Chapter 6 - The Shadow of Boston
Back at the Halston penthouse, the atmosphere was thick with tension and resolve.
Toby had been checked over by the private doctor, given a hot meal, and settled into a secure guest room downstairs under the watchful eye of two armed guards.
Upstairs, Sarah sat on the edge of the sofa, wrapped in a warm blanket. Her back throbbed fiercely, but the terror of losing her brother had temporarily numbed the physical pain.
Enzo stood by the fireplace, pouring a glass of scotch while Victor worked on a high-resolution laptop at the coffee table.
“Thorne is panicking,” Victor reported, typing rapidly. “We intercepted an encrypted satellite transmission from his headquarters in Boston ten minutes ago. He realizes his hit squad in Queens failed, and he knows we’re coming.”
Enzo took a slow sip of his scotch, his eyes fixed on the amber liquid. “Thorne thinks he can wage a war across state lines and hide behind his corporate front companies in Boston. He forgot how the Carusos settle blood debts.”
Sarah looked up, her blue eyes catching the dim light of the penthouse. “Mr. Caruso... Enzo... what happens now? If Marcus Thorne is still out there, he’ll never stop trying to hurt your family. Or mine.”
Enzo turned toward her, his expression softening as he walked over and sat on the coffee table in front of her.
“You’re right, Sarah,” Enzo said quietly. “In my world, you don't survive by waiting for the enemy to strike twice. You strike first. You strike hard. And you remove the threat permanently.”
“Are you going to war?” she asked, a knot forming in her stomach.
“I am ending a war that should have been finished years ago,” Enzo corrected. He reached out, gently taking her hand. “My estate in Westchester is secure. Toby will be enrolled in a private academy with full security detail starting tomorrow. And you... you are going to stay under my roof where I can protect you.”
Sarah pulled her hand back slightly, shaking her head. “I can’t just hide in a mansion, Mr. Caruso. I’m a hotel server. I have a life—even if it’s a messy one.”
“Your old life ended the night you took three bullets for my son, Sarah,” Enzo said, his voice carrying an undeniable, heavy truth. “You are tied to the Caruso family now. Whether you want to be or not.”
Victor cleared his throat, looking up from his laptop. “Boss, you might want to see this. Thorne’s primary financial conduit isn't just shipping companies in Boston. It’s a massive underground auction house operating out of an abandoned Gilded Age mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. That’s where he launders the syndicate’s cash and meets with his international buyers.”
Enzo’s eyes flared with a dark, brilliant light. “Newport. When is his next summit?”
“Tomorrow night at midnight,” Victor answered. “All of Thorne’s regional lieutenants will be there. If we hit the Newport estate, we wipe out his entire financial infrastructure in one stroke.”
Enzo stood up, his posture straightening into that of an unstoppable military commander. He looked down at Sarah.
“I have to leave for Rhode Island tomorrow evening, Sarah,” Enzo said. “I want you to rest. When I return, Marcus Thorne will no longer be a threat to anyone.”
Sarah looked up at him, her heart pounding. She had spent her whole life trying to stay away from violence, yet here she was, sitting in the stronghold of a mafia kingpin, realizing that her fate was now inextricably bound to his.
“Take me with you,” Sarah said suddenly.
Enzo frowned, stepping closer. “Sarah, no. That’s a combat zone.”
“Marcus Thorne’s assassin wore a silver serpent tie bar,” Sarah said, her voice steady and fierce. “He walked right past me in that ballroom because I didn't know what to look for. But I know now. Let me come to Newport, Enzo. Let me help you finish this.”
Enzo stared at her for a long, silent moment. He saw the same unwavering courage in her blue eyes that he had seen when she threw herself over his son.
May you like
A slow, respectful smile touched his lips.
“Pack a dark suit, Sarah,” Enzo said softly. “We leave for Rhode Island at dawn.”
