Chapter 7 - The Final Reckoning
Word count: ~1,500 words
The tactical guards froze, looking between the barrel of Mrs. Gable’s shotgun and Dominic, who had pinned Victor Moretti against the mahogany dining table with a crushing, one-handed grip around his collar.
“It’s over, Uncle,” Dominic breathed, his face inches from Victor’s, his dark eyes burning with fifteen years of suppressed fury. “You lost control of the board the moment you stepped foot in my house.”
Victor struggled uselessly against Dominic’s grip, his face turning purple. “You think arresting me saves you? The federal indictments are already—!”
“Federal indictments?” a calm, sharp voice interrupted from the doorway.
Stepping into the parlor behind Mrs. Gable was a tall, immaculate man in a charcoal federal prosecutor’s suit, flanked by four uniformed Boston police officers.
“Special Agent Vance, FBI Organized Crime Division,” the man announced, flashing a gold badge. “Victor Moretti, you’re under arrest for racketeering, corporate fraud, and the 2011 attempted assassination of Evelyn Harper.”
Victor’s jaw slackened. The smug, sadistic grin vanished completely, replaced by blind panic as the federal agents swarmed forward, slapping heavy steel handcuffs onto his wrists and dragging him toward the stairs.
Within three minutes, the parlor was quiet once again.
The smoke from the stray gunshot cleared slowly toward the high vaulted ceilings.
Dominic stood near the window, his shoulders finally dropping as the suffocating weight of a fifteen-year war lifted off his chest. He turned around slowly and walked over to where Anna was standing, still sheltering little Leo against her side.
“Are you alright?” Dominic asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft, his dark eyes filled with deep, agonizing concern.
Anna let out a long, shaky breath, nodding slowly. “We’re okay. Leo is okay.”
Leo peeked out from behind Anna’s skirt, looking up at his father with wide, curious eyes. “Bad men gone?”
May you like
Dominic knelt down on one knee right in front of his son, a genuine, radiant smile breaking across his tired face for the first time in four years—a smile that chased away every ghost in the room.
“Yes, buddy,” Dominic said softly, reaching out to ruffle Leo’s dark curls. “The bad men are gone for good.”
