The night stretched endlessly, every tick of the clock echoing like a warning. I couldn't sleep, couldn't rest, as if the shadows themselves were alive and circling the mansion.
A sudden noise—this time louder, deliberate—made my heart leap. A window rattled on the far side of the hall. I froze, breath catching, and instinctively reached for the nearest object—a heavy vase—but before I could act, the Don appeared behind me.
"You shouldn't be out here," he said quietly, brushing past me with fluid, predatory grace. His eyes scanned the hall, sharp and dangerous. "They're here."
"Who?" I whispered, voice trembling.
"People who've been waiting for the right moment," he replied. His jaw tightened. "They thought the last attack was a fluke. They were wrong."
Before I could ask more, a loud crash echoed through the garden. Guards shouted, and I could hear the faint roar of engines. Figures moved outside, scaling walls, darting through the shadows. My stomach dropped.
"They're trying to get in," the Don said, voice low and dangerous. "Stay behind me."
I nodded, heart hammering as he led me toward the inner hall, away from the windows and doors. Every step he took radiated control and lethal precision. Even in the face of this threat, he didn't falter.
A sudden explosion of glass sent shards raining across the floor. I gasped and ducked instinctively, and the Don's hand found mine, gripping tightly. "Do you trust me?" he asked.
I nodded again, unable to speak.
"Good," he said. "Because tonight, you'll see what it truly means to belong to me."
And with that, he surged forward, moving through the hall with terrifying speed. Shadows fell before him, enemies scattered in his wake. I followed, adrenaline coursing through me. Every instinct told me to run, to hide, but I stayed—because I belonged here, with him, whether I was ready or not.
The first strike had begun. And the calm we thought we had won? It was gone.