A Debt In Blood

“Chapter 1: BLOOD ON THE DOCKS The scent of iron hung vividly in the air. Lorenzo De Luca stepped into the dimly lit warehouse, his gaze immediately locked onto the body lying lifeless on the cold concrete floor soaked in a pool of his blood. He was too late. His jaw tightened as he took in the brutal scene. He had come to meet Miguel Vasquez, to collect information the man owed him, but it seems someone had gotten there first. And judging by the warmth of his body, it hadn't been long. A slow, deliberate click of shoes against the floor pulled Lorenzo's attention to the shadows. The rival of the De Luca Empire since the dawn of time, Gabriel Moretti. He stepped forward, casually wiping a spot of blood from his cuff with a smile. "Oh you missed the fun, De Luca," said Moretti, slipping his hands into the pockets of his expensive coat. "Shame. He had so much to say." Lorenzo's expression didn't change, but tension waved through him. Vasquez had been useful, a man with connections, someone who owed him a debt. Killing him was a direct message. And Moretti wanted him to hear it loud and clear. Lorenzo exhaled slowly, forcing his temper to remain in check. "Sloppy," he said, tilting his head toward the mess on the floor. "Not your usual style." Moretti chuckled. "Consider it a personal touch." His eyes shined with amusement. "Besides, it's not like you cared about him." Lorenzo said nothing. He wouldn't give Moretti the satisfaction. After a moment, Moretti sighed dramatically. "Well, I'll leave you to it. Unless, of course, you plan on stopping me?" His tone was mocking, a challenge laced into every word. Lorenzo didn't take the bait. Moretti wasn't stupid enough to start a war, not here, not now. Instead, he watched in silence as Moretti walked toward the exit, and his men followed behind him. The warehouse door slammed shut, leaving only the sound of blood dripping onto the concrete. Lorenzo turned back to Vasquez's lifeless body. This wasn't just business. Moretti had taken something from him, and debts always had to be repaid. A slight movement at the entrance caught his eye. Marco stepped inside, his face carefully neutral. Lorenzo didn't look away from the body. "Clean this up." Marco gave a short nod, already pulling out his phone to make the necessary arrangements. Lorenzo stepped over the corpse without a second glance. Miguel Vasquez had a daughter. And she was about to learn what it meant to be in debt to the mafia. "Debts have to be paid, one way or another." He said as he exited the warehouse.”