Chapter 10
The revelation hung heavily in the cold, cavernous air of the parking garage. The rival families hadn't just sought financial retaliation; they were executing a complete decapitation strike against the Cole syndicate. By using the bomb to destroy the mansion and the command structure inside it, they would leave the territory completely defenseless.
"Do we run from cowards who hide bombs in the dark?" Leander asked quietly. His deep, low voice echoed off the concrete, utterly devoid of panic.
He didn't wait for Marcus to answer. Leander turned away from the explosive device and began walking back toward the private elevator.
"Boss! Where are you going?" Marcus yelled over the ambient hum of the garage. "We have twenty-eight minutes!"
"Are my men armed?" Leander asked smoothly, pressing the call button for the elevator.
"Yes, Boss. Every available capo is locked and loaded," Marcus replied, running to catch up with him.
"Will you deploy them to the outer perimeter?" Leander instructed, his eyes burning with a dark, unyielding fire. "Will you engage the incoming convoys before they reach the gates?"
"But the bomb, Boss! If it goes off—"
"Will it go off?" Leander interrupted coldly, stepping into the elevator car. He turned to face his head of security. "Are you going to ensure the bomb squad diffuses it, Marcus? Or are you going to let them destroy my home?"
"We'll stop it, Boss," Marcus promised fiercely, the absolute confidence of the mafia boss overriding his own panic.
"Then hold the line," Leander commanded softly as the heavy steel doors slid shut.
The elevator ascended rapidly, bypassing the ruined dining room and stopping directly on the second floor. Leander stepped out into the quiet hallway and walked purposefully toward the hidden entrance of the subterranean safe room.
He didn't knock. He punched the access code into the biometric keypad. The heavy deadbolts retracted with a loud, mechanical clack, echoing in the silent corridor.
The heavy steel door swung open, revealing the dimly lit, secure bunker.
Adele was sitting on the leather sofa, holding the sleeping Caleb tightly against her chest. She gasped and scrambled to her feet as the door opened, relaxing visibly when she saw the towering silhouette of the mafia boss.
"Leander!" Adele breathed, a profound sense of relief flooding her beautiful face.
Leander crossed the room in two long strides. He didn't speak. He reached out, his large, tattooed hands gently cupping her delicate cheekbones. He leaned down and pressed a brief, fierce kiss to her forehead. The touch was electric, a silent vow of absolute protection.
"Are you safe here?" Leander murmured, his deep voice thick with a terrifying, suppressed emotion.
"Yes," Adele choked out, leaning her forehead against his chest. "Are you leaving?"
"Is the war over?" Leander asked quietly, a dark, merciless smile curling the corner of his lips. He stepped back, offering his son a final, reassuring glance. "Or has it only just begun?"
May you like
He turned and walked rapidly out of the safe room, the heavy steel doors locking automatically behind him.
Leander Cole, the undisputed apex predator of the city’s underworld, headed into the darkness to protect his empire. The rival families believed they had trapped him in a burning house. They were about to learn a very painful lesson in modern warfare. The storm was breaking over the city, but Leander was the lightning.
