"Why’s Teddy afraid?”

Holly’s breath hitched in her throat. The imposing frame of the mafia boss filled her vision as he stepped closer. The warm golden light of the study caught the fine lines framing his perceptive eyes, revealing a depth of character she had never fully appreciated.

"What kind of change, Mr. Blackwell?" Holly asked, her heart racing against her ribs.

"Would you prefer to assume the role of Owen’s personal governess, answering to no one in this house but me?" Adrian asked.

Holly stared at him, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the offer. A personal governess was a position of high respect and immense trust, offering a salary and security that far exceeded her role as a housemaid. It meant she would no longer be invisible; she would be a central figure in the life of the mafia boss's family.

"Are you serious, sir?" Holly asked, a radiant, beautiful smile breaking across her fair, rosy face.

"Have I ever joked about the welfare of my child?" Adrian asked, stopping just inches from her.

"I would be honored," Holly whispered.

"Will you trust me to keep you safe when the war begins tonight?" Adrian asked, his voice a low, gravelly promise.

"Always," Holly replied without hesitation.

Adrian raised his tattooed hand, his knuckles gently brushing against the soft curve of her jawline. It was a fleeting, electric touch that promised a future far more complicated than employer and employee. The quiet mutual affection they had always shared was finally allowed to breathe.

Before either could speak again, the heavy oak doors of the study burst open. A bloodied security operative stumbled into the room, gasping for breath.

"Is the perimeter breached?" Adrian asked, spinning around, his hand already reaching for the concealed weapon beneath his vest.

"Yes, Boss!" the operative choked out. "The Wren syndicate didn't wait! They hit the outer gates! We have multiple hostiles on the grounds!"

Adrian looked back at Holly, his cold, perceptive eyes burning with an unyielding, protective fire.

"Shall we show them exactly what it costs to threaten my family?" Adrian asked the quiet room.

He racked the slide of his handgun with a sharp, metallic clatter as the estate's high-pitched security sirens began to wail. The war had officially arrived at their doorstep.

"Are the interior blast doors engaged?" Adrian asked, remaining terrifyingly calm despite the adrenaline surging through his veins.

"Engaging now, sir! But they have heavy explosives. We are returning fire, but they are pushing hard toward the family wing!" the operative shouted over his radio.

"Will you hold the main hall until I arrive?" Adrian asked.

"We will hold the line, Mr. Blackwell!"

Adrian released the radio button. He reached under his desk, his tattooed hands moving with practiced, lethal precision, and pulled out a heavy, customized automatic weapon. He turned and looked at Holly. She was backed against the wall, her expressive eyes wide with fear, yet entirely resolute. She was not running.

"Are you prepared to lock this door behind me?" Adrian asked, walking toward her.

"I have to get to Owen!" Holly cried out, panic finally lacing her American accent. "They are going toward his room! I won't leave him or Teddy!"

"Will you survive running through a crossfire in the main hallway?" Adrian asked bluntly, his imposing frame blocking the exit.

"I can't just leave him alone in the dark, Adrian!" Holly pleaded, using his first name in her desperation. "He will be terrified!"

Adrian stared at the beautiful woman before him. She possessed a profound, quiet courage that completely eclipsed the shallow, venomous nature of the elites he normally dealt with. She was willing to run into a gunfight for a child and a dog who were not her blood.