Chapter 10
The sun began to set over the sprawling estate, casting long, dramatic shadows across the manicured lawns. The bright, cinematic lighting of the baby-shower salon was replaced by the cold, tactical illumination of the secure medical wing located deep within the compound.
Massimo pushed open the heavy double doors, his tailored dark suit impeccable despite the violence of the afternoon. The sterile white hallway smelled of antiseptic and fear. He walked quickly toward the private suite at the end of the corridor, where two of his most elite, heavily armed bodyguards stood watch.
"Status," Massimo demanded.
"The doctor is with her now, Boss," the guard replied respectfully. "Noah is asleep in the adjoining room. The boy is exhausted, but unharmed."
Massimo nodded, his sharply defined jawline tight with anxiety. He pushed the door open and stepped into the room.
Sofia was lying in a large, comfortable hospital bed, hooked up to a fetal monitor. Her fair, rosy skin was pale, but her eyes were open. The elegant maternity dress had been replaced by a soft hospital gown. The doctor, a trusted associate of the family, was checking the readout on the monitor.
"How is she?" Massimo asked, his deep voice softening to a gentle rumble as he approached the bed.
"She is stable, Massimo," the doctor replied, offering a reassuring smile. "The blow caused some severe bruising, and the stress induced early contractions, but we have stopped them. The baby is strong. Her heartbeat is perfectly normal. She just needs rest."
Massimo let out a long, shuddering sigh, the crushing weight of the world lifting slightly from his broad shoulders. He walked to the side of the bed and gently took Sofia’s hand, careful to avoid the dark bruises circling her wrist.
"I am so sorry, Papa," Sofia whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "I should have told you. I was just so afraid of what Adrian would do to Noah."
"You have nothing to be sorry for, my beautiful girl," Massimo murmured, leaning down to press a tender kiss to her forehead. "I am the one who failed you. I allowed a snake into our home. But I promise you, on my life, he will never hurt you again."
"Where is he?" Sofia asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"He is exactly where he belongs," Massimo said coldly. "He and his mother are no longer part of our world. You and Noah will stay here, safe, under my protection."
"And the Russians?" Sofia asked, knowing her father's brutal reputation.
"The Russians are about to learn why they call me the devil," Massimo promised, a terrifying, dark light igniting in his cold eyes.
May you like
He gently set her hand down on the mattress. He had ensured his bloodline was safe. Now, it was time to extract his vengeance.
Massimo walked out of the medical wing and stepped into the cool night air of the courtyard. A fleet of armored black SUVs was idling, packed with heavily armed capos ready to bathe the city in blood. Massimo climbed into the back of the lead vehicle, the heavy door slamming shut like a vault. The war for the city had begun, and the veteran Mafia boss was ready to burn everything to the ground to protect what was his. The screen faded to black, the roar of the engines promising a brutal, unforgettable tomorrow.
