Chapter 9 - The Ledger
“How touching,” Dante sneered, his voice dripping with venom.
Alessandro froze, still holding Leo tightly in his arms. He slowly turned his head to look at his cousin over his shoulder.
“Dante,” Alessandro said, his voice entirely devoid of fear. Just cold, absolute hatred.
“I admit, I’m impressed,” Dante said, stepping over the shattered glass, his gun unwaveringly aimed at Alessandro. He looked down at the unconscious, foam-covered body of Victor Russo. “Victor always was an ambitious fool. Did he really think I was going to let him run the docks? He was just a dog fetching my bone.”
Dante kicked Victor’s unconscious body aside and bent down to pick up the black leather ledger from the floor. He wiped a streak of white foam off the cover and smiled.
“Twenty-five years,” Dante murmured. “Twenty-five years my father’s legacy was held hostage by a nurse and a coward. But now, I have the proof. I destroy this, and the Commission makes me the boss by morning. And as a bonus, I get to eliminate the final obstacle.”
He clicked the hammer back on his pistol.
“Put the boy down, Alessandro. I don’t want to ruin the coat.”
I felt a surge of pure, blinding rage. I was so tired of these men. I was tired of the guns, the threats, and the fear that had ruined my mother’s life.
I reached into the pocket of my apron, my fingers wrapping around the cold, heavy metal of the gun Alessandro had given me on the stairs.
I didn't think. I just moved.
I stepped out from behind the counter, raising the gun with both hands.
“Drop the book, Dante,” I said. My voice didn't shake.
Dante paused, his eyes flicking toward me. He laughed, a short, barking sound of genuine amusement. “The waitress has a gun. What are you going to do, Nora? Shoot me? You couldn't even pull the trigger when you were in the ceiling.”
“I didn't pull it then because I was afraid of hitting Leo,” I said, walking slowly toward him. “But you’re standing alone.”
“Nora, don’t,” Alessandro warned, his eyes wide.
“If you shoot me, my men outside will tear this diner apart,” Dante threatened, though his smile faltered slightly at the absolute conviction in my eyes.
“Your men outside are unconscious in the alley,” I lied smoothly, remembering the two guards Alessandro had neutralized. “And the police are already on their way. The fire alarm triggered an automatic dispatch.”
In the distance, the faint wail of police sirens cut through the rainy night, confirming my bluff.
Dante’s eyes darted toward the broken window. For a fraction of a second, his focus shifted.
It was all Alessandro needed.
Still holding Leo with his left arm, Alessandro lunged forward, sweeping his right leg out and catching Dante behind the knees. Dante stumbled, his gun firing wildly into the ceiling. Alessandro grabbed Dante’s wrist and twisted violently. The gun clattered to the floor.
Dante tried to throw a punch, but Alessandro dodged it and delivered a devastating blow to Dante’s ribs, dropping the man to his knees.
Alessandro picked up Dante’s dropped gun and pointed it squarely at his cousin’s chest.
“It’s over, Dante,” Alessandro said, his chest heaving.
The sirens grew louder, flashing red and blue lights reflecting off the wet pavement outside.
Dante spat blood onto the floor, glaring up at Alessandro. “You can’t kill me. The Commission will have your head.”
“I’m not going to kill you,” Alessandro said coldly. He reached down and snatched the black ledger from the floor. “I’m going to hand this book to the Commission tomorrow morning. When they see that your father orchestrated the coup, and that you conspired with Victor to finish it, they won’t just exile you, Dante. They will erase you.”
Dante’s face went completely pale, realizing for the first time that he had truly lost.
Police officers stormed through the front doors, their weapons drawn.
“Drop the guns!” an officer shouted.
Alessandro calmly placed his weapon on the floor and raised his hands, though he kept his body positioned protectively in front of Leo and me.
Because Alessandro was the legitimate head of his business front, and because the men on the floor were wanted felons, the aftermath was swift. Victor and Dante were arrested, dragged out of the diner in handcuffs.
When the police finally cleared the scene, Alessandro turned to me.
His suit was ruined, covered in foam, dirt, and blood. But as he looked at me, his eyes were incredibly clear, filled with a profound, overwhelming gratitude.
He didn't say a word. He just stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. I buried my face in his chest, breathing in the scent of rain and cedar, feeling the steady beat of his heart.
Leo tugged on my apron.
I looked down. The little boy was holding out his chipped wooden train.
“You can have it,” Leo whispered, offering his most prized possession. “Because you saved my dad.”
I knelt down, tears spilling over my lashes, and hugged the little boy tightly. He felt so small, but for the first time tonight, he didn't feel terrified. He hugged me back, burying his face in my shoulder.
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“Thank you, Leo,” I whispered.
I looked up at Alessandro. He was watching us, a soft, incredibly warm smile on his face. The war was over. And in the ruins of the diner, a family was beginning.
