Chapter 10
The profound, ringing silence of the grand salon settled heavily over the remaining figures. The cascading crystal chandeliers continued to cast their warm golden light over the beautifully wrapped presents and the towering Christmas tree. The opulent space, designed for celebration, now felt entirely different—it was a sanctuary of protection.
Gareth stood silently for a moment, his broad shoulders rising and falling with a slow, controlled breath. The betrayal was absolute, the upcoming syndicate war with Sienna’s father inevitable, but the immediate, toxic sickness within his home had been surgically removed. Now, he had to secure his daughter and the woman who had suffered to protect her.
He turned his body, pivoting seamlessly on the polished marble floors, and focused his entire attention back on Megan and Penny.
Megan was still standing close beside him, her hands trembling as she held tightly to Penny's tiny fingers. Her beautiful features were pale, her eyes wide with a mixture of residual terror and profound, protective relief. She looked up at the towering mafia boss, her breathing shallow and ragged.
Gareth crouched down, his tailored suit shifting smoothly. He looked his three-year-old daughter in the eye, keeping his large, tattooed hands steady.
"Are you unharmed, Penny?" Gareth asked, his deep voice softening significantly, losing its lethal, interrogative edge.
Penny looked at her father, her round rosy cheeks lifting into a soft, relieved smile. "I'm okay, Daddy. Did Auntie go to timeout?"
"She did, sweetheart," Gareth murmured, his thumb gently brushing his daughter's soft curls. "You are a very brave girl. You helped us find the truth."
He stood back up and shifted his gaze to Megan.
The beautiful housemaid was watching him, her exhausted eyes drawn together in quiet empathy. She had endured psychological terror and public humiliation simply because she had earned the affection of his child. The fierce, gentle loyalty she had displayed in holding his daughter's hand was a rare, precious commodity in Gareth's dark, violent world.
"Are you injured, Megan?" Gareth asked softly, stepping closer to her, his imposing frame casting a protective shadow over her trembling figure.
"No, Mr. Whitmore," Megan answered gently, slowly standing taller, her graceful posture returning despite her disheveled state. "I am perfectly fine."
"You are not fine, and you are no longer a maid in this house," Gareth stated, his voice a low, gravelly command laced with profound affection. "From this moment forward, you answer to no one but me. You will move into the secure wing tonight with Penny."
Megan’s breath hitched. The magnitude of the offer, and the absolute safety it provided, was overwhelming. "Thank you, Gareth," she whispered, the formality dropping away in the quiet intimacy of the room.
Before Gareth could respond, the heavy mahogany doors of the salon burst open again. A bloodied security operative stumbled into the room, gasping for breath.
"Is the perimeter breached?" Gareth asked, spinning around, his hand already reaching for the concealed weapon beneath his vest.
"Yes, Boss!" the operative choked out. "The Vale syndicate didn't wait! Sienna's personal guards got a signal out before we disarmed them! They hit the outer gates! We have multiple hostiles on the grounds!"
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Gareth looked back at Megan, his cold, perceptive eyes burning with an unyielding, protective fire.
"Shall we show them exactly what it costs to threaten my family?" Gareth asked the quiet room, racking the slide of his handgun with a sharp, metallic clatter as the estate's high-pitched security sirens began to wail, signaling the brutal beginning of a mafia war.
