Chapter 13 - Vincent Moretti’s Last Order
“Move!”
Vincent dove.
The ceiling collapsed behind him.
Anthony dragged him outside.
Maggie hit Vincent’s chest before hugging him.
“You idiot!”
“I’m okay.”
“You ran into a burning building!”
“Marco was inside.”
“Still an idiot.”
He kissed her.
Firefighters arrived.
Sullivan’s Flowers burned until dawn.
By sunrise, nearly everything Maggie had built was gone.
She stood across the street.
Vincent joined her.
“I’ll rebuild it.”
“No.”
“Maggie—”
“We’ll rebuild it.”
He looked at her.
She squeezed his hand.
“There's a difference.”
Marco survived.
Daniel was arrested.
Vance disappeared.
The ledger was mostly destroyed.
Mostly.
Anthony discovered that several pages Vincent rescued contained Vance’s accounts.
Enough.
Federal investigators began building a case.
But Vance still possessed one weapon.
Elena.
Marco finally admitted where he had hidden her.
A remote Moretti property.
When they arrived, it was empty.
Blood stained the floor.
Elena was gone.
A video waited.
Vance appeared.
“Vincent, your mother murdered your father. Your brother concealed evidence. You inherited an organization built on crimes. Imagine what happens when the world sees only the pieces I choose.”
Vincent watched silently.
“Come to the old Moretti warehouse tomorrow midnight. Bring the surviving ledger pages. Come alone.”
Elena appeared behind him.
Alive.
The video ended.
Vincent made his decision immediately.
“I’m going.”
“So are we,” Anthony said.
“No.”
Vincent looked at everyone.
“This ends with me.”
Maggie hated the words.
“That sounds suspiciously like a dramatic suicide speech.”
“It isn't.”
“Good, because I’m busy rebuilding a shop and don't have time to attend your funeral.”
Vincent almost smiled.
Then he handed Anthony control documents for every Moretti company.
“If something happens—”
Maggie slapped the papers onto the table.
“No.”
“Maggie.”
“No goodbye paperwork.”
He stared.
She stepped closer.
“You once told me you wanted Sunday breakfast, a dog, and somebody waiting when you came home.”
“I remember.”
“Then come home.”
His expression broke.
He kissed her forehead.
“I love you.”
It was the first time he said it.
Maggie’s eyes filled.
“That's incredibly manipulative timing.”
“I know.”
“I love you too.”
Midnight.
Vincent entered the warehouse alone.
At least Vance believed he did.
Anthony and Luca approached from the river.
Federal agents waited outside the perimeter.
Maggie stayed in the command vehicle.
For exactly four minutes.
Then the surveillance feed failed.
Gunshots sounded.
Maggie opened the door.
An agent stopped her.
“You cannot go inside.”
“My fiancé is in there.”
“Ms. Sullivan—”
An explosion shook the building.
Maggie ran.
Inside, smoke filled the warehouse.
She found Elena tied near an office.
Anthony freed her.
“Where’s Vincent?”
“Upstairs.”
Maggie climbed.
She heard Vance speaking.
“You were always weaker than your father.”
Vincent answered.
“No.”
A pause.
“I just had something he never did.”
“What?”
“People who love me more than they fear me.”
Maggie reached the landing.
Vance held Vincent at gunpoint.
The surviving ledger pages lay between them.
Vance saw Maggie.
His expression changed.
Vincent whispered, “Run.”
Vance turned the gun toward her.
May you like
Then someone stepped from the darkness behind Maggie.
And fired.
