Chapter 20 - The Reign of the King and Queen and the Dawn of a New Era
The chaotic,
violent aftermath of the massive gala ambush was swift,
brutal,
and utterly,
terrifyingly decisive.
Within twenty-four short,
bloody hours,
Vincent had unleashed the full,
unrestrained,
and terrifying might of his entire criminal syndicate against Nikolai's fragile,
crumbling organization.
Every single warehouse the Russians owned was violently,
systematically burned to the ground,
every single illegal,
unauthorized shipment was intercepted and ruthlessly destroyed,
and every single captain loyal to the traitorous Russian boss was quietly,
efficiently eliminated in the dark,
unforgiving shadows of the city.
The war was short,
completely one-sided,
and served as a terrifying,
unmistakable message to every other powerful family in the country.
Vincent Moretti was absolutely untouchable,
and his brilliant,
lethal Queen was the exact,
precise reason why.
It was late on a beautiful,
clear Sunday evening,
the warm,
golden sun setting slowly behind the towering,
luxurious skyline of New York City,
when Nikolai was finally,
violently brought before us.
We were standing in the vast,
cavernous warehouse down by the eastern shipping docks,
the very same location where Carlo had stupidly,
fatally betrayed the family just a few short weeks ago.
I stood exactly at Vincent's right side,
dressed immaculately in a sharp,
tailored black coat,
my hands resting calmly,
confidently in my pockets,
watching coldly as Marcus and two heavy shadows dragged the beaten,
broken Russian boss across the rough,
concrete floor.
Nikolai was forced violently to his bleeding knees,
his once proud,
arrogant face now a bruised,
swollen mess of pure,
unadulterated defeat and pathetic,
begging terror.
"Vincent,
please,"
Nikolai coughed weakly,
spitting dark,
thick blood onto the dirty,
cold concrete,
his pale eyes wide with the sudden,
inescapable realization of his own impending,
violent death,
"We can make a deal,
I have money,
I have massive,
untapped territories overseas."
Vincent stood perfectly still,
his hands resting casually behind his broad,
muscular back,
looking down at his defeated,
pathetic rival with a cold,
emotionless expression that was far more terrifying than any raging,
screaming anger could ever be.
"You do not have anything left to bargain with,
Nikolai,"
Vincent stated smoothly,
his deep,
calm voice echoing loudly in the massive,
empty warehouse,
"You attacked my men,
you disrespected my home,
and worst of all,
you dared to threaten the life of my beautiful,
lethal Queen."
Vincent turned his head slowly,
looking directly at me,
a silent,
respectful gesture completely offering the final,
ultimate judgment into my own waiting,
capable hands.
I stepped forward slowly,
the sharp,
rhythmic click of my high heels echoing loudly against the concrete,
stopping exactly two feet away from the kneeling,
trembling monster.
"You asked who I was at the gala,"
I said quietly,
looking down into his fearful,
broken eyes without a single,
solitary ounce of pity or weak,
lingering remorse.
"I am the woman who sees everything you desperately try to hide,
I am the shadow that stands securely beside the King,
and I am the absolute,
violent end of your pathetic,
worthless reign."
I turned back to Vincent,
offering him a small,
cold,
and completely resolute nod.
Vincent drew his heavy,
silenced pistol in one fluid,
beautifully terrifying motion,
and without a single,
hesitating word,
he pulled the heavy,
resistant trigger.
The sharp,
muffled crack echoed briefly,
and Nikolai's heavy,
lifeless body slumped violently forward onto the cold,
blood-stained concrete floor,
his treacherous,
violent ambitions completely,
permanently extinguished.
"Burn this warehouse to the ground,"
Vincent commanded calmly to Marcus,
turning smoothly away from the bloody,
pathetic mess,
offering me his warm,
steady arm.
"Yes,
Boss,"
Marcus replied instantly,
his massive,
tattooed face showing absolute,
unwavering respect as he looked briefly at me,
silently acknowledging the terrifying,
beautiful power of his new,
unquestionable Queen.
We walked slowly out of the dark,
shadowy warehouse together,
stepping out into the cool,
refreshing evening air,
leaving the violent,
bloody past burning brightly in the massive flames behind us.
Vincent pulled me gently against his side,
his lips brushing softly,
affectionately against the top of my head,
his entire presence wrapping around me like a permanent,
invincible shield.
"The entire city belongs to us now,
Lena,"
he murmured softly,
his dark eyes reflecting the distant,
glittering lights of the massive,
sprawling skyline,
"Are you finally,
truly ready to rule it."
I looked up at the beautiful,
lethal monster who had saved me from the gutter,
who had forged my broken heart in fire and shadows,
and I smiled a dark,
confident,
and absolutely fearless smile.
"I have been ready since the very moment you kicked down my door,
Vincent,"
I answered firmly,
and together,
we walked beautifully,
May you like
unstoppably into the dark,
glorious night.
