Chapter 15 - The Brother Who Pulled the TriggerThe coordinates led to an abandoned church.
Gabriel entered through the front.
Sheree, Sofia, and two trusted federal agents entered through the rear.
The plan lasted approximately forty seconds.
Then Matteo Moretti walked onto the altar holding a gun.
Gabriel stopped.
Matteo looked exhausted.
“Give me the ledger.”
“Where is Amelia?”
“Safe.”
“Where?”
“I can’t tell you.”
Gabriel’s voice cracked.
“She is my daughter.”
“I know.”
“Then put the gun down.”
“I can’t.”
Gabriel stepped closer.
Matteo raised the weapon.
“Don’t.”
The brothers stared at each other.
Then Gabriel asked quietly:
“Are you working for DeLuca?”
Matteo flinched.
That was enough.
Gabriel looked devastated.
“Why?”
Matteo laughed bitterly.
“You think everything started with you.”
“What does that mean?”
“Dad didn’t just control Mom.”
Matteo’s gun lowered slightly.
“He controlled me.”
Gabriel frowned.
Matteo explained.
Vittorio had known Elena was pregnant with Sofia.
He believed the child might not be his.
Alexander DeLuca helped Elena escape.
Years later, Alexander approached Matteo.
He claimed Sofia was his daughter.
Matteo had secretly protected Sofia and Elena for years.
Gabriel stared.
“You knew they were alive?”
“For six years.”
The betrayal hit hard.
“You lied to me.”
“I protected them from you.”
Gabriel stepped back as though struck.
“From me?”
“You were still running the organization.”
“I would never hurt our mother.”
“I didn’t know that.”
Gabriel’s eyes filled with something dangerous and wounded.
Sheree remained hidden, listening.
Matteo continued.
“Alexander eventually learned you dismantled the empire. He wanted the ledger destroyed.”
“So you helped him?”
“No.”
Matteo smiled sadly.
“I helped Mom.”
Then a gunshot cracked.
Matteo jerked.
Blood appeared across his shoulder.
Gabriel caught him.
Men emerged from the balconies.
Ambush.
Sheree shouted.
Federal agents opened fire.
Sofia pulled her behind a stone column.
Gabriel dragged Matteo into cover.
The church exploded with gunfire.
Then Sheree heard a child scream.
“Mommy!”
Amelia.
Sheree ran before anyone could stop her.
A side door opened.
Amelia appeared.
Elena pushed her forward.
“Run!”
A masked man grabbed Elena.
Sheree reached Amelia and pulled her down.
Gabriel saw them.
Everything changed.
He crossed the church under fire.
Not toward the gunmen.
Toward his daughter.
He dropped beside her.
“Daddy!”
Amelia threw herself into his arms.
Gabriel held her so tightly Sheree thought he might never release her.
“You’re okay.”
“I knew you’d come.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For letting this happen.”
Amelia frowned.
“You didn’t kidnap me.”
Even during a gunfight, Sheree nearly laughed.
Definitely her daughter.
Then Elena screamed.
Gabriel looked up.
A man stood behind his mother.
He removed his mask.
Silver hair.
Elegant coat.
Seventy, perhaps.
Alexander DeLuca.
Sofia whispered, “Dad.”
Alexander smiled.
“Hello, Gabriel.”
Gabriel pushed Amelia toward Sheree.
Alexander placed his gun against Elena.
“The ledger.”
Gabriel stood.
“Release her.”
“The ledger.”
Sheree had it beneath her coat.
Alexander saw the movement.
“There you are, Nurse Carter.”
Sheree hated how many villains knew her job title.
She stepped forward.
“I have it.”
Gabriel turned.
“No.”
Alexander smiled.
Sheree held up the ledger.
“You want this?”
“Yes.”
“Come get it.”
“Sheree.”
She ignored Gabriel.
Alexander approached.
Ten feet.
Eight.
Six.
Then Sheree threw the ledger into a burning candle stand.
Alexander screamed.
He lunged.
Sofia shot him.
Silence.
Alexander collapsed.
Elena stumbled free.
Sofia stared at the gun in her hands.
“Dad?”
Alexander looked at her.
Then laughed.
“You still don’t understand.”
Blood filled his mouth.
“I’m not your father.”
Sofia froze.
Alexander looked toward Gabriel.
“Ask Elena.”
Then his eyes closed.
Sofia slowly turned toward her mother.
Elena was crying.
“Mom?”
Elena shook her head.
“I wanted to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
Elena looked at Gabriel.
Then Matteo.
Then Sofia.
“Alexander wasn’t your father.”
Sofia whispered:
“Then who was?”
Elena answered.
“Vittorio.”
Gabriel closed his eyes.
Sofia really was their sister.
But before anyone could process it, Anthony entered the church carrying a pistol.
Blood covered his shirt.
Gabriel turned.
“Anthony?”
Anthony looked at Alexander’s body.
Then at the burning ledger.
His face filled with horror.
“What did you do?”
Sheree frowned.
“Destroyed it.”
Anthony whispered:
“That ledger wasn’t evidence.”
May you like
He looked at Gabriel.
“It was a map.”
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