Chapter 8 - The Docks of Pier 14
Midnight at Pier 14.
Rain poured down over the shipping containers stacked along the riverbank. Victor Marcone sat inside his office trailer near the dock edge, pouring himself a glass of scotch, celebrating the destruction of Willow & Bloom.
"He hasn't responded," Victor laughed to his chief lieutenant. "The great Dominic Vale is sitting in his penthouse holding his florist’s hand. He’s finished."
Suddenly, the lights across the entire dock complex went out.
The hum of the heavy diesel generators died instantly. The blackness of the night swallowed the pier.
Outside, the heavy sound of dozens of vehicle doors slamming shut echoed through the rain.
Victor rushed to the window.
Headlights—hundreds of bright, blinding white beams—illuminated the perimeter of Pier 14. Over fifty black vehicles had encircled the entire dock complex, blocking every exit, every road, and every walkway.
Dominic Vale stepped out of the lead vehicle, holding a heavy black umbrella, flanked by thirty armed men in dark raincoats.
Victor frantically grabbed his desk phone, but there was no dial tone. The cell towers surrounding the pier had been jammed by Dominic’s security teams.
The door of the trailer was kicked open with a thunderous crack.
Dominic walked inside, his boots clicking softly against the floorboards. Adrian stepped in behind him, locking the door from the inside.
Victor backed away, his face turning paper-white, reaching for the pistol in his desk drawer.
Before his fingers could touch the handle, Adrian’s weapon was pressed firmly against the back of Victor’s neck.
Dominic pulled up a wooden chair, sitting down across from the trembling mob boss, leaning his hands on his cane.
"You burned a flower shop, Victor," Dominic said, his voice terrifyingly calm.
"Dominic... listen to me," Victor stammered, sweat pouring down his forehead. "It was just a warning! We can settle the pier lease! I'll pay for the damage!"
"You don't have enough money in your bloodline to pay for what you broke," Dominic whispered, leaning forward. "By sunrise tomorrow, every bank account tied to your family will be frozen by federal authorities—using financial evidence I handed over to the U.S. Attorney an hour ago."
May you like
Victor’s eyes widened in horror. "You... you went to the feds?!"
"I don't need to kill you to ruin you, Victor," Dominic said smoothly. "You are going to spend the rest of your natural life in a federal penitentiary. Your men are surrendering their weapons outside right now. You have ten minutes to say goodbye to your city."
