FLORA The whole place immediately erupted into chaos around me. Gunshots echoed through the halls, along with shouts from the men and the sound of glass breaking. Dante's men had launched a full assault on the Riccis, and I was caught in the middle of it. I quickly pulled my arm free from Vincent's grasp when the first explosion rocked the east wing of the house. The blast threw him off balance just long enough for me to wrench my arm away completely and run in the opposite direction. My side was burning—I didn’t know from what exactly—but adrenaline kept me moving. The problem was that I didn’t have even the faintest idea of where I was going. Every corridor in this massive penthouse looked the same. It was full of dark wood furniture, expensive paintings, and too many doors. Smoke was beginning to fill the hallways, and it was making it even harder for me to see anything. As I turned a corner, I slammed directly into someone. A cry escaped my lips as a pair of hands grabbed my s
FLORAThe night air was cool against my face as we sped through the city streets. Dante had informed me of his decision. We would save innocent lives first, then deal with Vincent after that. I couldn't help the rush of relief I felt when I knew that he had chosen people over revenge. He had done the right thing."We need to split up," Dante said. His voice was full of tension as he drove fast. "We will cover more ground that way." He had assembled what remained of his loyal crew, and now there were a dozen men or so spread across three different SUVs. The dashboard clock read 10:28 PM. It was just over an hour and a half until midnight."How many bombs are we talking about?" I asked, trying to stay calm despite the panic spreading through my chest."Based on what Anthony said, there should be at least six, or maybe even more." Dante's knuckles were white on the steering wheel. "Vincent would definitely target places that would hurt us the most.""And places with people too," I added
FLORAThe lights of Romano's restaurant cast a warm glow on the sidewalk as our car hurriedly pulled up a block away. Police sirens were already wailing around in the distance as the aftermath of the assault on the Riccis penthouse spread across the city."Stay here with Sofia," I told Rex and Luis. "If I'm not out in fifteen minutes, then you should call for backup."Sofia grabbed my hand firmly. "Be careful, Flora,” she warned. “You know Vincent has nothing left to lose now.” There were tears in her eyes as she gazed at me. I nodded and slipped out of the car. Then I began to move quietly toward the restaurant. Through the windows, I could see two figures inside. It was Dante and Vincent, and they were both facing each other across the dining room. Vincent was holding something in his hand. I knew it had to be the trigger device.I was about to enter inside when a sudden movement from across the street caught my eye. There were dark vehicles with tinted windows parked. And men in t
FLORA"Sixty seconds."Vincent's words filled the air as time seemed to slow around me. I watched Dante's face transform from shock to determination in just an instant."Where's the main electrical panel?" I asked. My voice cut through the tension immediately.Dante's eyes quickly moved to mine. "It’s in the basement. The original system is still there."I didn't wait for further instructions. While Dante lunged toward Vincent and Agent Wilson shouted orders to his men, I l sprinted toward the back of the restaurant. The kitchen timer continued its merciless countdown, and each tick that sounded kept echoing in my ears.The door to the basement was behind the bar. I pulled it open and rushed down the narrow stairs with my heart pounding heavily in my chest as I went down. The science classes I took in high school had been brief. They had just been for a semester before I dropped them to pursue other interests, but they might be enough to save lives tonight.The basement was dimly lit.
FLORAThe silence that followed was tense. There was no explosion. There was no sound from the timer either. Now we were completely surrounded by darkness and the sound of our rough breathing.Dante's arms found me in the dark, and he immediately pulled me against his chest tightly. I could feel his heart hammering against mine, as our pulses raced in unison. We stood there, frozen, as we waited for the world to end.But it didn't."Is it over?" I whispered after what felt like an eternity.Before Dante could answer, a shaky laughter came from the darkness surrounding the basement. "This... isn't... over," Vincent spat. "The Romano empire must die with me."Dante didn't release me, but I felt him turn toward the sound. "You've lost, Vincent. Give up. It's over.""You could have... killed me upstairs," Vincent said. His voice was already growing weaker at this point. "Your mercy... makes you weak... just like your uncle.""I'm not my father," Dante said firmly. "And I'm not going to be
FLORAMy hands couldn't stop trembling as I sat in the uncomfortable wooden chair of the federal courthouse. I could feel the weight of dozens of eyes gazing at me from all sides: prosecutors, defense attorneys, jury members, and reporters who were scribbling frantically on their notepads. The courtroom was grand and imposing with its high ceilings, dark wood paneling, and the enormous American flag hanging behind the judge's bench. Every sound echoed, be it the scratch of pens, the rustle of papers, or even when people coughed occasionally.Nervously, I kept smoothing down the fabric of the conservative navy blue dress Sofia had insisted I wear. “Never underestimate the power of appearance," she had told me this morning as she was helping me to style my hair into a modest bun. "You need to look respectable but not wealthy. You need to look like you've been victimized but not broken.""Ms. Miller, could you please state for the record what you witnessed at the Ricci estate on the ni
FLORAAfter I concluded my testimony for the day, I headed straight to Oakwood Care Center, which was the upscale facility where my mother now received treatment. The frozen Romano accounts had been partially released as part of Dante's cooperation agreement, and some of that money now funded experimental treatments for my mother's condition.The care center was somehow even better than Mount Sinai Medical Center, the last facility where she had been receiving treatment at. And it was quite a far cry from the rundown hospital where she had spent so many years. Here, there were beautiful gardens surrounding the modern building, and the interior looked more like a luxury hotel than a medical facility. Every time I visited, I couldn’t help but marvel at the change in our circumstances. Less than a year ago, I had been cleaning offices and scrubbing toilets to pay for basic medications. And now my mother had a team of specialists.I found her sitting in the facility's garden with an ope
FLORA"Absolutely not,” I said, crossing my arms as I stared down at Dante from across the penthouse living room. "I'm not going into hiding."Dante's jaw tensed visibly as he kept pacing around, and the ankle monitor blinked with each forceful step he took. The morning sunlight coming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows made his shadow appear very long across the marble floor. He hadn't slept throughout the night. The dark circles under his eyes and the rough stubble on his jaw told me that much."This isn't negotiable, Flora. Anthony's threat was explicit." His voice was low and controlled, but I could hear the edge of fear underneath it. Not for himself, because Dante Romano had never feared for himself, but for me.After discovering Anthony Ricci was alive and was now targeting me, Dante had spent the entire night either on the phone or pacing around the entire penthouse. By morning, he had arranged for a federal safe house three states away, complete with a new identity and 2
FLORAThe entire room froze. Dante’s whole body was tense beside me, and it looked as though his body was coiled like a spring."Don't," Dante warned his father. His voice was low but he sounded really deadly."Or what?" Antonio taunted. "This is how it ends, son. With you watching as I take everything you care about, piece by piece." His finger tightened on the trigger. "Starting with her.""If you touch her, I will tear you apart with my bare hands,” Dante said. Each word was sharp enough to cut glass,Antonio's smile widened. "You’re finally showing some Romano spirit, Dante. But unfortunately, it's too late." His eyes met mine. "You look just like your mother," he added. For a moment, his features turned ugly with rage. "You have the same defiant look she had. I hated that look.""You knew my mother," I said, stalling. My heart was racing."I knew everyone in Carlo's life," Antonio said. "Including the woman who tempted my brother away from his loyalty to this family. Your mother
FLORAThe silence that fell over the restaurant was deafening. I watched as Dante's entire body went rigid, and his entire face drained of color as though he had just seen a ghost. I guess he had, in a way."Hello, son." The older man's voice cut through the silence in the room like a knife. "Surprised to see me?"Antonio Romano stood just inside the restaurant entrance, surrounded by two large men with semi-automatic weapons. He looked like an older version of Dante. They both had the same piercing eyes, and the same strong jawline, but Antonio had silver spread through his dark hair and deep lines carved into his face. His smile was nothing like his son's; though. Dante's smile was nice enough and it could warm a room occasionally, but Antonio's was nothing but cold and cruel."This is impossible," Dante whispered. His voice was barely audible, but I could still hear him. I had never seen him like this, though. He looked so shocked, vulnerable, and almost childlike as the disbelief
FLORA"This isn't a proposal," Dante clarified quickly. "Not yet. I'm still a man under federal supervision, rebuilding a new legacy, different from the one that was tainted by generations of blood. But it's a promise that if we survive this, I want to build something real. I want something legitimate with you, Flora."I stared at the ring in awe as its stones caught the moonlight. After everything we had been through—the fear, the betrayal, the violence—this moment of tenderness felt almost unreal."We're going to survive," I told him as I let him slip the ring onto my right hand. "And then I'm going to hold you to that promise."He pulled me against his chest, and for a moment, we were just a man and woman looking toward the future, not a crime boss and his unlikely partner planning for war.***Morning arrived too quickly. I sat at a table in the newly rebuilt Romano restaurant, drinking a cup of coffee I really couldn't taste. The space had been transformed since the bombing attac
FLORA"Absolutely not," Dante snapped immediately."Her plan actually makes sense," Salvatore said carefully, while ignoring Dante's glare. "Anthony is emotional. His hatred is quite predictable, if nothing else.""I'm not dangling Flora in front of Anthony like a worm on a hook," Dante growled. His fists had turned white because of the way he was clenching them. “She won’t be used as bait.”"At the end of the day, it’s not your decision, Dante,” I replied firmly. "I'm volunteering. And I'll be surrounded by federal agents and whatever security you arrange. This is our best chance to end this."Sofia studied me for a short moment. There were hints of respect and approval in her eyes. "She's right, Fratello. Anthony won't be able to resist.""Where should we use?" Salvatore asked. "It needs to be somewhere we can control."I didn't hesitate. "The restaurant. The original Romano family restaurant,” I suggested.Dante's head snapped up immediately. "Why there in particular?" he questione
FLORA"Absolutely not,” I said, crossing my arms as I stared down at Dante from across the penthouse living room. "I'm not going into hiding."Dante's jaw tensed visibly as he kept pacing around, and the ankle monitor blinked with each forceful step he took. The morning sunlight coming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows made his shadow appear very long across the marble floor. He hadn't slept throughout the night. The dark circles under his eyes and the rough stubble on his jaw told me that much."This isn't negotiable, Flora. Anthony's threat was explicit." His voice was low and controlled, but I could hear the edge of fear underneath it. Not for himself, because Dante Romano had never feared for himself, but for me.After discovering Anthony Ricci was alive and was now targeting me, Dante had spent the entire night either on the phone or pacing around the entire penthouse. By morning, he had arranged for a federal safe house three states away, complete with a new identity and 2
FLORAAfter I concluded my testimony for the day, I headed straight to Oakwood Care Center, which was the upscale facility where my mother now received treatment. The frozen Romano accounts had been partially released as part of Dante's cooperation agreement, and some of that money now funded experimental treatments for my mother's condition.The care center was somehow even better than Mount Sinai Medical Center, the last facility where she had been receiving treatment at. And it was quite a far cry from the rundown hospital where she had spent so many years. Here, there were beautiful gardens surrounding the modern building, and the interior looked more like a luxury hotel than a medical facility. Every time I visited, I couldn’t help but marvel at the change in our circumstances. Less than a year ago, I had been cleaning offices and scrubbing toilets to pay for basic medications. And now my mother had a team of specialists.I found her sitting in the facility's garden with an ope
FLORAMy hands couldn't stop trembling as I sat in the uncomfortable wooden chair of the federal courthouse. I could feel the weight of dozens of eyes gazing at me from all sides: prosecutors, defense attorneys, jury members, and reporters who were scribbling frantically on their notepads. The courtroom was grand and imposing with its high ceilings, dark wood paneling, and the enormous American flag hanging behind the judge's bench. Every sound echoed, be it the scratch of pens, the rustle of papers, or even when people coughed occasionally.Nervously, I kept smoothing down the fabric of the conservative navy blue dress Sofia had insisted I wear. “Never underestimate the power of appearance," she had told me this morning as she was helping me to style my hair into a modest bun. "You need to look respectable but not wealthy. You need to look like you've been victimized but not broken.""Ms. Miller, could you please state for the record what you witnessed at the Ricci estate on the ni
FLORAThe silence that followed was tense. There was no explosion. There was no sound from the timer either. Now we were completely surrounded by darkness and the sound of our rough breathing.Dante's arms found me in the dark, and he immediately pulled me against his chest tightly. I could feel his heart hammering against mine, as our pulses raced in unison. We stood there, frozen, as we waited for the world to end.But it didn't."Is it over?" I whispered after what felt like an eternity.Before Dante could answer, a shaky laughter came from the darkness surrounding the basement. "This... isn't... over," Vincent spat. "The Romano empire must die with me."Dante didn't release me, but I felt him turn toward the sound. "You've lost, Vincent. Give up. It's over.""You could have... killed me upstairs," Vincent said. His voice was already growing weaker at this point. "Your mercy... makes you weak... just like your uncle.""I'm not my father," Dante said firmly. "And I'm not going to be
FLORA"Sixty seconds."Vincent's words filled the air as time seemed to slow around me. I watched Dante's face transform from shock to determination in just an instant."Where's the main electrical panel?" I asked. My voice cut through the tension immediately.Dante's eyes quickly moved to mine. "It’s in the basement. The original system is still there."I didn't wait for further instructions. While Dante lunged toward Vincent and Agent Wilson shouted orders to his men, I l sprinted toward the back of the restaurant. The kitchen timer continued its merciless countdown, and each tick that sounded kept echoing in my ears.The door to the basement was behind the bar. I pulled it open and rushed down the narrow stairs with my heart pounding heavily in my chest as I went down. The science classes I took in high school had been brief. They had just been for a semester before I dropped them to pursue other interests, but they might be enough to save lives tonight.The basement was dimly lit.