Our father had been moving pieces from the shadows while his sons destroyed themselves.
“You did this,” Matteo said.
Salvatore looked almost offended.
“I built this family. I merely tested whether Adrian deserved to lead it.”
“You tried to kill him.”
“I tried to strengthen him.”
“You hunted Elena and Lily.”
“Loose ends are dangerous.”
Something inside me became very calm.
“Lily is your granddaughter.”
“She is Matteo’s weakness.”
I raised my gun.
“She is your blood.”
Salvatore shrugged.
“Blood matters only when it obeys.”
Matteo reached for his weapon.
Salvatore fired first.
The shot echoed through the tunnel.
Matteo jerked against the wall.
I fired twice.
Salvatore disappeared behind the filtration door as the emergency lights exploded above us.
Darkness swallowed the corridor.
“Matteo!”
“I’m here.”
I found him by touch.
Warm blood spread across his chest.
“No,” I said. “No, no, no.”
“The valve,” he gasped. “Stop the gas.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“You promised.”
“I promised to protect Lily.”
“Then do it.”
A warning siren sounded overhead.
The gas cycle had restarted.
Matteo pressed the drive into my hand.
“Everything is there. But Adrian…”
“What?”
His grip tightened.
“Salvatore wasn’t the one who sent Elena to your house.”
The words cut through the panic.
“Then who did?”
Matteo tried to answer.
