Chapter 6 - The Protector
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Dante intercepted Victoria at the bottom of the grand staircase. He had watched the entire exchange with the cook via the hidden security cameras routed to his phone.
"There you are, darling," Dante said smoothly, offering her his arm. "The jewelers have arrived with the wedding bands. They need your final approval."
Victoria’s cruel expression melted instantly into a radiant, loving smile. She took his arm, pressing her chest against his bicep. "Oh, wonderful! I was just exploring the hallways. Your house is so massive, I keep getting lost."
"It's easy to lose your way in the dark," Dante murmured, guiding her toward the parlor.
While Victoria was distracted by diamonds, Dante gave a subtle nod to Silvio, his silver-haired consigliere who stood quietly in the corner of the room.
Silvio excused himself and moved silently toward the servant’s quarters.
He found Elena in the kitchen, her hands shaking as she aggressively chopped vegetables. Sophia was sitting safely on the counter, drawing on a piece of butcher paper.
"Miss Vasquez," Silvio said, his voice raspy but surprisingly gentle.
Elena jumped, dropping the knife. "Mr. Silvio. I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in."
"The Boss sent me," Silvio explained, pulling up a wooden stool and sitting down. He was a terrifying man with a jagged scar across his throat, but he looked at the mother and child with profound respect. "Victoria threatened you in the hallway."
Elena swallowed hard. "She said she would fire me after the wedding. She implied Sophia might get hurt."
Silvio’s eyes darkened. "Victoria Thorne will not be firing anyone. And she will never lay a finger on your daughter. Dante has ordered a permanent, invisible security detail for you both. My best men are stationed at the service exits. You are under the absolute protection of the Moretti family."
Elena stared at the old enforcer, completely overwhelmed. "Why is he doing this? We are just staff."
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"You aren't staff anymore, Elena," Silvio said softly. "You are leverage. Victoria knows your child saw her steal from the Boss. She views you as a loose end. But more importantly..." Silvio paused, choosing his words carefully. "...Dante does not protect people lightly. He protects what he values."
Elena’s heart skipped a heavy beat. She looked down at her hands, the terrifying reality of her situation settling in. She was caught in the middle of a mafia war, and the most dangerous man in the city had just thrown his shield over her.
