Page 80 of Broken Vows

"Boss. Heard about the baby. Congratulations."

"Listen carefully," I say, my voice steady despite the magnitude of what I'm about to do. "I need you to handle something for me. Quietly. Permanently."

"Name it."

I take a breath that feels like swallowing glass. "My father. Tonight. Make it look like Mastroni retaliation for the summit. Can you do that?"

Silence stretches between us. When Sal speaks again, his voice is soft. "You sure about this, boss? There's no coming back from something like that."

"I'm sure." And I am. For the first time in months, I'm completely, absolutely sure. "He's lost his mind, Sal. If we don't stop him tonight, there won't be anything left to save."

"Consider it done," Sal says simply. "One hour?"

"One hour."

I end the call and immediately dial another number. "Tony, I need every loyal man we have positioned around the hospital. Full defensive perimeter. If anyone—and I mean anyone—tries to get near my wife and daughter, they disappear. Understood?"

"Copy that, boss. What about the Mastroni compound?"

"Let me worry about that." I'm already moving, checking my weapon, calculating time and distance. "Just keep my family safe."

As I head for the exit, I stop one last time at the NICU. My daughter's still fighting, still gripping life with those impossibly small fingers.

When this is over, when the blood has been washed from the streets and the power vacuum filled, she'll inherit a different world. A cleaner one.

I press my palm against the glass separating us. "Daddy's got some business to handle, sweetheart. But I'll be back. I promise."

25

Melinda

"Dr. Chen," I call softly. "How's she doing, really?"

"Better than expected for thirty weeks. We'll need to monitor her closely, but her initial assessment is encouraging." She continues working, stitching me back together. "You did good, Melinda."

Time passes by in a fog as I sleep and recover from the adrenaline and fatigue.

Vincent eventually returns to my side, our daughter in the incubator on wheels beside him being pushed by a careful nurse.

"She's incredible," he says, voice thick with emotion.

"She’s a fighter" I feel tears fill my eyes again as my heart expands at the sight of my tiny, perfect daughter.

The world narrows to this. Her eyes are closed, but her breathing is steady.

"What should we name her?" I ask.

Vincent considers. "Maria. After my grandmother.—She and my grandfather are the ones who built this family with honor."

"Maria Russo." I test the name. It fits. "Strong name for a strong girl."

Vincent sits beside me and we just watch our tiny daughter. His hand smoothes my hair, thumb brushing my cheek.

Vincent's phone rings, cutting through the quiet intimacy of the moment. He glances at the screen, then at me.

“I… I ordered a hit.” There’s so much weight to those words, I don’t even want to know right now.

"Take it," I tell him simply, adjusting so I can see Maria more clearly..

---