Chapter 6 - THE NIGHT ROMAN CHOSE NOT TO PULL THE TRIGGER
The old Costa Social Club smelled of cigar smoke even though smoking had been banned for years.
Enzo sat beneath a photograph of Antonio Costa.
Seventy-one.
Silver hair.
Expensive suit.
A cane resting against his chair.
Roman entered alone.
At least that was what Enzo believed.
Federal agents were positioned blocks away.
Roman wore a recording device pursuant to legal guidance.
Morgana hated all of it.
She watched from a monitoring van with Grace and an investigator.
“You don't have to be here,” Grace said.
“Yes, I do.”
Inside, Enzo smiled.
“My nephew.”
“You're not my uncle tonight.”
“That dramatic?”
Roman remained standing.
“Where is Gabriel?”
Enzo’s smile faded.
“Dead.”
“When?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
“He made his choice.”
There.
Roman pressed.
“What choice?”
“To embarrass his family.”
“How?”
“Running.”
“With Elena?”
Enzo’s eyes narrowed.
“So Jason finally talked.”
Roman did not answer.
Enzo sighed.
“Your brother was soft.”
Roman’s voice became colder.
“He was alive after the warehouse fire.”
“Yes.”
“You helped fake his death.”
“Yes.”
Morgana closed her eyes.
Confirmed.
“Why?”
“Antonio wanted him protected.”
Roman blinked.
That surprised everyone.
“My father?”
“Gabriel witnessed something he shouldn't.”
“Your pension theft?”
Enzo smiled.
“More.”
“What?”
“Your father arranged for him to disappear because Gabriel threatened to expose all of us.”
Roman stared.
“You're saying Antonio helped him.”
“For a while.”
Then Enzo learned Gabriel had returned secretly.
To Elena.
To newborn Morgana.
“And?”
“I told Gabriel to leave permanently.”
“Did he?”
“No.”
Enzo picked up his drink.
“He believed becoming a father gave him courage.”
Morgana’s stomach tightened.
Roman’s voice dropped.
“What did you do?”
“I solved the problem.”
Silence.
Even Enzo seemed to realize he had gone too far.
Roman took one step forward.
“Say it.”
Enzo smiled.
“You always were emotional about Gabriel.”
“Say it.”
“I had him killed.”
Morgana closed her eyes.
There.
Her father.
A man she had known for less than an hour through photographs.
Gone.
Roman stood perfectly still.
“Where?”
“Camden.”
“When?”
“Six weeks after Morgana was born.”
Roman's breathing changed.
Enzo continued, almost enjoying the damage.
“Elena knew eventually.”
“She copied your ledger.”
“Yes.”
“She planned to testify.”
“Yes.”
“And Jason sold her location.”
Enzo laughed.
“Jason sold everything.”
Roman’s hand moved toward his coat.
Morgana stopped breathing.
In the van, agents shifted.
Enzo saw.
His smile widened.
“Go ahead.”
Roman froze.
“Your father couldn't do it.”
Enzo leaned forward.
“Maybe you can.”
Roman’s hand remained inside his coat.
For one second, every story told about Roman Costa seemed ready to become true.
Then Morgana's voice came through the tiny receiver in his ear.
Only two words.
“Come home.”
Roman closed his eyes.
Removed his hand.
Empty.
Enzo’s smile vanished.
Roman stepped backward.
“You killed my brother.”
“Yes.”
“My father.”
Enzo hesitated.
Enough.
“You killed Elena.”
“I gave the order.”
There.
Everything.
Roman turned toward the door.
Enzo shouted:
“You walk out and you're nothing!”
Roman stopped.
Then looked back.
“No.”
His voice was calm.
“I walk out and you're evidence.”
Federal agents entered seconds later.
Enzo tried to reach for something beneath the table.
He never got the chance.
Controlled.
Fast.
No gunfire.
No heroic execution.
Handcuffs.
Warrants.
The old man shouted Roman’s name as they took him away.
Roman walked outside.
Morgana got out of the van.
He saw her.
For a long moment neither spoke.
Then Roman said:
“I wanted to kill him.”
“I know.”
“I still do.”
“I know.”
He laughed once.
Broken.
“I thought choosing not to would feel better.”
“It won't tonight.”
He looked at her.
“When?”
“Maybe never.”
She stepped closer.
“But he doesn't get to choose who you become.”
Roman stared.
“My father said that once.”
“I like your father.”
“You would have argued with him constantly.”
“Probably.”
Then Roman did something Morgana did not expect.
He cried.
Quietly.
No hiding.
No apology.
She did not hug him immediately.
She waited.
Then asked:
“Can I?”
He nodded.
Morgana wrapped her arms around him.
Not because she owed him.
Not because he had taken her from Jason.
Not because he was powerful.
May you like
Because for one terrible minute, he had been given the chance to become exactly what Enzo expected.
And he chose something else.
