Chapter 13 - THE MAN WHO CHOSE NOT TO KILL
The warehouse erupted.
Lights flashed on.
Federal agents entered through two doors.
Rhett’s security team came through a third.
Mason grabbed Isa around the waist.
She drove her heel into his foot and twisted free.
He caught her wrist.
For one terrible second, she was back in her apartment.
Bruised.
Trapped.
Afraid.
Then she remembered something.
She was not alone now.
And she was not the same woman.
Isa slammed her elbow into Mason’s chest.
He stumbled.
Rhett reached them.
He hit Mason once.
Hard.
Mason crashed against a crate.
Then Rhett pulled a gun.
Isa froze.
Mason laughed through blood.
“There he is.”
Rhett aimed at him.
“The real Don Valin.”
Mason spread his arms.
“Do it.”
Isa saw exactly what Mason wanted.
He wanted Rhett angry.
Wanted him reckless.
Wanted everyone watching to see the monster they already believed he was.
“Rhett.”
He didn’t look at her.
“Rhett.”
This time he did.
Isa shook her head.
“Don’t become him for me.”
Silence.
Mason smiled.
Then Rhett lowered the gun.
Federal agents rushed forward and arrested Mason.
His smile disappeared.
Gideon tried to escape through the loading dock.
Cole stopped him.
Andrew Mercer stood frozen as his brother approached.
Cole’s voice shook.
“You killed Samuel Ward.”
Andrew looked away.
“For money?”
No answer.
Cole stepped aside.
Agents cuffed his brother.
No revenge.
No execution.
Just consequences.
Isa realized the strongest men in the warehouse were the ones who chose not to become the people they hated.
Gideon shouted as he was taken away.
“You think this fixes anything?”
Rhett looked at him.
“No.”
“It ends you, Rhett.”
“Maybe.”
“Your father’s records will destroy your reputation.”
“Then I’ll build another one.”
Gideon laughed.
“You’ll lose half your empire.”
Rhett glanced toward Isa.
“Some things aren’t worth keeping.”
For the first time, Gideon looked afraid.
Hours later, Isa sat on the rear step of an ambulance while paramedics checked her wrist.
Rhett stood nearby.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
Then laughed weakly.
“That was a ridiculous answer.”
“Yes.”
“No. I’m not okay.”
He sat beside her.
“But I think I will be.”
“That’s better.”
Isa looked at him.
“You knew I’d stop you.”
Rhett was silent.
“When you pointed the gun at Mason.”
“I hoped you would.”
“Why?”
His answer came quietly.
“Because lately you’re the person who reminds me who I want to be.”
Neither moved.
Then Cole approached carrying Samuel Ward’s recovered notebook.
“We decoded part of the childhood number sequence.”
Isa stood.
“What does it open?”
Cole handed her the notebook.
Not bank accounts.
Not money.
A list of names.
Judges.
Officers.
Businessmen.
And one name at the bottom Isa never expected.
RHETT VALIN.
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Beside it Samuel had written:
PROTECT HIM. HE DOESN’T KNOW WHAT HIS FATHER PLANNED.
