"Why’s Teddy afraid?”

Holly felt a sudden, desperate urge to comfort the powerful man standing before her. She took a tentative step closer, her elegant posture radiating quiet strength.

"You were building an empire to protect him, sir. You couldn't have known," Holly said softly.

"Are you defending my failures, Holly?" Adrian asked, looking back at her, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching the corners of his mouth.

The warm, muted light of the bedroom cast intimate shadows across the room. Holly looked up into Adrian’s cold, perceptive eyes, finding a surprising depth of warmth hidden beneath their icy surface. She was a housemaid, a woman paid to clean and serve, yet the mafia boss was looking at her with a level of respect he usually reserved for his most trusted lieutenants.

"I am just telling you what I see, sir," Holly smiled back, her expressive eyes lighting up gently.

Adrian stared at her, captivated by the movie-star beauty of her softly oval face and delicate features. The sophisticated black maid dress cinched at her waist highlighted the feminine perfection of her silhouette, but it was the quiet courage and unwavering loyalty in her eyes that truly drew him in.

"Shall we retire to my study?" Adrian asked, gesturing toward the door. "Is there much we still need to discuss regarding the events of tonight?"

"Yes, Mr. Blackwell," Holly nodded, following him out of the room.

They walked in silence down the luminous, airy corridors of the mansion. The warm golden light washed over the carved gilded wall panels and framed mirrors. When they reached the heavy oak doors of his private study, Adrian opened it and ushered her inside.

The study was a sanctuary of deep leather, rich mahogany, and walls lined with rare books. It felt isolated from the rest of the vast estate. Adrian walked behind his massive carved walnut desk, pouring a small measure of amber liquid into a crystal glass. He offered it to Holly.

"Would you care for a drink to calm your nerves before the real war begins?" Adrian asked.

Holly accepted the crystal glass, her fingers briefly brushing against the artistic tattoos on his hand. A jolt of electricity shot up her arm. "Thank you, sir."

Adrian poured a glass for himself and leaned against the edge of his desk, crossing his long legs at the ankles. He took a slow sip, his cold, perceptive eyes never leaving her beautifully tapered face. The soft, elegant warmth of the desk lamp illuminated the powerful breadth of his shoulders in his tailored clothing.

"Are you aware of the retaliation that will follow Camille's dismissal?" Adrian asked, his tone shifting back to the calculating, serious cadence of a man preparing for absolute war.

"I know her father is a very powerful man," Holly admitted, taking a small sip of the liquor to soothe her dry throat. "The Wren syndicate won't accept a broken engagement peacefully. They will want revenge."

"Do you believe I fear the wrath of a man who raised a monster?" Adrian asked, his eyes darkening with lethal intent.

"No, sir," Holly replied softly. "I think you are going to destroy him."

Adrian set his own glass down on the desk. He stood to his full height, his powerful, masculine shoulders squared. The war with the Wren syndicate was no longer a possibility; it was an absolute certainty. The streets would run red before the weekend was over.

"Will you accept a change in your employment, Holly?" Adrian asked suddenly, shifting the topic with whiplash speed.