Chapter 5 - The Fall of SouthieJulian Vane’s hand twitched frantically toward his belt holster, but before his fingers could clear his jacket, Leo stepped forward, driving the butt of his heavy rifle flat against Julian's temple.
CRACK!
Julian collapsed onto his knees on the wet concrete floor, spitting blood and teeth, looking up at Matteo with weeping, bloodshot eyes.
"Conti... please!" Julian whimpered, his arrogant composure completely shattered into pathetic fragments. "The Irish committee authorized the hit! They said the Vance girl was an easy target! They said she had no backing!"
I stepped forward from behind Matteo's broad shoulder, pulling the original, certified land lease document from my wool coat, holding it flat before Julian's bleeding face.
"I have backing, Mr. Vane," I stated cleanly, my voice ringing clear, sharp, and authoritative through the high-ceilinged warehouse. "As of three o'clock this morning, the Vance Land Trust executed a permanent, non-revocable lease transfer to the Conti Master Network."
Julian's eyes bulged out of his head. "You... you signed over the Southie terminal?!"
"I signed over the terminal to the man who protected my mother," I answered deadpan. "And under Massachusetts commercial law... your syndicate has two hours to vacate every property along Pier 9 before federal marshals seize your assets."
Matteo looked down at Julian with absolute, sovereign disdain.
"Take him to the state police headquarters," Matteo commanded Leo flatly. "Turn over his recorded wiretaps regarding the Velvet Room shooting and the arson at Pier 9."
"Yes, Don Conti!" Leo bowed, dragging Julian Vane out through the shattered bay doors in heavy steel chains.
The wide warehouse returned to a quiet, peaceful silence.
Matteo turned slowly to face me. The dark, lethal focus that had covered his face vanished instantly, replaced by an expression of profound, weightless admiration as he stepped up to where I stood.
He reached out, his broad hands taking mine, bringing my knuckles up to his warm lips, pressing a slow, lingering kiss against my skin.
"You were magnificent, my queen," Matteo whispered softly, his gray eyes burning with a fierce, eternal devotion.
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"I was just getting my forty dollars back, Conti," I smiled warmly, my cheeks flushing pink.
Matteo let out a low, genuine laugh, pulling me tight against his broad chest, burying his face in my hair as he kissed my mouth softly, fiercely under the dim warehouse lights.
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