Chapter 43
Without a microsecond of hesitation, Dante initiated the extreme security protocols he had secretly hardwired into the villa’s infrastructure when he purchased the property. Heavy, lead-lined steel shutters slammed down, hermetically sealing every window and exterior door of the sandstone estate. The warm, comforting amber light of the Mediterranean home was instantly replaced by the harsh, pulsing red glare of emergency LED alarms.
"Maya, take Sophia down into the wine cellar immediately," Dante commanded, his voice carrying an absolute, undeniable imperial authority. He knelt on the floor and rapidly punched a code into a concealed panel, lifting the floorboards to reveal a heavy, climate-controlled armory stocked with assault carbines, tactical vests, and military-grade ordnance.
Maya nodded silently, pulling the terrified eight-year-old girl tightly against her chest. She was no longer the fragile, easily panicked woman from her early days at Bellanote. She rested one hand protectively over her pregnant belly, feeling the tiny life moving inside her, and decisively reached down to grab a 9mm handgun, tucking it firmly into her waistband.
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"You have to promise me, Dante," Maya said, looking directly into his cold gray eyes, her own brown gaze burning with fierce determination. "You have to come back down to that cellar to us."
"I promise," Dante swore, pressing a deep, lingering kiss to her forehead. "I swore I would never let the two most important women in my life live a single day in fear. These animals are going to pay with their lives for daring to step foot on my territory."
