Chapter 3 - The Shadow of the Moretti SyndicateWithin three days, my world underwent a complete, unbelievable transformation.
I was given a luxurious secondary suite on the second floor of the mansion, overlooking the manicured rose gardens and the private lake. My worn clothes were replaced with elegant cashmere sweaters, silk blouses, and tailored trousers.
My official duty was simple: I accompanied Dominic during his private mornings in the estate library, serving his black coffee, organizing his personal schedules, and simply being near him.
The change in Dominic when I was in the room was subtle but profound.
His bodyguards noticed it instantly. The terrifying, volcanic tension that usually hung over his shoulders dissolved whenever I walked in. He drank the coffee I served, he sat near me while reading briefing files, and twice, when he fell asleep in his leather armchair after working forty-eight hours straight, he allowed me to drape a warm cashmere throw over his broad shoulders without waking up in a rage.
However, peace in Dominic Vale's world was a temporary illusion.
On Thursday morning, the tranquility of the estate shattered.
I was organizing files in the library when the double doors were thrown open. Marcus Reed hurried into the room, his face pale and sweat-slicked, holding a satellite phone.
Dominic stood up from his mahogany desk, his posture instantly turning into that of a lethal apex predator. "Report, Marcus."
"The Moretti Syndicate crossed the river an hour ago, Boss," Marcus reported urgently. "Vincenzo Moretti launched a coordinated strike against our primary shipping terminals at Pier 14. They blew up two distribution warehouses and executed three of our dock managers."
Dominic’s jaw set until the muscles along his jawline bulged like iron cords. His gray eyes turned cold as mountain ice.
"Vincenzo thinks because I’ve been quiet this week, I've grown soft," Dominic growled, pulling a custom suppressed pistol from his desk drawer, checking the magazine with a slick, lethal CLACK.
"He also left a message at the pier, Boss," Marcus added, his voice dropping into a hesitant, nervous pitch.
Dominic’s eyes narrowed. "What message?"
Marcus looked at me nervously before turning back to Dominic. "Moretti knows about the girl. He knows you brought a diner waitress into the estate. He promised to burn this mansion to the ground and take her as a trophy."
A terrifying, suffocating pressure filled the library.
Dominic didn't yell. He didn't smash anything. He walked slowly around his desk, stopping directly in front of me, taking my small hands into his broad, warm palms.
"Marcus," Dominic commanded, his voice velvet-cold and absolute. "Activate the subterranean bunker protocols. Put twenty heavy operators on the perimeter. If a single Moretti soldier steps onto these grounds, execute them on sight."
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He looked down into my eyes, his gray eyes holding a quiet, royal promise.
"You are safe here, Lily," Dominic promised softly. "I will tear Vincenzo Moretti’s empire apart stone by stone before I let anyone lay a finger on you."
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