Chapter 2 - The Lion's Den
The storm over Manhattan had intensified into a raging blizzard by the time the three armored Cadillacs pulled into the gated driveway of the Moretti Estate in Westchester.
The estate was a sprawling stone fortress surrounded by twelve-foot iron gates, thermal security cameras, and thirty heavily armed guards patrolling the perimeter. It was built to withstand a siege, a gilded cage where Gabriel Moretti ruled his billion-dollar empire in absolute isolation.
Inside the private medical wing of the manor, Dr. Aris—Gabriel’s personal physician—was already examining Daniel. The room was equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment rivaling any top-tier hospital ICU.
"His heart rhythm is stable, Mr. Moretti," Dr. Aris announced, pulling off his stethoscope. "The hypoxia was mild thanks to immediate intervention. The oxygen flow was restored before severe distress occurred. He will wake up in a few hours."
Gabriel let out a slow, heavy breath, standing at the foot of the bed with his arms folded across his chest. "And the woman?"
In the adjacent private suite, Elena Cruz sat on the edge of a luxurious king-sized bed, wearing a soft grey cotton tracksuit provided by the estate staff. A female nurse had just finished stitching the cut over her eyebrow and bandaging her cracked ribs.
"Three broken ribs, severe contusions, and a concussion, but she will recover," Dr. Aris reported. "She’s extremely tough, Gabriel. Most civilians would have been in hypovolemic shock after that kind of trauma."
Gabriel walked out of the medical room and stepped into Elena’s suite.
Elena flinched slightly as the heavy oak door closed, her dark brown eyes tracking Gabriel’s massive frame as he crossed the room. He had removed his blood-stained leather jacket, wearing only a tailored black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing dark tattoo sleeves wrapping around his muscular arms.
"How are you feeling?" Gabriel asked, stopping a respectful distance away near the fireplace.
"Like I got hit by a trash truck," Elena replied hoarsely, clutching her bandaged side. She looked around the lavish room with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Where am I? This doesn't look like a hospital."
"You are at my private residence in Westchester," Gabriel said softly. "You are safe here, Miss Cruz. No one enters this property without my personal permission."
Elena let out a bitter, exhausted laugh. "Safe? I went to work at six p.m. to sweep floors so I could pay my rent, and by three a.m. I was fighting men with guns. Who are you, Mr. Moretti? Really?"
Gabriel took a sleek black metal case from his pocket, setting it on the bedside table. "I am a man who has made many enemies while protecting what belongs to him. My family controls maritime shipping, real estate, and private security across the Eastern Seaboard. In your world, they call people like me the mafia."
Elena stared at him, the color draining from her face. "The mob?"
"I am not going to lie to you, Elena," Gabriel said, his dark eyes locking onto hers with unyielding intensity. "The men who walked into my son's hospital room were professionals sent by a rival syndicate. They saw your face. They know you interfered. If I had left you at Lenox Hill, you would have been dead before sunrise."
Elena sank back against the plush pillows, burying her face in her trembling hands. "My God... my apartment... my cat... my job..."
"Your apartment is already being cleared by my men," Gabriel assured her calmly. "Your personal belongings, including your pet, are currently being transported here. Your employer at Lenox Hill has been notified that you resigned due to an emergency family relocation, and a wire transfer of fifty thousand dollars has been deposited into your bank account as initial compensation for your suffering."
Elena looked up, her eyes flashing with sudden, sharp anger. "I didn't risk my life for your money!"
Gabriel stilled. He wasn't used to people raising their voices at him, let alone a woman lying in his guest bed with three broken ribs.
"I know you didn't," Gabriel said quietly, his tone softening in a way that surprised even himself. "You did it because you saw a child in danger. That makes you something very rare in my world, Miss Cruz. It makes you honorable. And as long as I am breathing, no harm will come to you."
Before Elena could respond, Vincent knocked urgently on the door frame. His face was grim, holding a secure satellite tablet.
"Boss," Vincent said quietly. "We tracked the encrypted radio signals from the hospital assassins. The IP address traces back to a private penthouse on Park Avenue."
May you like
Gabriel’s eyes turned into liquid ice. "Whose penthouse?"
"Your underboss," Vincent replied. "Mateo Rossi."
