Chapter 9 - He Walked Into the Fire for Her
Gabriel Sabatini looked at his brother through the screen.
And smiled.
Not warmly.
Not with affection.
With satisfaction.
Victor stood frozen.
For twenty-four years, he had believed his brother was dead.
Now Gabriel was watching him from a hidden camera.
“Surprised?” Gabriel asked.
Victor's voice was barely audible.
“Gabriel.”
His brother tilted his head.
“You look terrible.”
Victor didn't answer.
Gabriel's eyes moved toward me.
“And there she is.”
I stepped closer to Victor.
Gabriel smiled.
“The little Falcone girl.”
Victor raised his gun toward the camera.
Gabriel laughed.
“Careful. Shooting the screen won't change anything.”
“What do you want?” Victor demanded.
“Everything Father promised me.”
Victor's expression hardened.
“The empire?”
Gabriel shook his head.
“No.”
He leaned closer.
“The ledger.”
I touched my pendant.
Gabriel noticed.
His smile widened.
“There it is.”
Victor moved in front of me.
“You're not getting it.”
Gabriel sighed.
“Then I suppose we'll have to do this the unpleasant way.”
The screen changed.
A live video appeared.
My mother.
Marcella.
Sitting in a chair.
Her wrists tied.
A man stood behind her.
Antonio Sabatini.
My stomach dropped.
“Mom!”
She looked toward the camera.
“Tessa!”
Antonio smiled.
“Hello, granddaughter.”
Victor's face turned white.
Gabriel's voice returned.
“Bring the pendant to the old textile mill on the river. Midnight.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
Gabriel smiled.
“Then the woman dies.”
The screen went black.
I wanted to go immediately.
Victor refused.
“It's a trap.”
“I know.”
“They'll kill you.”
“They have my mother.”
He looked at me.
“And they'll have you too.”
I stepped closer.
“Victor, I just found her.”
His expression softened.
“I know.”
“I can't lose her again.”
He closed his eyes.
For a moment, I thought he would argue.
Then he nodded.
“We're getting her back.”
The plan was simple.
Too simple.
Rocco would contact federal investigators already examining the financial records.
Victor would arrange a monitored exchange.
I would carry a duplicate pendant.
The real data cylinder would remain with an attorney.
And nobody would tell Gabriel.
That was the plan.
It lasted twenty-seven minutes.
At eleven forty-five, we arrived at the abandoned textile mill.
The building stood beside the Schuylkill River.
Broken windows.
Rusting machinery.
A loading dock covered in weeds.
Victor wore a black coat.
Beneath it was the gray cashmere shirt.
His mother's silk.
My stitching.
I touched his sleeve.
“Does it still help?”
He looked at me.
“Yes.”
I swallowed.
“Good.”
He reached for my hand.
“Tessa.”
I looked up.
“If something happens—”
“Don't.”
He stopped.
I shook my head.
“Don't make this a goodbye.”
His expression changed.
Then he leaned forward.
Slowly.
Giving me time to move away.
I didn't.
His lips touched mine.
Softly.
Carefully.
For one beautiful second, the world stopped.
Then he rested his forehead against mine.
“Come back to me,” he whispered.
I closed my eyes.
“Only if you come back too.”
Inside the mill, Gabriel waited beneath a hanging industrial light.
Antonio stood beside him.
My mother sat in a chair near the far wall.
Her face was bruised.
But she was alive.
“Mom!”
She lifted her head.
“Tessa!”
Gabriel raised one hand.
“That's close enough.”
Victor stepped forward.
“Let her go.”
Gabriel smiled.
“Still giving orders.”
Antonio watched his sons.
His expression was cold.
“Victor. You disappoint me.”
Victor looked at him.
“You murdered my mother.”
Antonio didn't deny it.
“She was going to destroy everything.”
“She was your wife.”
“She betrayed me.”
Victor's jaw tightened.
“She tried to protect her children.”
Antonio laughed.
“Protection makes people weak.”
Victor looked at Gabriel.
“Is that what he told you?”
Gabriel's smile faded.
Victor continued.
“He let me believe you were dead.”
Gabriel's expression hardened.
“He told me you were the favorite.”
Victor stared.
“What?”
“He said Mother chose you. That she was taking you away and leaving me behind.”
Victor shook his head.
“No.”
Gabriel's face twisted.
“You don't know anything.”
“I know she loved you.”
Gabriel froze.
Victor stepped closer.
“She kept your photograph beside her bed. Every night. Even after they told us you were dead.”
For the first time, Gabriel looked uncertain.
Antonio snapped, “Enough.”
He drew a gun.
Pointed it at me.
“Give me the pendant.”
I slowly removed it.
Held it out.
Antonio smiled.
“Good girl.”
Then the mill doors exploded inward.
Police shouted.
“DROP YOUR WEAPONS!”
Gunfire erupted.
Gabriel grabbed my mother.
Antonio fired toward the entrance.
Victor shoved me behind a machine.
A bullet struck the wall.
Sparks flew.
Then Antonio kicked over a container near the old boiler.
Liquid spread across the floor.
He pulled out a lighter.
Victor's eyes widened.
“Father, don't!”
Antonio smiled.
“If I can't have the empire, neither can you.”
He dropped the flame.
Fire raced across the floor.
The heat hit us instantly.
I screamed.
Smoke rose toward the ceiling.
Victor grabbed my hand.
“Run!”
But my mother was still tied to the chair.
I pulled away.
“Mom!”
Victor turned.
Saw her.
Then looked at me.
“Get outside.”
“No!”
“Tessa!”
He cupped my face.
“Trust me.”
Then he ran into the flames.
I reached the loading dock with Rocco.
Behind us, firefighters arrived.
Police surrounded the building.
The roof began collapsing.
I fought to go back.
Rocco held me.
“Let me go!”
“Tessa—”
“He's in there!”
I screamed until my throat burned.
Then two figures emerged through the smoke.
Victor.
Carrying my mother.
His coat was burning.
His face was blackened with soot.
He stumbled.
Rocco ran forward.
Together, we caught them.
Victor lowered Marcella onto the pavement.
She was breathing.
Alive.
I turned toward him.
“Victor.”
He looked at me.
For one moment, he smiled.
Then collapsed.
At the hospital, I sat beside his bed.
Dr. Harris had arranged specialist care.
Victor had smoke inhalation, burns, and reopened wounds.
But he was alive.
The doctor said the next twenty-four hours would matter.
I held his hand.
And waited.
At three in the morning, his eyes opened.
He looked at me.
Then whispered, “Did she make it?”
I began crying.
“Yes.”
His shoulders relaxed.
“Good.”
I leaned forward.
“You stupid, impossible man.”
His mouth twitched.
“Missed you too.”
I laughed through tears.
Then kissed his forehead.
He looked at me.
“Tessa.”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
The words stopped my heart.
He swallowed.
“I don't expect you to say it back.”
I stared at him.
Then shook my head.
“You really are an idiot.”
His eyebrows lifted.
I smiled through my tears.
“I love you too.”
His eyes closed.
A tear slipped down his cheek.
Then he whispered, “That's good.”
I rested my head beside his.
For the first time in years, I felt safe.
But at dawn, Rocco entered the room carrying an envelope.
His expression was grim.
Victor opened his eyes.
“What?”
Rocco handed him the envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
Gabriel.
Alive.
Standing beside a private aircraft.
On the back were six words.
You saved her. Now save yourself.
Victor stared.
Then Rocco said quietly, “Gabriel escaped.”
I felt Victor's hand tighten around mine.
“And Antonio?” he asked.
Rocco looked down.
“We found his body.”
Victor closed his eyes.
May you like
The war was over.
At least, that was what we believed.
