first time in his life, the most feared mafia boss in America wept where everyone could see him.
