CHAPTER 18

Chapter 18 – The Man Who Wouldn't Die

Dante Russo stood before her, alive, whole, and smiling like a ghost that had crawled out of its grave just to haunt her.

Evelyn's grip on her gun tightened.

Her mind screamed that this wasn't possible. She had killed him. Six years ago, she had pulled the trigger, watched the life drain from his eyes, and walked away.

So how was he standing here now, smirking like he had never left?

"You look like you've seen a ghost, Evelyn."

His voice was the same. Smooth, rich, full of the arrogance that had once made him untouchable.

Ronan was beside her, gun drawn, his stance rigid with tension. "How the hell are you alive?"

Dante chuckled, tilting his head. "You know, Evelyn, you always did underestimate me."

Evelyn forced herself to breathe. To think.

Dante had been a power player in the underworld before Adrian ever existed. He had been cruel, brilliant, and untouchable—until she had put a bullet in his chest.

Or at least… she had thought she had.

"I shot you," she said, voice steady. "I watched you die."

Dante's grin widened. "Did you?"

The implication sent a chill down her spine.

Had she been played? Had someone else orchestrated this all along?

Or had Dante outplayed her from the very beginning?

A Truth Worse Than Lies

Evelyn's gun never wavered. "Tell me how you survived."

Dante's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, does it really matter? I'm here now, and that's what counts."

Ronan's patience snapped. "Enough with the theatrics. Why now? Why wait six years to show your face?"

Dante exhaled dramatically, running a hand through his dark hair. "Oh, Ronan. Always the blunt instrument."

Then, his gaze settled back on Evelyn, and the amusement in his eyes darkened into something more dangerous.

"I waited, my dear, because I wanted you to feel safe. I wanted you to believe you had won. And then, when you finally thought it was all over…" He spread his arms wide. "Here I am."

Evelyn's stomach twisted. This wasn't just revenge.

This was calculated psychological warfare.

"You knew Adrian would fall," she said, realization clicking into place.

Dante's smirk didn't waver. "Of course. Adrian was a puppet who thought he was a king. I let him play his little game with you, knowing that in the end, you'd destroy him. And when you did…" He gestured to himself. "It was finally my turn."

Bile rose in Evelyn's throat.

All this time, she had thought Adrian was the final battle.

But Adrian had just been a piece on the board.

Dante had been waiting in the shadows, orchestrating everything.

And now, he had stepped into the light.

The Escape and the Pursuit

Evelyn moved first.

She pulled the trigger.

The shot rang out—but Dante was already moving, diving behind the steel crates lining the dockyard. Bullets whizzed past as Ronan fired, but Dante had planned for this.

Explosions erupted behind them—carefully planted charges set to create chaos.

Smoke filled the air. Flames licked at the old wooden planks.

"Move!" Ronan shouted, grabbing Evelyn's arm as they sprinted toward cover.

Dante's laughter echoed through the chaos. "Run while you can, Evelyn! This isn't over!"

And then, he was gone.

Vanished into the smoke.

The game had only just begun.