Chapter 6
Before Margaret could comprehend Ethan's words, a sudden, blinding flash of movement broke the standoff.
Ethan didn't reach for his gun. Moving with the terrifying, feline speed of a trained killer, his massive, tattooed hand shot forward, gripping Margaret’s wrist with bone-crushing force. A sickening CRACK echoed through the hallway as her wrist snapped instantly.
Margaret let out a sharp, strangled gasp of pain, her fingers involuntarily opening as the electronic detonator tumbled toward the floor.
Before the device could hit the marble, Marco’s foot slid forward, catching the detonator cleanly and sliding it out of reach across the polished floor. In the same motion, Ethan's other hand gripped Margaret’s throat, lifting her five-foot-eight frame completely off her feet and slamming her back against the wood-paneled wall.
"Did you really think a piece of plastic was going to protect you from me?" Ethan growled, his face inches from hers. His dark, piercing eyes held no mercy, no hesitation—only the cold, absolute judgment of the Black King.
Margaret choked, her hands feebly clawing at Ethan's massive forearms, her face turning a deep, unnatural red as her lungs struggled for air. The arrogant confidence she had carried moments ago dissolved into raw, primitive terror.
"Boss," Marco said calmly, picking up the fallen detonator and disarming its battery. "The perimeter guards just reported two unmarked vans pulling up outside the rear gate. Her backup is here."
Ethan didn't break his stare from Margaret’s bulging eyes. "How many?"
"Looks like six armed men. Mercenaries," Marco replied, checking his sidearm. "They're moving through the tree line toward the service entrance."
Ethan tightened his grip slightly, making Margaret gasp for breath. "Who hired them, Margaret? Which family?"
"Moretti..." Margaret choked out, her voice barely a raspy whisper. "The... the New York syndicate... they paid me ten million... for the kids..."
Ethan’s jaw tightened. The Moretti family was his primary rival, a bloodthirsty cartel that had been trying to expand into Washington for five years. They hadn't just wanted to control the Caldwell empire—they had wanted to kidnap Nico and Noah, using his infant sons as human leverage to force Ethan to surrender his territory.
A sudden surge of disgust washed over Ethan. He threw Margaret violently to the marble floor. She collapsed in a heap, coughing hysterically and clutching her broken wrist.
"Marco, put her in the panic room's holding cell," Ethan ordered coldly, wiping his hands against his trousers as if touching her had dirtied his skin. "Keep her alive until I finish with her friends outside."
"What about the nanny and the boys, boss?" Marco asked, grabbing Margaret by her collar and hauling her up effortlessly.
Ethan turned his head toward the living room door where Lena stood, peeking out with wide, terrified blue eyes, holding both boys tightly against her yellow dress.
Ethan’s fierce expression softened instantly as his eyes met hers. "Lena, take Nico and Noah into my private study behind the master bedroom. Lock the reinforced door from the inside. Do not open it for anyone except me or Marco."
Lena nodded frantically, tears streaming down her pale, rosy cheeks. "Please be careful, Mr. Caldwell!"
Ethan reached into his waist holster, pulling out a compact, lightweight silver handgun. He walked into the living room, stepping gently past the scattered wooden toys, and offered the weapon to Lena handle-first.
Lena gasped, stepping back slightly. "I... I don't know how to use a gun!"
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"It's already loaded," Ethan explained softly, taking her small, delicate hand and wrapping her fingers around the grip. His large, warm hand completely covered hers, instilling an immediate sense of safety. "Point it at the door. If anyone other than me tries to turn that handle, pull the trigger. Protect my boys."
Lena looked into his intense, piercing eyes, feeling the raw, unyielding protection radiating from the Mafia boss. She swallowed her fear, nodded bravely, and squeezed the grip. "I'll protect them with my life."
