Chapter 14 - THE LAST BETRAYAL
Marco had been Dominic’s brother in every way blood did not matter.
That made betrayal more dangerous than hate.
“You knew about the slush fund,” Dominic said into the phone.
“I ran it.”
Marco’s voice sounded almost proud.
“For Thorne?”
“For myself.”
Dominic’s face went cold.
Marco continued.
“Your father built an empire. You inherited it and spent ten years trying to make it respectable.”
“Meaning I stopped letting you steal.”
“Meaning you got weak.”
Mara watched Dominic absorb that.
Marco had mistaken restraint for weakness.
Men like Marco always did.
“Where are you?” Dominic asked.
“Vale Shipping Terminal Three.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
“What do you want?”
“Eleanor’s original evidence.”
Mara whispered, “Tell him it was on the card.”
Marco heard.
“No, sweetheart. That was a copy.”
Mara’s stomach dropped.
“How do you know?”
“Because your mother told me before she died.”
Silence.
Mara gripped the bed rail.
“You spoke to my mother?”
“I offered her a deal.”
“What deal?”
“The originals for your life.”
Mara could barely breathe.
“She refused?”
Marco laughed.
“No.”
Mara went still.
“She gave them to me.”
“Then why are you asking now?”
“Because Eleanor was smarter than we thought. She gave me a box full of blank paper.”
For the first time since the graveyard, Mara smiled.
“That sounds like Mom.”
Marco’s voice sharpened.
“Where are the originals?”
“I don’t know.”
“I think you do.”
The call ended.
Dominic immediately started giving orders.
Mara grabbed his sleeve.
“Wait.”
“We don’t have time.”
“Yes, we do.”
“Mara—”
“My mother didn’t trust banks. She didn’t trust police. She barely trusted email.”
“I know.”
“But she trusted dead people.”
Dominic stared.
“What?”
Mara’s heartbeat quickened.
“The grave.”
Bianca stood.
“Your mother’s grave?”
Mara nodded.
“She once told me the dead keep secrets because the living get greedy.”
Dominic understood.
“The headstone.”
Mara was already moving.
Two hours later, they stood again in the cemetery.
Same fog.
Same wet earth.
Different people.
Federal agents waited beyond the gates.
Dominic had agreed to let them take the lead.
That alone told Mara how much had changed.
She knelt at her mother’s headstone.
Dominic crouched beside her.
They found nothing behind the plaque.
Nothing beneath the flower base.
Then Mara saw the silver letters.
BELOVED MOTHER.
The “O” in MOTHER was loose.
She twisted it.
A narrow compartment clicked open.
Inside was a waterproof tube.
Mara laughed and cried at the same time.
“Mom.”
Dominic smiled.
Then a gun clicked behind them.
“Beautiful.”
Marco.
He stood ten feet away.
Pistol aimed at Mara.
Harlan stood beside him, pale from blood loss, another gun in his hand.
Dominic slowly rose.
“How did you get through the perimeter?”
Marco smiled.
“I taught half your men where to stand.”
“Put the gun down.”
“No.”
Dominic stepped slightly in front of Mara.
Marco sighed.
“You always did like saving people who didn’t ask.”
Mara slipped the tube inside her coat.
Harlan pointed his gun at her.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
“Mara.”
“No.”
Marco laughed.
“See, Dom? She’s worse than you.”
Dominic’s voice was quiet.
“She’s better.”
Marco’s smile faded.
“Last chance.”
Dominic opened his hands.
“You want the organization?”
“I already took it.”
“You want money?”
“I have it.”
“Then why are you still here?”
Marco looked at Mara.
“Because loose ends become ropes.”
He raised the gun.
Dominic moved.
The cemetery exploded with gunfire.
Mara dropped behind the headstone.
Dominic tackled Marco.
Harlan fired.
The bullet struck stone.
Federal agents rushed from the trees.
Harlan grabbed Mara by the hair and dragged her up.
She screamed.
His gun pressed against her throat.
“BACK OFF!”
Everyone stopped.
Dominic was on his knees beside Marco.
Blood ran from Dominic’s shoulder.
Mara’s heart stopped.
“Dominic.”
“I’m fine.”
He wasn’t.
Harlan tightened his grip.
“The files.”
Mara looked at Dominic.
Then at her mother’s name.
Then at Harlan.
“No.”
He shoved the gun harder into her neck.
“You think having his baby makes you brave?”
Mara’s voice shook.
“No.”
She stomped backward on his injured foot.
Harlan screamed.
Mara twisted.
The gun fired into the air.
Dominic lunged.
Marco grabbed Dominic’s fallen weapon.
Mara saw him first.
“DOM!”
Dominic turned.
Marco aimed.
A second shot cracked across the cemetery.
Marco staggered.
His gun fell.
Bianca stood near the gate.
A federal agent’s backup pistol shook in both her hands.
Marco collapsed.
Everyone froze.
Bianca stared at what she had done.
Then whispered,
“I guess I’m done letting men in expensive suits decide who gets hurt.”
May you like
Mara almost laughed.
Then Dominic collapsed.
