Chapter 14 - SHADOWS OF THE PAST
The wind blew fiercely through the alley, driving cold rain against their faces.
Victor kept his stolen pistol aimed at Marcus's forehead while keeping Lily behind his body.
Vance lay groaning on the pavement, bleeding from her shoulder wound.
"You were my brother, Marcus," Victor said, his deep voice heavy with betrayal.
"Brothers don't exist in our line of work, Victor!" Marcus shouted over the wind.
"We are ghosts! We fight for scraps while men like Salvatore build empires!"
"Give me the paper with the map, and I'll let you walk away with the girl!"
"We both know that's a lie," Victor replied coldly.
"You'll put a bullet in my back the moment I hand it over."
Lily peeked out from behind Victor’s suit coat, looking at Marcus with wide, sad eyes.
"Why is everyone trying to hurt my daddy?" she asked in a trembling voice.
Marcus hesitated for a fraction of a second, looking at the little girl's innocent face.
That tiny fraction of a second was all Victor needed.
Victor lunged forward, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye.
Marcus fired his sniper rifle, the bullet grazing Victor's left arm and tearing his suit jacket.
Victor ignored the tearing pain, slamming his body full force into Marcus.
Both men crashed onto the hood of a parked car, smashing the glass windshield into thousands of pieces.
Marcus dropped his rifle and pulled a combat knife, slashing wildly at Victor's throat.
Victor caught Marcus's wrist mid-air, pinning his arm against the shattered windshield.
They struggled in the pouring rain, two lethal predators fighting with brutal strength.
"You... can't... save her... Victor!" Marcus grunted through clenched teeth.
"Salvatore's whole fleet... is coming right now!"
Victor slammed his forehead violent against Marcus's nose, breaking it instantly.
Marcus groaned in pain, his grip on the knife loosening as he slumped back onto the car hood.
Victor disarmed him, holding the knife against Marcus's neck, breathing heavily.
"Where is Salvatore's safehouse?" Victor growled in his ear.
"Why would I tell you?" Marcus spat, blood mixing with rain on his face.
Victor pressed the blade slightly deeper, drawing a thin line of red on Marcus's skin.
"Because if you don't, I will leave you here for Salvatore's men to finish off," Victor warned.
Marcus swallowed hard, his bravado instantly vanishing under Victor's terrifying gaze.
"The old docks... Warehouse 4," Marcus gasped out quickly.
"He has the real mainframe computer... containing the secondary security codes!"
"The paper you have is only half the key!"
Victor's eyes widened in realization.
Elena hadn't given the entire key to Lily—she had split it into two parts.
Victor pulled his knife back and delivered a heavy punch to Marcus's jaw, knocking him unconscious.
He turned back toward Vance, but the pavement where she lay bleeding was completely empty.
Vance had dragged herself into her black SUV and was currently speeding away down the street.
Victor watched the red taillights vanish into the fog, his jaw set like iron.
He walked back to Lily, who was standing quietly near the wall, waiting for him.
He knelt down, wiping the rainwater from her face with his wet sleeve.
"Are you okay, little heart?" Victor asked softly.
"I'm cold, Daddy," Lily whispered, shivering in her thin angel costume.
Victor took off his heavy black suit coat and wrapped it entirely around her small body.
He picked her up, holding her warm against his chest as he looked toward the dark harbor docks.
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"We have one more place to go," Victor said, stepping toward a abandoned sedan.
"And then, this contract is finished."
