Chapter 4 - The Unraveling
Paige didn't go quietly. She threatened, she cried, and eventually, she started making calls. Within an hour, my phone was ringing. It was Sal, an associate from the old neighborhood who I thought was a friend.
"Damon, you're making a mistake," Sal said, his voice hard. "Paige is family now. You can't just kick her out."
"Since when do you have a say in my house, Sal?" I asked, pacing the library.
"Since you started letting your heart get in the way of business. You're soft. You’ve been soft since Maren died. If you can't handle your own woman, maybe it's time someone else handled the organization."
The threat hung in the air. This wasn't just about a breakup; this was a coup. Paige hadn't just been stealing money; she had been gathering allies. She was betting that my grief had made me weak enough to topple.
I looked through the window. Nora was in the yard, sitting on a blanket with Bria, showing her how to press flowers into a book. They looked like a picture of peace in a world that was rapidly turning into a battlefield.
"Owen," I barked into the intercom. "Get the security detail doubled. Lock the perimeter. Anyone who isn't on the approved list doesn't get past the gates."
May you like
"Damon, if we do this, it’s war," Owen warned.
"It’s always been war, Owen. I was just the only one who didn't know it."
