Chapter 7
His lead enforcer, a seasoned man named Silas, stepped into the room. His face was grim under the bright cinematic light, his dark suit dusted with what looked like plaster.
"Boss, we have a critical situation," Silas reported, his voice tight and urgent. "The Lucchese family didn't wait to see if Aurelia's assassination attempt was successful. They bypassed the outer perimeter defenses and are currently breaching the southern gates with heavy artillery."
Reeve’s eyes darkened to pitch. The immediate threat was not eliminated; it had simply shifted from an internal coup to an external invasion. He looked down at Mireille, the protective instinct surging through his veins. The true war for the Ashbourne syndicate had only just begun.
"Are they demanding negotiations, or are they here to slaughter us all?" Reeve asked, his voice returning to its measured, terrifying calm.
"They’re not talking, Boss. They're shooting," Silas confirmed, checking the magazine of his sidearm. "We're holding them at the main driveway, but they have superior numbers. We need you in the command center."
"Do they truly believe they can lay siege to my home and live to see the sunrise?" Reeve asked, a cold, ruthless smirk touching his lips.
He turned his broad shoulders back to Mireille. The beautiful housemaid was trembling, her fair skin pale with terror, but she did not shrink away from him.
"Will you go down to the secure bunker beneath the wine cellar and wait there until this is over?" Reeve asked, his voice softening entirely as he looked at her.
"No," Mireille said, shaking her head fiercely. She reached out, grabbing the lapels of his tailored dark suit. "Please, Reeve. Don't go out there. They want a war. They will kill you."
"Do you think I can allow an enemy to march onto my property and threaten the people I love without consequence?" Reeve asked, his dark eyes burning with an intense, unwavering devotion.
"I don't want you to die for this," she sobbed, burying her face against his chest.
Reeve wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against him. He kissed the top of her neatly pinned hair, his heart aching at the fear in her voice.
"Did you honestly believe a man who finally found something worth living for would allow himself to be killed by a rival syndicate?" Reeve whispered fiercely into her hair. "I will come back to you. I promise you."
He gently pulled her away, looking deep into her expressive eyes.
"Will you trust me?" he asked.
Mireille nodded slowly, wiping her tears. "I trust you."
Reeve gave her a brief, fierce smile. He turned to Silas. "Escort her to the bunker. If anyone other than me tries to open that door, shoot them through it."
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"Yes, Boss," Silas nodded grimly.
Reeve didn't wait. He turned on his heel and strode out of the dining salon, heading directly for the armory, leaving Mireille standing in the quiet, agonizing wait of the bunker.
