Chapter 3
Cordelia’s eyes widened in sheer, unadulterated terror as Alaric pocketed the phone. She knew exactly what Marcus did for the Mercer family. He was the underboss, the man who made Alaric’s problems disappear into the icy depths of the river.
"No! Alaric, please!" Cordelia shrieked, kicking off her expensive heels and scrambling backward across the hardwood floor. "You can't do this! I am a Shaw! My father will kill you! He will slaughter your entire syndicate for this!"
The heavy mahogany double doors of the dining room swung open violently. Marcus, a towering man with a heavily scarred face and a dark trench coat, stepped into the room, flanked by two equally intimidating enforcers. They moved with absolute, silent precision, ignoring the lavish surroundings and focusing entirely on their boss.
"Will you escort my former fiancée to the holding cells in the sub-basement?" Alaric asked, not taking his eyes off the weeping woman backed against the carved marble fireplace.
The two enforcers reached out, grabbing Cordelia by the arms. They hauled her to her feet with effortless strength, the delicate fabric of her sculpted champagne satin gown tearing audibly at the seams.
"Get your hands off me!" Cordelia thrashed wildly, her diamond earrings swinging like violent pendulums. "I loved you, Alaric! You owe me! I saved you from a weak child!"
"Will you ensure she is gagged if she continues to scream, Marcus?" Alaric inquired, his deep voice completely devoid of emotion.
Marcus nodded grimly. "Yes, boss. Let's go, princess."
The enforcers dragged Cordelia backward toward the doors. Her threats devolved into hysterical, panicked sobs that echoed down the grand hallway until the heavy doors clicked shut behind them, sealing the dining room in a profound, suffocating silence once more.
Alaric stood perfectly still for a long moment. The tension slowly bled out of his powerful shoulders. He dropped to one knee on the polished hardwood floor, completely ignoring the crease it put in his expensive trousers, bringing himself down to his son's eye level.
"Are you harmed anywhere else, Seth?" Alaric asked, his deep voice softening just a fraction, losing the lethal edge it had carried moments before. He gently brushed a stray, freezing tear from the boy's pale cheek.
"I'm so cold, Papa," Seth whispered, his teeth chattering violently as he threw his small arms around Alaric’s neck. "I didn't mean to cry so loud. I'm sorry."
"Would I ever punish you for shedding tears?" Alaric asked, burying his face in his son's freezing hair, holding the boy in a fierce, bone-crushing embrace. He closed his eyes, fighting back the wave of agonizing guilt that threatened to drown him. How had he let that monster into his home?
Alaric stood up slowly, lifting Seth effortlessly into his arms, holding the boy securely against his chest, transferring his own body heat to the child. He turned his head, his thick, slightly wavy hair catching the light of the crystal chandeliers, and looked across the room to where Eliza was still standing.
Eliza was shaking. Her sophisticated black maid dress felt incredibly thin in the aftermath of the violence. She had just witnessed the destruction of a massive mafia alliance, all because she had opened a freezer door. She looked at the mafia boss, terrified of the impending war that was surely about to consume the estate.
"Are you injured, Eliza?" Alaric asked quietly, his perceptive eyes searching her delicately featured face.
"I am unharmed, sir," Eliza answered, her voice trembling as she kept her hands folded over her neatly tied white apron. "But... I know what just happened. I know the Shaw family will come for you because we spoke."
"Do you believe I would allow a woman who tortures my blood to remain in my home out of fear of her father?" Alaric asked, a flicker of profound, protective warmth entering his cold eyes as he looked at her.
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"I didn't know what to expect, Mr. Mercer," Eliza whispered, her expressive brows drawing together. "I just heard him banging on the heavy metal door. I couldn't walk away."
"Did you think a monster would punish the only person with the courage to save his son?" Alaric asked gently. "Will you accompany us upstairs?"
