Chapter 8 - The Ultimatum
Back at the North Shore estate, the atmosphere was thick with siege mentality.
Julian had the entire property locked down under maximum security. No one entered without biometric clearance. Yet, the attack at Newport proved one terrifying reality: the Moretti family knew Julian’s weakness, and they were coming for Wren and Leo to break him.
In the master study, Julian paced back and forth like a caged panther, his hands clenched into fists.
"We strike first," Victor argued, slamming a tactical file onto the mahogany desk. "If we hit Moretti’s shipping hubs in Boston Harbor tonight, we decapitate their operation before they can launch another hit."
"No," a soft, steady voice interrupted from the doorway.
Julian and Victor turned. Wren stood there. She had changed out of the ruined emerald gown into a simple oversized cardigan and jeans. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, and her eyes were filled with an unyielding, fierce determination.
"Wren, you shouldn't be in here," Julian said, his voice instantly softening as he hurried over to her. "It's not safe—"
"Stop treating me like porcelain, Julian," Wren said firmly, stepping past him into the room. "Moretti is attacking because he thinks you're distracted by us. He thinks we're liabilities."
"You are not a liability; you are my life," Julian snapped, his voice cracking with a vulnerability he never showed anyone else. "If anything happened to you or Leo... I wouldn't survive it."
Wren reached out, placing both palms gently against his chest, right over his beating heart. "Then we don't hide behind walls, Julian. We end this. Permanently."
Julian stared down at her, stunned by the sheer courage radiating from the woman everyone had dismissed as an ordinary, clumsy nanny.
"What are you suggesting?" Julian asked quietly.
"Use me," Wren said steadily. "Moretti thinks I'm just a vulnerable civilian living here. Let him try to take me. Set a trap at the old coastal warehouse down by the North Shore docks. When he walks into it, you close the trap."
May you like
Victor whistled softly. "A sting operation. Using civilian bait. It's risky as hell."
"It's brilliant," Julian growled, his dark eyes flashing with lethal intent as he looked down at Wren. "And I will be standing in the shadows with every weapon I own. If anyone so much as scratches her skin, I will personally tear Moretti’s empire down to ash."
