Chapter 15 - ASHES OF THE OLD GUARD
With the mole eradicated and Lorenzo slowly regaining his strength, Evelyn went on the offensive. The Calabrese family had a foothold in Chicago through a series of underground high-stakes poker games in the West Loop, operated by their proxy, a man named Russo. It was time to sever the limb.
Evelyn didn't send enforcers; she went herself. Dressed in a stunning crimson evening gown that hid the Kevlar beneath, she walked into Russo's illegal casino looking like a high-roller. Marco and a dozen heavily armed men waited in the delivery trucks in the alley.
Russo, a sleazy, diamond-clad operator, spotted her immediately. "Evelyn Carter," he sneered, approaching her at the baccarat table. "The waitress playing queen. A bit far from your diner, aren't you?"
"I heard the stakes were high tonight," Evelyn smiled smoothly, sipping her champagne. "I came to cash out."
Before Russo could respond, the power to the building was cut. Darkness plunged the casino into chaos. Screams erupted as Moretti’s men flooded through the exits, wearing night-vision goggles. By the time the backup generators kicked in, Russo was pinned to a roulette table, Evelyn standing over him with a stiletto heel pressed firmly into his chest.
"Tell Calabrese that Chicago is closed for business," Evelyn whispered dangerously. "The next time he sends his dogs into my city, I won't just burn his shipments. I will burn his city to the ground. Get out."
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Russo scrambled away like a beaten dog. Evelyn stood in the center of the ruined casino, the undisputed ruler of the room. When she returned to the bunker, Lorenzo was sitting up in bed, a proud, tired smile on his face. She had protected his empire. She had protected him.
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