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Chapter Nine
publish date:
2026-02-19 14:30:25
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Salvatore's Ruin Chapter Twenty-Seven
Five years after the wedding, Luca woke up to find Dante already gone. Not unusual, Dante still had early morning meetings sometimes, but there was a note on the pillow."Come to the garden when you wake up. —D"Luca showered and dressed, curious. When he walked outside, he found the entire garden transformed. Not with decorations or flowers, just people. Dozens of them.Sofia was there, now twenty-one and working as a counselor at the safe house. The other residents he'd helped over the years. Survivors from the foundation. Dr. Patel, Marco, Elena. Even Anya, who'd flown in from Greece where she now ran a women's shelter."What is this?" Luca asked.Dante stepped forward. "It's been ten years since Vienna. Ten years since I found you again. I wanted to do something to mark it.""We all did," Sofia said. "You've helped so many of us. We wanted to show you what that means."One by one, people stepped forward. They told their stories—how Luca's words had given them hope, how the safe ho
Salvatore's Ruin Chapter Twenty-Six
Marriage was easier than Luca expected. They already lived together, already knew each other's routines and quirks. The ring on his finger was just confirmation of what they'd already been building.But some things did change. Dante started coming home earlier, delegating more to Marco and Elena. He stopped taking calls during dinner. He asked about Luca's day and actually listened to the answers."You're being weird," Luca said one night, three months after the wedding."Weird how?""Attentive. Present. It's unsettling.""You want me to go back to being a workaholic?""No. But you can relax. I'm not going to disappear if you answer an email during dinner."Dante set down his fork. "I know. But I wasted so many years not being present. I don't want to waste any more.""That's disgustingly sweet. Stop it.""No."They were happy. Stupidly, boringly happy. Luca worked at the foundation three days a week, speaking to survivors and helping develop new programs. Dante continued transitionin
Salvatore's Ruin Chapter Twenty-Five
They decided on a small wedding. Just family and close friends. Luca didn't want anything elaborate—no press, no business associates, no reminder that Dante ran a criminal organization that was slowly becoming legitimate."Garden ceremony," Luca said, planning with Elena six months after the proposal. "Right here at the villa. Simple, intimate.""Boring," Elena said. "You need at least some drama. It's a wedding.""My entire life has been drama. I want boring.""Fine. Boring it is." Elena made notes. "Guest list?""You, Marco, Dr. Patel, maybe a few people from the foundation I work with." Luca counted on his fingers. "That's like fifteen people max.""What about Dante's people?""He said he doesn't care. He just wants to marry me.""He's such a sap now. It's disgusting." Elena grinned. "I love it."The wedding was set for October, three years almost to the day after Luca was taken. He chose the date deliberately—taking back that anniversary, making it about love instead of loss.Dr.
Salvatore's Ruin Chapter Twenty-Four
Elena secured Lorenzo while Marco untied Dr. Patel. Luca dropped the knife and stood there, shaking. Dante crossed to him immediately."Are you hurt?" Dante asked, checking him over."No. I'm fine. He didn't touch me." Luca looked at Lorenzo on the floor, bleeding and cursing. "Your father. It was your father the whole time.""I know. Elena figured it out twenty minutes ago. Found some encrypted communications he'd been hiding." Dante pulled Luca into his arms. "I'm sorry. I should have seen it sooner.""How could you? He's your father.""Exactly. I should have known." Dante held him tighter. "Are you sure you're okay?""Yeah. Just tired of people trying to kill me. Getting really old."Marco helped Dr. Patel to her feet. Her face was swelling where Lorenzo had hit her, but she was steady. "Thank you for kicking down my door. My landlord's going to love that.""Sorry. I'll pay for it." Luca managed a weak smile. "Are you okay?""I've been better. But I'm alive. Thanks to you." Dr. Pat
Salvatore's Ruin Chapter Twenty-Three
Elena ran background checks on everyone in their inner circle. Every employee, every associate, every person who'd had access to their operations in the past two years. She found nothing suspicious."Either Anya was lying, or whoever it is is very good at covering their tracks," Elena said, frustrated. "I've gone through financial records, communications, travel logs—everything's clean.""Too clean?" Dante asked."Maybe. Or maybe we're paranoid." Elena closed her laptop. "I'll keep digging, but we might be chasing ghosts."Marco had a different theory. "What if it's not someone in the organization? What if it's someone personal? Someone we trust outside of work?"They all looked at each other. The idea was worse than a mole in the business. Those you could handle professionally. Personal betrayals cut deeper."Make a list," Dante said. "Everyone who knows about Luca, about what happened, about our operations. Family, friends, doctors—everyone."The list was shorter than expected but s
Salvatore's Ruin Chapter Twenty-Two
Two years after Vienna, Luca graduated with his literature degree. The ceremony was small but Marco, Elena, Dr. Patel, and Dante all showed up. Dante wore a suit that probably cost more than the average graduate's tuition. Luca wore his cap and gown and couldn't stop smiling."You look ridiculous," Marco said, adjusting Luca's tassel."You're just jealous because I actually finished." Luca grinned. "When are you taking the bar exam again?""Next month. And I'm going to pass this time.""You said that last time.""This time I mean it."They bickered like they used to, before everything happened. It felt good. Normal.After the ceremony, they went to dinner at the restaurant where Luca and Dante had their first date. The same corner table, the same wine, but everything else was different."Speech," Elena demanded, raising her glass."I don't do speeches," Luca protested."You're a literature graduate now. You absolutely do speeches."Luca stood up reluctantly. "Fine. Um. Thank you all f
Salvatore's Ruin Chapter Twenty
The first shots came before they even reached the villa. Guards on the perimeter spotted them and opened fire. Dante's team scattered, returning fire as they pushed forward."Stay low," Dante told Luca, pulling him behind a stone wall."I know what I'm doing," Luca said, but his hands were shaking.
Salvatore's Ruin Chapter Nineteen
Luca drove his palm into the man's wrist, knocking the gun aside like Elena had shown him. The gun discharged, bullet ricocheting off brick. Before the man could recover, Luca kicked him in the knee. Something crunched. The man went down screaming.Luca grabbed the fallen gun. His hands were shakin
Salvatore's Ruin Chapter Eighteen
The Kozlov family went quiet for a week. No attacks, no threats, no movement. It made everyone nervous."They're planning something bigger," Elena said during a briefing. "The factory was a test. They wanted to see our capabilities.""And now they know we're willing to fight," Marco added. "Which m
Salvatore's Ruin Chapter Seventeen
Dr. Patel showed up at the villa an hour after Luca's call. She didn't look happy."This is a terrible idea," she said, standing in Dante's study with her arms crossed. "You're enabling his need for control by putting him in actual danger.""I'm respecting his autonomy," Dante said."You're letting
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