The silence inside the grand ballroom of the Bellaforte estate was so heavy that the quiet hum of the crystal chandeliers seemed deafening

Despite the victory at the council, peace was brief. The humiliation of Seraphina sent ripples through the underworld, and Don Moretti, feeling insulted by Mars's dominance at the meeting, began quietly plotting revenge.

Back at the Bellaforte estate, life seemed to flourish. For the first time in years, laughter filled the large dining room. Damian was learning to control his temper, taking up painting in his spare time. Nico had started opening up about his college aspirations, while Gabriel and Julian spent their afternoons in the garden with Tami, planting white roses—Adelina’s favorite flowers—in memory of their mother.

One rain-swept evening, Mars invited Tami to his private study.

The room was warm, crackling with a fire in the hearth. Heavy leather armchairs sat near the window overlooking the estate’s vast gardens. Mars poured two glasses of amber whiskey, handing one to Tami as she sat on the plush sofa.

"I haven't thanked you properly," Mars said, sitting beside her. He set his glass on the table and turned his full attention to her. "For standing up to Seraphina. For standing up to the council. You showed more courage than half my men."

"I was terrified," Tami confessed with a soft chuckle, looking down at her glass. "My heart was beating so fast I thought it would pop out of my chest."

"You didn't show it," Mars smiled softly. He reached over, taking her glass and setting it aside, then slid closer, placing his hands gently on her waist.

Tami’s breathing hitched. She was self-conscious about her body—her soft curves, the plush fullness that didn't fit the sleek, modern standard of the women Mars usually dealt with. But the way Mars looked at her made her feel like the most exquisite woman in existence.

"Mars..." she whispered.

"You think you don't belong in my world," Mars whispered, his thumb lightly caressing the soft curve of her hip. "You think you're too soft, too gentle. But Tami... you are the only thing holding me together. You brought my sons back to life. You brought me back to life."

"I'm just a woman who cared about your family," she murmured, tears brimming in her soft eyes.

"No," Mars whispered, leaning in until his lips brushed against hers. "You are my sanctuary."

The kiss was deep, slow, and full of raw passion that had been building for months. Mars gathered her into his lap, his large arms wrapping around her thick waist, pulling her as close as physically possible. Tami buried her hands in his dark hair, giving in to the overwhelming heat between them. For the first time in her life, she felt completely desired, valued, and cherished.

However, their moment was abruptly shattered when the estate’s emergency alarms suddenly blared throughout the mansion. Red emergency lights began flashing, and the heavy iron blast shutters automatically slammed down over the windows.

Mars instantly pushed Tami behind him, pulling a heavy silver pistol from his shoulder holster.

"Stay behind me!" he commanded.

The door to the study burst open. Damian was there, holding an assault rifle, his face frantic.

"Dad! It’s Moretti’s men! They breached the outer gate! Seraphina gave them the security codes before she left!"

Mars’s eyes darkened with deadly rage. "Protect your brothers and Tami. Get them to the safe room down in the basement!"

"No, Mars!" Tami cried out, grabbing his arm. "Don't go out there alone!"

"Tami, listen to me," Mars said, turning to her and grabbing her cheeks, forcing her to look into his eyes. "This is my duty. I protect this family. You get to the panic room with the boys. I will come back for you. I promise."

He kissed her hard on the mouth, a fierce promise seal, then turned and bounded down the hallway toward the gunfire echoing from the front lobby.

Damian grabbed Tami's hand. "Tami, we have to move! Now!"

They rushed down the corridor, gathering Nico, Gabriel, and little Julian along the way. Gunfire echoed through the halls, glass shattering, and shouted commands filled the air. Moretti had sent a full strike team to eliminate the Bellaforte family once and for all.

As they reached the heavy steel door of the basement panic room, a shadow stepped out from the darkness of the hallway.

It was Don Moretti’s top enforcer, a scarred, towering murderer known as Vane, holding a silenced pistol.

"Well, well," Vane sneered, aiming the gun directly at Damian. "The little prince and the housekeeper."

Before Damian could raise his rifle, Vane fired a shot, hitting Damian in the shoulder. Damian collapsed to the floor with a painful cry, his weapon sliding across the slick floorboards.

"Damian!" Gabriel screamed.

Vane pointed the gun at Gabriel’s head, a cruel smirk on his face. "Say goodbye, kid."

Tami didn't think. She didn't hesitate.

Driven by a motherly instinct to protect the boys who had become her world, Tami grabbed a heavy decorative marble statue from a nearby pedestal and lunged forward with all her weight.

She slammed the heavy marble directly into the side of Vane’s head.

The heavy blow shattered his nose and knocked him off balance. Vane stumbled back, cursing violently, and fired his gun wildly. The bullet grazed Tami’s upper arm, burning like fire, but she didn't stop. She tackled him with her full body weight, slamming him into the concrete wall.

Nico scrambled across the floor, picked up Damian’s fallen rifle, and swung the butt of the gun into Vane’s jaw, knocking the enforcer unconscious.

Tami fell to her knees, breathing heavily, holding her bleeding arm.

"Tami!" Nico dropped the gun and rushed to her side, his eyes filled with terror. "You're hit!"

"I'm fine... check on Damian!" Tami gasped, her face pale from shock.

Gabriel and Julian helped Damian into the panic room while Nico helped Tami inside. They slammed the heavy steel door shut and engaged the mechanical locks just as more footsteps echoed outside.

Inside the reinforced panic room, Tami immediately went to work despite her own injury. She pulled the medical kit from the shelf, tearing open bandages with her teeth, and worked frantically to stop the bleeding in Damian’s shoulder.

"You took a bullet for us..." Damian gritted out through his pain, looking up at her with profound awe and gratitude. "You tackled a mob hitman..."

"You are my boys," Tami said softly, her hands steady as she wrapped his shoulder tightly. "I won't let anyone hurt you. Ever."