Chapter 4 - The Wolves at the Gate
I walked down the grand marble staircase, my tailored black suit immaculate, my hands folded calmly behind my back. Marco stood at the bottom of the stairs, flanked by ten of our heavily armed private guards, all dressed in discreet tactical suits.
"They brought a judge's warrant," Marco muttered, handing me a digital tablet displaying the gate camera feed. "Signed by Judge Harrison—one of Moretti’s oldest political lapdogs. They’re claiming we’re holding an illegal alien and an abducted child inside the compound."
"They're using state authority to do Moretti's dirty work," I said coldly. "Open the gates."
Marco blinked in surprise. "Boss? If we let them inside—"
"If we fight state troopers at our gates, Moretti gets the media storm he wants," I replied. "He wants to portray the Duca family as rogue criminals defying the law. Let them come up the drive. But only the lead vehicle enters the courtyard."
Moments later, the heavy iron gates swung open. A single matte-black SUV rolled up the gravel path, coming to a halt directly outside the grand double doors.
Three men stepped out. Two were dressed in formal state investigator suits, but the man leading them was someone I recognized immediately.
Julian Moretti—Victor Moretti’s eldest son and primary enforcer. He was a ruthless, arrogant man with a scarred jawline and a fake, blinding smile.
"Lorenzo Duca," Julian sneered, stepping into the grand hall, shaking the rain from his leather coat. "It’s been a long time. You’ve built yourself a very comfortable cage here."
"You're trespassing, Julian," I said, my voice smooth as silk as I stood on the third marble step, looking down at him. "And you brought dirt onto my floors."
Julian pulled a folded sheet of paper from his pocket and waved it dismissively. "We have a judicial order to search these premises for an unregistered worker named Elena Vance and her child. Word on the street is she stole high-value property from a public official, and we have reason to believe she's hiding right here."
"A maid?" I chuckled, a dark, mocking sound that made Julian's smile falter slightly. "You brought three armored vehicles and a signed warrant to search a billionaire's estate for a maid?"
"We take theft very seriously in this state, Lorenzo," Julian replied, taking a step forward. "Hand her over, and we won't have to tear this beautiful house apart looking for her."
I raised my hand slightly.
From the upper balconies surrounding the grand hall, six laser sight dots suddenly painted themselves directly onto Julian’s chest and forehead. The faint click of tactical rifles locking into position echoed off the high ceilings.
Julian froze. His two companions reached for their sidearms, but Marco was already pointing a custom silenced pistol directly at Julian’s temple.
"You brought a piece of paper into my home, Julian," I said softly, walking down the steps until I was inches from his face. "I brought thirty men who would happily bury you under the rose garden before your father even realizes your SUV stopped broadcasting its GPS signal."
Julian’s breath hitched. The arrogance bled out of his face, replaced by a sharp, venomous rage. "You wouldn't dare. Killing me starts a war."
"The war started fifteen years ago when your father ordered the hit on my family," I whispered into his ear. "Now, listen to me very carefully. You are going to take your fake warrant, walk back out to your car, and tell your father that if he wants Elena Vance, he has to come get her himself."
May you like
"You're protecting a dead woman walking, Lorenzo," Julian spat through gritted teeth.
"No," I replied, taking the warrant from his hand and slowly ripping it into four pieces, letting them fall like confetti over his polished boots. "I'm protecting the witness who is going to put your father in a cage for the rest of his miserable life."
