Chapter 12 - THE LAST ENEMY
Peace lasted eleven months.
Then Vincent escaped federal custody.
The call came at midnight.
Anthony sat up beside me.
I knew from his face.
“What?”
“Vincent.”
My stomach dropped.
“He's out.”
Anthony increased security.
But Vincent didn't come for Luca.
He came for me.
I was leaving my mother's facility when a van blocked my car.
Two men grabbed me.
I fought.
I screamed.
Then darkness.
I woke inside an old house.
Vincent sat across from me.
“You ruined everything.”
“No. Your father did.”
“You turned Anthony against us.”
“Anthony learned the truth.”
Vincent laughed.
“You think he'll choose you?”
“He already did.”
Vincent's face twisted.
“He chose Isabella too.”
Cold moved through me.
“What?”
“I warned Father she knew.”
My heart stopped.
Vincent smiled.
“I was seventeen.”
“You helped kill her.”
“I wanted Anthony to see me.”
“You murdered his wife because you wanted attention?”
“He never saw me!”
Vincent screamed.
I understood then.
This wasn't about money.
It was a lifetime of jealousy.
Anthony had been the heir.
The son Salvatore trained.
The brother everyone feared.
Vincent had spent his entire life begging monsters to notice him.
And eventually, he became one.
The front door exploded inward.
Anthony entered.
Vincent grabbed me.
Gun against my head.
Anthony stopped.
“Let her go.”
“Choose.”
Vincent smiled.
“Your empire or her.”
Anthony slowly lowered his gun.
“I don't have an empire.”
Vincent blinked.
“I burned it.”
“You're lying.”
“For her?”
Anthony looked at me.
“For my family.”
Vincent's hand shook.
I moved.
Anthony fired.
The bullet struck Vincent's shoulder.
Marco tackled him.
It was over.
Anthony reached me.
His hands checked my face.
My arms.
My throat.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
He pulled me against him.
“You're never leaving.”
I laughed shakily.
“There it is.”
Anthony froze.
Then stepped back.
“No.”
“What?”
“I was wrong.”
He held my face.
“You can leave whenever you want.”
My heart broke open.
“I know.”
“And if you stay—”
“I am.”
“Evelyn.”
“I choose you.”
Anthony closed his eyes.
That was the moment his old promise finally changed.
May you like
I wasn't staying because Anthony Pellagrini controlled my life.
I stayed because I loved the man he had fought to become.
