Chapter 24
Domenico did not look down at the water. He turned his attention immediately to Ethan. The boy was trembling violently, his eyes tightly shut, expecting the monster to turn on him next. Domenico knelt beside the chair, pulling a small folding knife from his pocket. He moved slowly, deliberately, ensuring the boy saw the blade before he cut the thick ropes binding his wrists and ankles. "It's over, Ethan," Domenico said, his voice dropping to that gentle, low rumble he reserved only for children. The boy opened his eyes, staring in shock at the man his mother had painted as a devil. Ethan rubbed his chafed wrists, tears spilling silently down his cheeks. "Are you going to kill me?" Ethan whispered, his voice barely a squeak. Domenico’s expression softened. He reached out, resting his large, tattooed hand gently on the boy's shoulder. "No. You are not a part of this world. You are a child." He stood up, offering his hand to the boy. "Come. Let's get you out of the cold." Ethan hesitated for a moment, then reached out, his small hand grasping Domenico's. As they walked away from the slaughter on the pier, the flashing lights of Domenico's cleanup crew approached in the distance. The war was officially over, and the Falcone empire stood undisputed.
