Chapter 6
He didn't walk away. He stood there, his towering masculine frame casting a long shadow in the golden light. The rigid boundaries of class, wealth, and danger had been completely obliterated in the span of a single evening.
"Will you accompany me upstairs, Benedetta?" Lowell asked, his gaze lingering on her softly contoured face. "Do you think I trust anyone else in this house right now?"
"I will come," Benedetta said softly, the reality of her new position settling heavily upon her.
"Are you prepared for the war that begins tomorrow?" Lowell asked, turning his broad shoulders toward the heavy mahogany doors.
The private west wing of the mansion was a stark contrast to the opulent, echoing dining gallery. The corridors here were lined with plush carpets and warm, muted lighting, designed specifically to be a sanctuary. Lowell walked silently down the hall, his polished shoes making no sound. Benedetta walked a half-step behind him, her black maid dress swishing softly. Heavy, armed guards nodded respectfully as they passed, their eyes widening in absolute shock as they registered the housemaid walking the private halls with the boss.
They reached the heavy oak double doors of the master suite. Lowell pushed them open, stepping into the massive room bathed in the soft glow of bedside lamps.
"Will you lock the door behind us, Benedetta?" Lowell asked softly, turning to face her as she stepped inside.
"Yes, Mr. Ashford," Benedetta said, engaging the heavy deadbolt with a solid click.
Lowell removed his tailored suit jacket, draping it over a chair. He unbuttoned his crisp white shirt at the collar, revealing his neck tattoo fully. He walked over to a crystal decanter on a side table and poured two glasses of amber liquid.
"Will you join me?" Lowell asked, holding one of the crystal glasses out toward her.
Benedetta hesitated. A housemaid drinking scotch with the boss in his private suite was a profound breach of protocol. But the events of the evening had obliterated all normal rules. She stepped forward, her slender figure moving with graceful elegance, and took the glass. Her fingers brushed against his tattooed hand, the brief contact sending a jolt of electricity straight to her core.
"Thank you, sir," she whispered, looking down at the amber liquid.
"Did I ask for your formalities tonight?" Lowell inquired, his deep voice a low, intimate rumble. "Have you not earned the right to speak to me simply as the woman who saved my life?"
Benedetta swallowed hard, looking up into his piercing, observant eyes. "Lowell. I... I just did what I thought was right."
"Do you realize the magnitude of what you have done?" Lowell asked, taking a slow sip from his glass. "Did you know that by exposing Thaddeus, you have effectively dismantled a major alliance within my own family?"
"I knew it would cause trouble," Benedetta admitted, her expressive brows drawing together. "But I also knew that if he poisoned you, the entire city would fall into chaos. A king cannot be seen bowing to a traitor."
"Are you aware that his remaining loyalists will likely attempt to breach this estate tonight?" Lowell asked, his jaw tightening as the anger flared beneath his calm exterior.
"I am aware," Benedetta said softly. "But I also know that you are not a man who loses."
Lowell stared at her, genuinely surprised by the fierce, unwavering certainty in her voice. He stepped closer, completely erasing the distance between them. His towering masculine frame dominated her field of vision.
"Do you think I am a monster, Benedetta?" Lowell asked quietly.
"I think you are a man surrounded by vipers," Benedetta answered, holding his gaze without flinching. "And I think you will tear this city apart to protect what is yours."
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"Will you stand by my side while I burn it down?" Lowell asked, his voice dropping to a terrifying, deadly whisper that promised absolute ruin for his enemies.
"I will," Benedetta promised, the vow sealing her fate to the mafia boss forever.
