Chapter 18 - The Final Stand
Time seemed to slow down as Thorne raised his weapon.
Before Thorne could even pull the trigger, Dorian moved.
He drew his sidearm with blinding speed, firing a single, precision shot that shattered Thorne’s wrist.
Thorne screamed, dropping the gun as his arm completely collapsed.
The remaining mercenaries saw their boss fall and instantly dropped their weapons, throwing their hands into the air as the SWAT teams swarmed the pier.
They were criminals, not martyrs.
They weren't going to die fighting a federal army for a man who had already lost.
Dorian walked slowly toward Thorne, who was writhing on the wet concrete, clutching his bleeding wrist.
Titan trotted closely beside him, his teeth bared, ready to end the man if he made a single sudden movement.
Dorian stood over Thorne, the spotlight from the helicopter above casting a massive, intimidating shadow over the fallen boss.
"You ruined me!" Thorne spat, blood dripping from his chin.
"You took my money, and now you take my freedom."
"Kill me, Vance!"
"Be the monster you really are!"
Dorian looked down at the pathetic, broken man.
For fifteen years, Dorian would have put a bullet between Thorne’s eyes without a second thought.
He would have dropped the body in the lake and driven home to sleep peacefully.
But as he looked at the gun in his hand, he thought of Marin.
He thought of the life they were building, the foundation they had started, and the promise he had made to step out of the darkness.
He did not want to be a monster anymore.
Dorian slowly lowered his weapon and engaged the safety.
"I am not going to kill you, Elias," Dorian said quietly.
"I am going to let the federal government lock you in a concrete box for the rest of your miserable life."
"And every day you rot in there, I want you to remember that you were beaten by a man who didn't even have to break the law to destroy you."
Dorian turned his back on the screaming cartel boss and walked away, letting the federal agents swarm in to make the arrest.
Marcus met him at the SUV, opening the heavy armored door.
"The threat is neutralized, sir," Marcus reported, his voice filled with profound respect.
"And Elena's sister?" Dorian asked as he slid into the back seat.
"Recovered by our tactical team ten minutes ago," Marcus confirmed.
"She is safe."
Dorian nodded once, leaning his head back against the leather seat, the sheer exhaustion of the night finally catching up to him.
May you like
"Take me home, Marcus," Dorian ordered softly.
"I have a wedding to plan."
