A MAFIA BOSS WATCHED A SIX-YEAR-OLD GIRL COUNT COINS FOR BREAD AND BANANAS, BUT WHEN HE SAW HER SICK MOTHER WAITING OUTSIDE, HE REALIZED THE MAN WHO HAD BEEN HUNTING THEM WAS SOMEONE HE SHOULD HAVE STOPPED FOUR YEARS AGO

Romanov’s eyes darted frantically toward the floorboards beneath his feet. He knew Connor Malone’s reputation. Connor didn't bluff. He didn't make empty threats. If Connor said there was explosive ordinance in the basement, the building was already sitting on a fuse.

"You're crazy," Romanov whispered, his voice trembling. "You'd blow yourself up?"

"I survived a bullet in the chest four years ago, Boris," Connor said, taking another step forward. "I have very little patience left for men who hurt children. Now, tell your men to put their weapons down, or we can all go meet Thomas Vance together right now."

Romanov stared into Connor’s eyes and saw absolute, unyielding willingness to pull the trigger.

"Down!" Romanov roared to his guards, throwing his hands in the air. "Put the damn guns down!"

The guards reluctantly lowered their rifles. The gamblers in the room scrambled for the exits, tripping over chairs in a desperate bid to escape the impending explosion. Within thirty seconds, the casino was completely cleared, leaving only Connor, Romanov, Daniel, and two of Romanov’s personal bodyguards.

Connor walked past Romanov as if the Russian mob boss didn't even exist. He stopped directly in front of Daniel Webb.

Daniel was shaking uncontrollably, slumped against the leather booth, weeping tears of pure cowardice. "Connor, please... I'm Gracie's father! You can't hurt me! She needs her father!"

Connor reached out, grabbed Daniel by the throat with one hand, and lifted the man completely off his feet, slamming him against the wall.

"You ceased being her father the moment she had to choose between bread and fruit," Connor snarled, his face inches from Daniel's terrifyingly pale visage. "You are nothing to her now. You are a ghost."

Connor turned his head slightly toward Romanov. "Romanov. The land deeds Daniel signed over to you are fraudulent. He had no legal right to sign them without Sarah’s consent. You will sign them back to her estate tonight, or my family will wage a war on your syndicate that will leave every dock on the East Coast burning."

Romanov swallowed hard, looking at the detonator in Connor’s hand, then at the dead-eyed fury in Connor’s expression.

"Take the damn deeds," Romanov spat out, signaling his lieutenant to fetch the paperwork from the safe. "Take the coward too. I want nothing more to do with him."