Chapter 15 

‘Stupid…” 

My voice cracked before I could stop it. 

With my hands trembling and eyes burning, I lifted my gun- 

BANG! 

The bullet struck the gun in Chris’s hand, knocking it clean from his grip. The weapon clattered o the marble floor, skidding out of reach. 

Chris flinched, stunned. His breath caught. “I-Ivi…” 

lowered the gun slowly, still shaking. 

Who said you could die?” My voice came out cold-too cold, even for me. “We’re not finished stupid brother. You still have debts to pay.” 

Chris’s eyes glossed over, emotion clouding his features. He looked like he didn’t know whethe o weep or laugh. But I wasn’t looking at him anymore. 

turned to her. 

Marian. 

Her grip on the pistol had tightened again, her eyes twitching in confusion and fury. 

Is this your grand plan, Marian?” I said, voice laced with mockery. “This little hostage trick? hought you were smarter than the rumors claimed. I mean-you are the mastermind behind it all, right?” 

BANG! 

fired at the ground just inches from her feet. 

Marian stumbled back with a shriek. 

Don Matteo stepped in immediately, shielding her with trembling arms. “That’s ENOUGH!” 

laughed. Laughed like the fire in my chest was finally singing. “How sweet~” I sneered. “Daddy dearest, coming to the rescue. You do love her, huh? What a touching sight-if it weren’t sc 

pathetic.” 

Gunfire cracked behind us. Lothario took down two approaching guards without a word, moving ike smoke through shadows. Anyone who raised a weapon near me was dropped before their inger even reached the trigger. 

Don Matteo raised his gun. 

But he was too slow. 

I darted forward and kicked it from his hand. The gun flew, landing with a sharp clatter several feet away. Don Matteo stumbled back. 

“So much for being a mafia lord,” I scoffed. “You’ve always been a coward. That’s why you needed Fiore. That’s why you hid behind children and titles.” 

He lunged at me in desperation. 

Mistake. 

This Time I Won’t Die By You 

12 

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I grabbed him by the lapels and slammed my boot into his chest. He crumpled like paper. Again. And again. Each kick thundered with years of betrayal. 

“You ruined my mother’s life!” 

THUD. 

“You ruined mine!” 

THUD. 

“You don’t get to walk away from this!” 

He wheezed. Blood dripped from his lip. Marian screamed. 

‘STOP IT!” she shrieked. Tears streaked her face as she aimed a pistol-but not at me. 

She grabbed one of my soldiers, holding a knife to the woman’s throat. “Back off, or I’ll kill her!” 

froze. 

Then I laughed again, bitter and sharp. “Is that all you know how to do, Marian? Use people?” 

stepped closer. Marian backed away, blade trembling. 

‘Don’t come closer-I said STOP!” 

Too late. 

lunged and twisted the soldier free from her grasp. Marian stumbled, wide-eyed. 

Fight me yourself,” I hissed. “Or is even that beneath you?” 

Ne circled each other in the hall. 

She drew a blade from her boot-a slim rapier, sharp as her tongue. I raised my hands, gun ucked away. I wanted this clean. Personal. 

The others gave us space. 

She slashed first. 

Her sword carved through the air, elegant but angry. I ducked, dodged. Marian fought like a dancer: refined, calculated. But her fear bled through every movement. 

didn’t go easy. I used only one hand, still I drove her into retreat-step by step. 

A painting shattered behind us. The marble floor was slick with blood and dust. Our history burned around us. 

She lunged again. 

I caught her wrist. Spun her. Disarmed her. 

Her blade skittered across the floor-my hand caught it mid-air. 

I pinned her against the wall, the sword pressing to her throat. 

She gasped, paralyzed. My hand trembled-but not with mercy. 

“Don’t worry,” I said, voice low. “I won’t kill you. Not yet. You don’t get an easy death. Not until you’ve suffered like I did. Like she did.” 

Marian’s lips trembled. She tried to scream, but no sound came. 

Then- 

BOOM. 

212 62.5% 

12:07 am P PPP. 

A second explosion rocked the hallway. The distant echo of a blast sent plaster raining from the 

ceiling. 

Lothario cursed. “We’ve got company.” 

Sam appeared from around the corridor, pale. “It’s them. Mafia hunters. They’re inside.” 

“Shit.” 

Before I could react, a bullet whizzed past my ear, embedded in the wall behind me. Another struck the floor inches from Marian’s head. 

Chaos erupted. 

Ivanna’s soldiers clashed with a new wave of masked men in tactical black-skilled, efficient 

and ruthless. 

Lothario grabbed my arm. “We have to fall back!” 

“But-” 

‘NOW!” 

turned to my men. “Take the prisoners!” 

We bound Don Matteo and Marian before they could recover. Dragged them out through the eas wing as gunfire stormed the halls. 

Chris stumbled after us-still alive, half-conscious, held up by Sam. 

We fled through burning corridors, the screams and bullets behind us growing louder. 

This wasn’t the end. 

This was only the opening of a darker war. 

12:08 am P p p p.