Chapter 6 - BLOOD FOR BLOOD
The assault on the Russo estate was repelled within twenty minutes, leaving seven of Gallow’s men dead on the manicured lawns and the house heavily damaged.
By 3:00 AM, the estate was swarming with Vincent’s top captains and private medical staff.
In the master suite on the third floor, a private physician stitched the gash on Nora’s temple while Vincent stood by the fireplace, his arms crossed, staring out at the rain with an expression so lethal that even Paulie hesitated to speak to him.
Camila was sleeping safely in an adjoining room, guarded by four armed men who had been ordered to die before letting anyone enter.
The doctor finished tying the suture, wiped the area with antiseptic, and packed his bag. “She has a minor concussion, Mr. Russo. No skull fracture. She needs rest.”
“Leave us,” Vincent ordered quietly.
The doctor bowed his head and exited the room, closing the heavy doors behind him.
Vincent walked over to the bed where Nora sat propped up against two white pillows. Her face was pale, a white bandage covering her right temple, but her eyes remained dark, clear, and steady.
Vincent sat on the edge of the mattress. He took her small hand in his, holding it with a delicate care that seemed impossible for hands that had taken a man’s life an hour ago.
“Carmine Gallow is dead by sunrise,” Vincent said, his voice flat, absolute, and chillingly calm.
Nora looked at him. “Vincent...”
“No,” Vincent interrupted softly, raising his free hand to gently touch her cheek. “I spent ten years trying to play the diplomat, Nora. I tried to keep peace so my mother wouldn't have to live in a war zone. I let them insult us. I let Beatrice humiliate my family in my own ballroom.”
His eyes flashed with a terrifying, absolute fire.
“But tonight, they came into my home. They hurt you.”
“I’m okay,” Nora whispered, her thumb brushing over his knuckles. “Vincent, look at me. I’m okay.”
“I’m not,” Vincent confessed, his voice breaking slightly. “When I walked through that door and saw you on the floor... when I saw the blood on your face... I realized something.”
He leaned down, resting his forehead against hers, closing his eyes as if fighting a wave of overwhelming emotion.
“I realized that if I lose you, there is nothing left of me worth saving,” he whispered. “You brought sunlight back into this house, Nora. You brought my mother back to life. And you made me remember what it feels like to be a human being.”
Nora felt her heart leap into her throat. The barriers she had built so carefully around herself over years of struggle and poverty melted away completely.
She raised her hand and cupped his jaw, feeling the rough stubble against her palm.
“I’m not going anywhere, Vincent,” she whispered.
Vincent lifted his head and looked down into her eyes. He leaned in slowly, giving her every chance to turn away, and pressed his lips against hers.
The kiss was soft, deep, and filled with a fierce, desperate devotion that wiped away the blood, the smoke, and the violence of the night. Nora wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, anchoring him to the earth.
When he finally pulled back, his breath was warm against her lips.
“Stay here tonight,” Vincent commanded softly. “I have to finish this.”
“Be careful,” Nora said, looking into his eyes.
Vincent stood up, pulling his heavy overcoat back over his shoulders. The cold, ruthless commander returned, but his eyes held a brand new purpose—a promise of protection that extended far beyond business or turf.
“Paulie!” Vincent barked as he opened the door.
May you like
Paulie stepped into the hallway instantly. “Boss?”
“Assemble every soldier we have in the five boroughs,” Vincent ordered, his voice cutting through the corridor like a broadsword. “We’re wiping the Gallow family off the map tonight.”
