Chapter 8
"My father will not stand for this!" Bianca cried, her diamond earrings swinging wildly. "He is a powerful man, Gideon! He will bring the entire Drake syndicate down on your head! You cannot touch me!"
"Do you expect me to fear a corrupt politician more than I despise a monster standing in my home?" Gideon asked, his dark eyes narrowing into cold, unforgiving slits.
He didn't wait for her to answer. He turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the four heavily armed guards stationed near the salon doors.
"Are you men going to secure this traitor, or must I break her legs myself before we walk downstairs?" Gideon asked, his command absolute.
Two massive enforcers stepped forward instantly, moving with terrifying, synchronized efficiency. They grabbed Bianca roughly by the arms, entirely ignoring the expensive fabric of her luxurious velvet gown.
"Get your hands off me!" Bianca screamed as they dragged her backward toward the service corridor. "I am Bianca Drake! I am going to be the lady of this house! Gideon, call them off!"
"Take her to the holding cells in the sub-basement," Gideon commanded, his voice completely devoid of emotion. "Ensure the temperature is dropped, and that she is stripped of all jewelry and communication devices."
"You are a dead man, Gideon!" Bianca wailed as they hauled her through the heavy mahogany doors. "You hear me? You are a dead man!"
"We will see," Gideon murmured to the empty room.
The heavy service doors slammed shut, instantly cutting off Bianca’s frantic, echoing screams. The grand salon was plunged back into a profound, ringing silence. The towering Christmas tree continued to sparkle with golden lights and red ribbons, a surreal, festive backdrop to the brutal mafia justice that had just been executed.
Gideon stood perfectly still for a long moment, the adrenaline of the confrontation slowly ebbing from his system, leaving behind a profound, aching exhaustion. He had defended his mother and protected the woman who had bravely exposed the truth. But the political fallout with the Drake family would inevitably ignite a massive war in the coming days. Bianca's father, a powerful underboss with deep ties to the eastern ports, would not let the imprisonment of his daughter go unanswered. Blood would inevitably spill on the snow before the new year.
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Gideon let out a slow, controlled breath. He unbuttoned his suit jacket, rolling his broad shoulders to release the coiled tension. He looked at the open, dark doorway behind the sliding portrait, a fierce, protective rage continuing to burn in his chest. He needed to secure his family. He needed to ensure the estate was locked down before the Drake syndicate realized the engagement had been violently broken.
He turned and strode purposefully out of the grand salon, ascending the marble staircase two steps at a time. His polished shoes were silent on the thick carpet as he headed straight for his private quarters on the second floor.
