Chapter 19 - The Final Crescendo
Dominic didn't flinch.
He immediately moved his massive body in front of Ruby,
his hand reaching smoothly into his tuxedo jacket.
"Julian Vance,
" Dominic said,
his voice surprisingly calm,
carrying over the panic.
"You are late to the party."
Julian Vance sneered,
stepping forward with twenty armed mercenaries behind him.
"You thought you could outsmart us?" Julian laughed viciously.
"I knew your delivery boy would fail,
so I brought real firepower!"
"Surrender the estate,
Vale,
or we paint this wedding red!"
Ruby stepped out from behind Dominic’s shoulder,
her ivory gown fanning out on the green grass.
She didn't look terrified;
she looked regal,
unshakable,
and fiercely dangerous.
"You really don't get it,
do you,
Julian?" Ruby called out,
her voice echoing loudly across the courtyard.
"We knew you were coming the moment you touched our wine."
Ruby raised her gloved hand and snapped her fingers once.
Instantly,
from the high stone balconies surrounding the courtyard,
fifty of Dominic's elite snipers emerged from the shadows,
red laser sights instantly painting the chests of Julian's twenty mercenaries.
At the same time,
Marcus and a tactical squad blocked the driveway behind the vans,
sealing the escape route completely.
Julian’s face turned deathly pale as he looked around,
realizing he had walked directly into a flawless kill zone.
"Drop your weapons,
" Dominic commanded,
his voice carrying the terrifying authority of a true emperor.
"Or leave this house in body bags."
The mercenaries,
realizing they were completely outmatched and surrounded,
began dropping their rifles onto the grass one by one.
Julian Vance panicked,
raising his pistol directly toward Ruby in a desperate,
cowardly move.
Before he could pull the trigger,
Ruby moved with incredible speed.
She grabbed a heavy brass candelabra from the altar table and hurled it with massive force.
The heavy metal structure struck Julian square in the face with a loud crack,
breaking his nose and knocking him flat onto his back.
Dominic stepped over,
placing his heavy boot directly onto Julian's chest,
pressing down until the young mobster whimpered in pain.
"Marcus,
take him to the federal authorities,
" Dominic ordered coldly.
"Expose all of Vance's records."
"Let the law finish what's left of their family."
"Yes,
boss!" Marcus grinned,
dragging Julian away in zip-ties.
Dominic turned back to Ruby,
his eyes burning with absolute,
undying love.
He reached down,
wiped a speck of dust from her sleeve,
and took her hands once more.
"Now,
" Dominic said softly to the magistrate,
"where were we?"
The magistrate,
wiping sweat from his forehead,
hurriedly spoke.
"I...
I now pronounce you husband and wife!"
"You may kiss the bride!"
Dominic pulled Ruby into his arms and lifted her off her feet,
May you like
kissing her with a fierce,
passionate intensity that brought the entire crowd of guests to their feet in thunderous applause!
