Chapter 5 - THE MAN WHO STOOD BESIDE VINCENT
Gabriel had been with Vincent since they were teenagers.
He had saved Vincent's life twice.
He was Evan's godfather.
He carried Isabella's coffin.
And eighteen years earlier, he had arranged her death.
“Why?” Vincent asked.
Gabriel's gun remained steady.
“Because she was destroying everything.”
“She was helping women escape.”
“She was documenting us.”
Vincent went still.
Gabriel laughed.
“Don't pretend you're shocked. Isabella discovered financial records connecting half our operations to judges, police, unions. She was preparing to turn them over.”
“She was my wife.”
“And you were weak where she was concerned.”
Vincent's voice dropped.
“So you killed her for me?”
“For the family.”
Evan whispered:
“I hate that word.”
Gabriel looked at him.
“You've always been soft.”
“No.”
Evan glanced at me.
“I think we're just tired of men calling fear loyalty.”
Gabriel's attention shifted.
That was his mistake.
Vincent moved.
Fast.
The gun went off.
Evan fell.
I screamed.
Vincent slammed Gabriel into a steel column.
His hands closed around Gabriel's throat.
He could have killed him.
Everyone knew it.
Gabriel smiled through blood.
“Do it.”
Vincent tightened his grip.
Then Evan groaned.
“Dad.”
Vincent stopped.
He looked at his son.
Then released Gabriel.
“No.”
Police sirens approached.
Gabriel stared.
Vincent said:
“You don't get to turn me into proof that you were right about me.”
Gabriel was arrested.
Evan's bullet wound was through the shoulder.
He survived.
May you like
And the most feared man I knew walked into a police station the following morning carrying eighteen years of evidence against his own organization.
---
