CHAPTER 3 – THE WAR INSIDE THE MARC HETTI EMPIRE
The first thing Logan Marchetti heard was the rain.
The second thing he heard was the sound of men approaching his home.
Not his mansion in the city.
Not one of his heavily guarded properties.
Greystone Manor.
The place where he had buried his past.
The place where he had found his future.
The place where his sister had returned from the dead.
And now, the place where his enemies had come to finish what they started eight years ago.
Logan stood in the darkness of the hallway, his gun steady in his hand.
Behind him, Marcus had already moved Elena and the girls toward the hidden basement beneath the old wine cellar.
The same basement Logan and Elena had discovered as children.
The same place where their father used to hide old family documents.
Funny.
His father had hidden secrets under the house.
Vincent had hidden secrets inside the family.
And Logan?
Logan had spent eight years protecting a lie.
A bullet struck the wooden frame beside him.
The old house shook.
Logan didn’t move.
His expression remained empty.
Cold.
The expression that had earned him the name people whispered about.
The Black Wolf of the East Coast.
But tonight was different.
Tonight, he wasn’t fighting for power.
He wasn’t fighting territory.
He wasn’t fighting money.
He was fighting for his sister.
And for two little girls who carried Elena’s eyes.
“Logan.”
Marcus’s voice came through the communication device.
“We counted at least twelve men.”
“Twelve?”
“Possibly more.”
Logan smiled without humor.
“Vincent always did love dramatic entrances.”
Marcus paused.
“You think he’s here?”
Logan looked toward the broken window.
“He’s not the kind of man who sends others to finish his mistakes.”
A shadow moved outside.
Then a familiar voice called from the darkness.
“Logan.”
The sound made his blood run cold.
Because that voice had comforted him after his parents died.
That voice had told him everything would be okay.
That voice had told him Elena was gone.
“Come outside, nephew.”
Vincent Marchetti.
The man who had been his mentor.
His uncle.
His family.
Logan walked toward the door.
Slowly.
Marcus’s voice sharpened.
“Boss, don’t.”
But Logan opened the door.
The rain immediately hit his face.
And there he stood.
Vincent Marchetti.
Sixty years old.
Elegant black coat.
Silver hair.
A calm smile.
The same smile he had worn at Elena’s funeral.
The same smile that had fooled everyone.
Behind him stood armed men.
Dozens.
Vincent looked at Logan almost sadly.
“You look just like your father.”
Logan’s eyes narrowed.
“Don’t mention him.”
Vincent sighed.
“I always knew this day would come.”
“You knew Elena was alive.”
The old man’s smile disappeared.
Only slightly.
But Logan noticed.
“You found her.”
“I found the truth.”
Vincent looked past him toward the house.
“She told you everything, didn’t she?”
Logan’s silence was enough.
Vincent shook his head.
“Poor Elena.”
“Careful.”
“She always thought she could save people.”
Logan stepped forward.
“You tried to kill her.”
Vincent looked almost offended.
“I tried to protect this family.”
A bitter laugh escaped Logan.
“By murdering your niece?”
“By preventing her from destroying everything.”
“Everything you built.”
Vincent’s eyes hardened.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“That judgment.”
Vincent stepped closer.
“You always had your father’s weakness.”
Logan’s face changed.
“My father wasn’t weak.”
“He was sentimental.”
Vincent smiled.
“He believed honesty mattered.”
“And you killed him for it.”
For the first time, Vincent became completely still.
Logan saw it.
The smallest crack.
The smallest reaction.
But enough.
Enough to know.
“You did.”
Vincent said nothing.
“You killed my father.”
The rain poured harder.
“He found out about your operation.”
Silence.
“And you killed him.”
Vincent looked at Logan.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“No?”
Logan’s voice became deadly calm.
“Then why are you here?”
Vincent stared at him.
“Because I want what is mine.”
“The files.”
“The empire.”
Logan laughed.
“Your empire?”
Vincent looked toward the house.
“This family existed before you.”
“And it will exist after you.”
Vincent smiled.
“Maybe.”
Then he said the words that changed everything.
“But not with you leading it.”
A car door opened behind him.
A woman stepped out.
Logan froze.
Because he knew her.
Everyone in his world knew her.
Sophia Vale.
A powerful lawyer.
A woman who had helped protect the Marchetti family for years.
A woman who had attended his father’s funeral.
A woman who had stood beside Logan when he took control of the organization.
She walked beside Vincent.
And Logan understood.
The betrayal was bigger than he imagined.
“How long?” Logan asked.
Sophia looked away.
“How long were you working with him?”
She didn’t answer.
Vincent did.
“Since before you became boss.”
The words hit.
Not like a bullet.
Like a knife.
Because suddenly Logan understood.
Every victory.
Every business deal.
Every enemy who disappeared.
Someone had been controlling the board.
And he had never noticed.
“You were never meant to lead,” Vincent said.
“You were a weapon.”
Logan stared.
“You made me.”
“Yes.”
Vincent smiled.
“And that was my mistake.”
“Why?”
“Because I forgot weapons can turn around.”
The gunfire started again.
This time from inside.
Logan’s heart stopped.
“Marcus.”
No answer.
“Marcus!”
Static.
Then a scream.
Not Marcus.
A man outside.
Logan turned instantly.
Vincent smiled.
“Your people are fighting.”
“My people?”
Vincent shook his head.
“They were always mine.”
Something inside Logan went silent.
Not anger.
Not fear.
Something worse.
Understanding.
The entire empire had been compromised.
He had spent years believing he was the king.
But he had been sitting on a throne built by another man.
A throne with hidden chains.
Then—
A small voice came through the radio.
“Uncle Logan?”
Everything stopped.
Luna.
His eyes changed.
Vincent noticed.
“Ah.”
The old man smiled.
“The girls.”
Logan’s grip tightened.
“You stay away from them.”
Vincent laughed softly.
“Those children are the reason this ends tonight.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
He stepped closer.
“Because they prove Elena survived.”
Logan stared.
“And?”
“And if Elena survived, the truth survives.”
The old man’s face became cold.
“I cannot allow that.”
For the first time that night—
Logan smiled.
Not warmly.
Not kindly.
A dangerous smile.
“You made one mistake, Vincent.”
“What?”
“You forgot something.”
Vincent frowned.
“What?”
Logan looked back toward the house.
Toward the basement.
Toward Elena.
Toward the daughters of the woman Vincent failed to kill.
“You spent eight years thinking Elena was alone.”
The rain fell harder.
“You were wrong.”
Vincent watched him.
“You have me.”
Logan stepped forward.
“You have Marcus.”
Another step.
“You have every person who still believes family means something.”
Vincent’s expression changed.
“You think love will save you?”
“No.”
Logan raised his gun.
“I think love is why I’m finally going to destroy you.”
Inside the basement, Elena sat beside her daughters.
Her hands were shaking.
Not from fear.
From memory.
She remembered Vincent’s face eight years ago.
She remembered the bridge.
The crash.
The hospital.
The doctor telling her she was lucky.
Then Vincent appearing in her room.
His words.
Disappear, Elena.
Or I will bury your children beside you.
She had spent years running.
Years hiding.
Years teaching her daughters not to trust anyone.
But now?
Now Logan was here.
Her brother.
The boy who once carried her home when she fell from a tree.
The teenager who fought anyone who made her cry.
The man who had spent eight years mourning her.
She had taken his sister away.
But tonight…
She had given him his family back.
A door opened.
Marcus entered.
Blood on his shoulder.
Elena stood immediately.
“Marcus!”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“Occupational hazard.”
Even injured, he managed a small smile.
The girls ran to him.
“Are you okay?”
Marcus looked down at them.
And something changed in his face.
“Yeah.”
He smiled.
“I am now.”
Elena noticed.
“You care about them.”
Marcus looked surprised.
Then looked away.
“I’ve spent my life protecting dangerous people.”
He glanced toward the girls.
“Maybe I was waiting to protect someone innocent.”
Before Elena could answer—
The lights went out.
Complete darkness.
Then a voice echoed from the stairs.
“Hello, Elena.”
Her blood turned cold.
Sophia.
She stood at the entrance.
Holding a gun.
Marcus moved instantly.
But more armed men appeared behind her.
Elena stepped in front of the girls.
“You.”
Sophia smiled sadly.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
Sophia looked at her.
“You were always the one thing Vincent couldn’t control.”
“And you?”
Sophia’s eyes lowered.
“I was the one who made sure you disappeared.”
The confession filled the basement.
Elena felt the pain.
Not because she was surprised.
Because she was disappointed.
“You were my friend.”
Sophia looked away.
“I was never your friend.”
Then she raised the gun.
But before she could fire—
A shot echoed.
Everyone froze.
Sophia looked down.
A bullet had struck the gun from her hand.
Logan stood at the top of the stairs.
His face was cold.
His eyes were furious.
But when he looked at Elena and the girls…
They softened.
Just for a second.
Then he looked back at Vincent’s people.
“The Marchetti family has been buried long enough.”
He stepped into the basement.
“Tonight…”
He raised his weapon.
“We come back.”
May you like
The war for the Marchetti empire had begun.
And this time, Logan wasn’t fighting alone.
