Alexei’s body went rigid. In less than a second, all warmth vanished from his eyes, replaced by the cold, calculating focus of a apex predator. Without a word, he shoved Maria and Sophie behind his massive frame, drawing a sleek, heavy Beretta from a concealed shoulder holster with blinding speed.

“Dmitri,” Alexei barked into the comms unit clipped to his collar.

“Boss! We’ve got a perimeter breach at the east gate!” Dmitri’s voice shouted over static and the faint background pop of automatic gunfire. “At least six armed men in tactical gear. They bypassed the biometric sensors using an override code!”

“An override code?” Alexei’s jaw tightened until the muscle twitched. “That code was restricted to senior management. Who’s leading them?”

“Checking cameras now—boss, it’s Viktor Vance. Your cousin from the Detroit operation. He’s working with...” Dmitri paused, a curse spitting through the speaker. “He’s working with an outsider. A Hispanic male, matching the description of Maria’s ex-husband, Carlos Morales!”

Maria gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. The blood drained entirely from her face.

“Carlos?” she whispered, her voice trembling violently. “How did he find me?”

Alexei didn't look back. His dark eyes remained locked on the double doors of the parlor. “He didn't find you on his own, Maria. Someone inside my organization sold you out to buy Viktor’s loyalty.”

Sophie, picking up on the sudden terror in the room, let out a whimpering cry and grabbed the hem of Maria’s skirt, burying her face against her mother’s knees.

“Mommy, what’s that loud noise?” Sophie sobbed.

“Nothing, baby, close your eyes,” Maria cried, dropping to her knees to wrap her arms around her daughter, shielding her body with her own.

Alexei stepped backward toward them, keeping his pistol aimed squarely at the double doors. “Listen to me, Maria. Take Sophie into the panic room behind the master walk-in closet. The keypad code is your birthday. Do not come out until I unlock the door myself.”

“No!” Maria shouted, grabbing the sleeve of his jacket. “I’m not leaving you here to face them alone! Carlos... Carlos is ruthless. He won't just kill you; he wants to break me!”

Alexei looked down at her. For a fraction of a second, the cold mafia boss melted away, replaced by a man looking at the only thing in the world that mattered to him. He reached out with his free hand, cupping the back of her head and pressing a fierce, urgent kiss against her forehead.

“I built this empire on blood and iron, Maria,” Alexei growled softly. “Nobody takes what is mine. Now go!”

Before Maria could argue further, the heavy double doors of the parlor exploded inward in a shower of splintered mahogany and white smoke.

Two flashbang grenades clattered across the polished hardwood floor, detonating with blinding, ear-splitting fury.

Maria screamed, yanking Sophie down against the floor as white-hot light and concussive shockwaves shook the room.

Through the thick haze of smoke, heavy combat boots stomped across the threshold.

A man with a vicious scar cutting across his left cheek—Viktor Vance—stepped into the room, holding an asNextlt rifle, flanked by three heavily armed mercenaries. And right behind them, stepping through the smoke with a wild, manic grin on his face, was Carlos Morales.

“Well, well, well,” Carlos sneered, his eyes locking onto Maria cowering on the floor. “Look at my runaway wife, playing house with a billionaire mobster. Did you enjoy your vacation, Maria? Because it’s over.”