Chapter 9
The lieutenant stood in the doorway of the stark nursery, catching his breath. He looked nervously at the infant in Elara’s arms before meeting his boss's cold stare. The harsh fluorescent lighting cast grim shadows across the enforcer’s face.
“It’s the Hart syndicate, Boss,” the lieutenant reported urgently. “Word got out that we breached St. Jude’s. The director hit a panic button before you disconnected her phone. Selene’s father is mobilizing his entire organization. They’re marching on the mansion as we speak.”
Elara gasped, tightening her grip on Ivy. The soft, warm baby blanket provided a small cocoon of safety, but the reality of the mafia war they had just ignited crashed down on her. The Harts were ruthless. If they attacked the mansion while Selene was locked in the basement holding cells, it would be an absolute massacre.
Dominic did not flinch. His broad shoulders remained perfectly squared, his tailored dark suit immaculate despite the chaos. He gently pulled his finger away from Ivy’s grasp and turned fully toward his lieutenant.
“Do they truly believe they can lay siege to my home while I am away and live to see the sunrise?” Dominic asked, his deep voice vibrating with a terrifying, apocalyptic calm.
“They have numbers, Boss,” the lieutenant warned. “They think you broke the treaty without cause. They’re demanding Selene’s immediate release, or they burn the estate to the ground.”
Dominic looked down at Elara. Her softly oval face was pale, her expressive eyes wide with terror for the man she loved. The clean whites of her maid uniform seemed so fragile in a room filled with heavily armed men and talk of war.
“Are you afraid, Elara?” Dominic asked softly, stepping closer to her.
“I’m afraid for you,” Elara whispered, holding Ivy close. “If they attack the mansion, you’ll have to fight. People will die because of us.”
“Did you honestly think I would secure my family without having to wade through blood to protect them?” Dominic asked, his artistic tattoos flexing as he gently touched her cheek. “Do you believe any price is too high for the lives of the two women I love?”
Elara closed her eyes, leaning into his touch, drawing strength from his unwavering confidence.
Dominic turned back to his lieutenant, his sharply defined jaw set in stone. “Will you contact the armory and instruct them to unleash the heavy artillery the moment the Hart vehicles breach our perimeter?”
“Yes, Boss. We’ll light them up,” the lieutenant said, turning to rush out of the room.
“Wait,” Dominic called out, his measured voice stopping the man in his tracks. “Will you also ensure that a live video feed of the battle is broadcast directly to the monitors in the basement holding cells? Do you think Selene should have the privilege of watching her father’s empire burn from a cage?”
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The lieutenant offered a grim, predatory smile. “I’ll set it up immediately, Boss.”
Dominic took Elara by the elbow, guiding her out of the cold, sterile nursery. “Shall we take our daughter home, Elara, and watch the Hart syndicate fall?”
