Chapter 9
The rain had tapered off into a quiet drizzle by two in the morning.
At the edge of the Cole estate grounds, near the secluded boathouse overlooking the dark waters of the Sound, an armored black SUV sat idling beneath the dripping trees. Inside the rear passenger seat sat Leo Moretti—a fifty-year-old rival Mafia boss with a scarred face, expensive tailored suit, and a ruthless reputation.
Leo checked his luxury watch, his brow furrowed in frustration. "What is taking them so long? It's been twenty minutes."
"The mansion's internal security line went dead, Boss," his driver replied nervously. "They should have been back with the kid by now."
"Give them two more minutes," Leo growled, chewing on an unlit cigar. "If they aren't back, we breach the north perimeter ourselves."
Suddenly, the rear door of the SUV was violently ripped open from the outside.
Before Leo could react, a massive, tattooed hand reached inside, grabbed him by his silk tie, and dragged him violently out of the vehicle onto the wet grass.
Leo hit the muddy ground hard, gasping for air. His driver drew his handgun, but a sudden sharp clack-click sounded as Marcus and six Cole bodyguards surrounded the SUV, their weapons aimed directly at the driver's head.
"Don't move," Marcus ordered coldly.
Leo scrambled backward in the mud, looking up in sheer terror.
Standing over him was Adrian Cole.
Adrian looked like a demon rising from the night. His open-collar black shirt was damp from the rain, his thick dark hair swept back, his sharp jaw set in stone. He stepped forward, his polished black leather shoes sinking into the wet turf, his intense eyes looking down at his rival with absolute, crushing contempt.
"Adrian..." Leo stammered, his arrogant composure completely shattered. "Listen to me! It was a mistake! A boundary dispute!"
Adrian didn't speak. He stepped closer, towering over the fallen boss.
"You entered my home," Adrian whispered, his voice a low, gravelly vibration that sent a wave of icy terror straight through Leo’s chest. "You sent armed men into the bedroom of my brother's child."
Leo’s eyes widened in sudden realization. "Your... your brother's child? James’s kid?"
"My niece," Adrian corrected coldly. "Nora Cole."
Adrian reached into his suit jacket and pulled out James’s antique silver lighter. He flicked the top open with a sharp, metallic clack. The small yellow flame lit up the dark night, reflecting off the engraved Cole family crest and the initials J.C.
Leo stared at the lighter, his breath hitching. "Adrian, please! We can make a deal! I'll give you the New York shipping routes! All of them!"
"My brother hated men like you," Adrian said smoothly, holding the flame steady in the quiet rain. "He was gentle. He wanted peace. But I am not my brother, Leo. I am the man who protects what he left behind."
Adrian flicked the lighter shut with a sharp, final snap.
"Take him away," Adrian ordered Marcus, turning his back on his rival. "Ensure the Moretti family understands that Connecticut is permanently closed to them."
"With pleasure, Boss," Marcus replied, grabbing Leo by the collar and dragging him into the shadows.
May you like
Adrian stood alone by the water for a long moment, listening to the rain. He looked down at the silver lighter in his hand, feeling the weight of his brother's memory. The storm was over. The threat was erased.
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