The war was no longer a secret.
By the next morning, two more bodies had turned up—one of Dominic's enforcers found in the trunk of his own car, and one of Matt's allies shot outside his apartment. A message.
Miriam read the report while sipping her coffee. "Dominic's making it clear—he's not backing down."
Matt sat across from her, rolling his lighter between his fingers. "Good."
She raised an eyebrow. "You like that he's killing our guys?"
"I like that he's making mistakes," Matt said. "Dominic's always been careful, but now he's acting fast, messy. That means he's nervous."
Miriam smirked. "And a nervous man is a dangerous man."
Matt nodded. "But he's also predictable."
He stood, walking to the window. The city stretched before him, alive and unaware of the war happening in the shadows. "We hit back. Hard."
Miriam leaned back in her chair. "You want to go after Dominic himself?"
Matt shook his head. "Not yet. He's too protected. But we take out his top guys, the ones he trusts most. Make him feel alone."
Miriam tapped her fingers on the table. "Luca?"
Matt smirked. "Luca's already making moves on the inside. Dominic doesn't know it yet, but his own people are starting to doubt him."
Miriam chuckled. "Then let's give them a reason to switch sides."
That Night – The First Strike
The warehouse on the east side was one of Dominic's key operations—cash, drugs, and weapons moved through it every week. It was also run by Franco Marino, Dominic's longtime enforcer.
Matt, Miriam, and a small crew pulled up at midnight, their guns loaded, silencers ready.
Miriam checked her watch. "Five minutes."
Matt nodded. "Let's go."
They moved in fast, cutting through the guards at the entrance. Inside, crates of cash and cocaine lined the walls. Franco stood at the center, barking orders—until he saw Matt.
His eyes went wide. "Bianchi?"
Matt raised his gun. "Say hi to Dominic for me."
One shot. Right between the eyes.
The crew worked fast, setting charges, torching everything. As they drove away, the warehouse erupted into flames, sending smoke and fire into the night sky.
Miriam glanced at Matt from the passenger seat. "Dominic's gonna take this personally."
Matt smirked, lighting a cigarette. "I hope so."
Because this was only the beginning.