Chapter 10 - Checkmate
I hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of my lungs.
Above me, chaos erupted.
A dozen guns fired at once. The sound was deafening, echoing off the crystal chandeliers.
When the ringing in my ears faded, I opened my eyes.
Damien was hovering over me, his body having shielded mine entirely.
"Damien?" I gasped, terrified that he had taken the bullet meant for me.
He groaned, pushing himself up slowly. He checked my body frantically. "Are you hit? Ellie, are you hurt?"
"No, I'm okay," I sobbed, touching his chest. "Are you?"
He smiled grimly. "Kevlar vest. But it still feels like getting kicked by a mule."
He helped me to my feet.
The ballroom was silent again, save for the heavy breathing of the armed men.
Vincenzo lay in the center of the floor, his white tuxedo stained a blooming, dark red. He was dead before he hit the ground.
The other family bosses holstered their weapons.
The oldest boss, Don Carmine, stepped forward, looking down at Vincenzo's body in disgust.
"The traitor has been dealt with, Damien," Carmine said, his voice raspy. "Your throne is secure. And your children are avenged."
Damien nodded respectfully. "Thank you, Don Carmine. Clean this up."
He turned to me, oblivious to the blood, the guns, and the staring eyes of Chicago's deadliest men.
He reached out, taking the silk tie that bound my wrists, and used a pocket knife to cut it free.
He rubbed my wrists gently.
"It's over," he whispered, pressing his forehead against mine. "The ghost of your past is in prison, and the monster in my family is dead. You're free, Ellie."
May you like
I buried my face in his chest, inhaling the scent of cedar and gunpowder that I had come to associate with safety.
For the first time in my life, I wasn't running. I wasn't hiding. I was exactly where I belonged.
