That night, Havencroft was full of chaos. Gunfire echoed in the distance, and smoke curled above the skyline like the last breath of a dying animal. Enzo stood still on the roof of the old cathedral, looking down at what used to be his. He worked hard to build an empire, but now it had another man's name on it."Luca's everywhere," Serena said softly, standing a few steps behind him. As she touched his arm, the wind messed up her hair. "He's taken the docks, the east tunnels, and even the union yard." Like they own the city, Rocco's men are at the border.Enzo's jaw got tight. "They don't own it." Not yet."Not yet?" She laughed in a bitter way. "Enzo, look around. The city is gone. You don't have any men or allies left. In fact, your name doesn't scare anyone anymore.He looked at her sharply. "You think I don't know that?" You think I can't feel it slipping away every second? The first sign of wear she saw in him was his voice cracking. "I made this city out of garbage, Serena. I ca

When Enzo read Serena's message again, night closed in on Havencroft.I made a deal with Luca.He looked at the screen until Bianca said something.From the table, she said, "You look like you swallowed glass." "What did the girl say?""She says Luca will move on us tonight if I don't take his offer," Enzo said. "On everyone who is still loyal."Matteo swore as he bent over the map. "So he gets the city and you get to leave."Bianca turned her head. "And do you trust the messenger, or are we just pretending that love makes people honest?"Enzo said, "Serena did this to keep people alive.""Or to stay alive," Bianca said. "Fear makes people look ugly."Matteo tapped the courthouse in red. "What is the move?"Enzo looked down at Havencroft, which was spread out on pins and ink. The streets he had fought for looked back at him."We meet him," he said. "We make him believe I'm ready to leave."Matteo made a face. "While Bianca's people walk around the square. Sounds like a bloodbath.Enzo

Enzo sat on the dusty floor of the pawnshop room, his back against the wall and a gun resting across his knees. The storm shook the window.Serena stood by the door and chewed on the edge of her thumbnail. "You haven't said anything since we left the warehouse."He said, "I'm trying to decide which part of the betrayal hurts the most.""I also betrayed Luca," she said. "That part never seems to matter."Enzo said, "You were his from the start." "You were mine after that." I don't know which version of you I'm looking at right now."You are looking at the one who stayed," she said softly. "He gave me a way out." I didn't use it."At first, you gave him my routes," Enzo said. "My meetings."Then the old tram depot was full of noise from bright floodlights. Rusty tracks scarred the concrete. There were dead cars on either side, with blank windows.Luca stood in the middle with his hands clasped and his coat perfect. Carmela stood next to him, calm as if they were in a business meeting. M

Havencroft was almost silent.Enzo watched smoke drift over the river road from the top floor of the broken office building.Serena was behind him, one hand on the wall and the other on her stomach. She said, "It's almost over."Enzo asked, "For who?""Everyone," she said. "Luca. Carmela. You. Me. This spot.He kept looking at the skyline that was on fire. "Luca is still alive." "It's not over until he stops breathing."Serena said, "You could just leave." "Tonight." We get in a car, go through the tunnels, and then we vanish. No more crowns. "Stop painting the streets red.""And leave him here to fix all this," Enzo said. "Let him raise our child according to his own rules."She said quietly, "You already chose war after you found out about the baby." "Don't act like this is a sacrifice for us.""I stopped acting like I was innocent," he said. "That's it."She got closer until he could feel her breath on his shoulder. "You say you're doing this for our child. But what's the point of

Havencroft had stopped yelling, but it still didn't know how to talk quietly.Enzo watched a line of people go around a relief truck from the window of the old tax office. His men kept the peace, keeping their eyes on the crowd and their hands on their rifles.He could hear Bianca's voice coming from the table behind him."You see faces that are hungry," she said. "I see leverage."He looked back. "You always knew how to make love."She put the reports all over the table. "Food goes out with our stamp on it." Medicine moves along our paths. People complain, but they know who to ask for help when they need it.Enzo said, "They also whispered Luca's name." "Until they spat on it."Bianca looked up and laughed. "Scared of becoming him?"He said, "I'm afraid of becoming someone worse and not knowing it."She walked over to the window and joined him. "Take it easy. You still jump when the bodies start to stack up. That means you're still here."Comforting," he said softly.Marco stepped in