Chapter 7
The tender moment in the study was interrupted by three sharp, rhythmic knocks on the heavy oak doors. Victor let his hand fall slowly from Eva’s face, the warmth in his eyes instantly hardening back into the cold, calculated stare of a mafia boss. He adjusted the cuffs of his dark suit, the artistic tattoos on his hands flexing as he prepared for violence.
"Will you enter?" Victor called out, his deep voice carrying absolute authority.
The door opened to reveal Marcus, one of Victor’s highest-ranking lieutenants. Marcus was a seasoned enforcer, his face scarred and grim. He stepped into the room, his eyes briefly flicking to Eva before locking onto Victor.
"We interrogated the guards stationed in the east wing during the time Miles was taken, Boss," Marcus reported, his American accent clipped and urgent. "Three men were on rotation. Two of them have rock-solid alibis. But Thomas... Thomas is missing from his post."
Victor’s sharp jawline tightened. Thomas had been with the family for five years, a trusted soldier who had eaten at Victor’s table. The betrayal burned like acid.
"Has he fled the property, or is he hiding like a coward within these walls?" Victor asked, his voice dropping into a lethal register.
"He tried to slip out through the underground garage," Marcus replied with a dark, satisfied smirk. "We caught him trying to hotwire one of the transport vans. We have him secured in the billiards room."
"Shall we go have a conversation with our traitor, Marcus?" Victor asked, stepping away from the desk.
He turned back to Eva, his expression softening for just a fraction of a second. "Will you lock this door behind me and remain here until I return, Eva?"
"Please be careful," Eva whispered, her delicate hands clutching her white apron.
"Do I look like a man who requires caution when dealing with rats?" Victor asked, offering her a faint, reassuring nod before sweeping out of the room.
The billiards room was located on the ground floor, its cream marble floors currently covered by a large, ornate rug. Thomas was on his knees in the center of the room, his hands zip-tied behind his back. Two enforcers stood over him, their weapons drawn. Thomas was bruised and bleeding from the mouth, his fair skin pale with absolute terror.
Victor walked into the room, his broad shoulders and tailored three-piece suit cutting a terrifying silhouette against the warm golden light of the chandeliers. He did not speak immediately. He walked slowly around the kneeling man, the heavy silence amplifying the impending doom.
"Why is he bleeding on my rugs, Marcus?" Victor finally asked, looking at the blood dripping from Thomas's chin.
"He resisted, Boss," Marcus answered simply.
Victor stopped directly in front of Thomas. He crouched down, his highly polished shoes creaking slightly. He looked the traitor dead in the eyes.
"Did you honestly believe Celeste Wren would protect you once she had the throne?" Victor asked, his voice incredibly calm, which only made it more terrifying.
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"She paid me, Boss!" Thomas sobbed, spitting blood onto the floor. "She gave me a hundred grand! She said Miles was just going away for a while! I didn't know she was going to starve him in the walls! I swear to God!"
"Is your loyalty so incredibly cheap that it can be bought for pocket change?" Victor asked.
