Chapter 6 - Unwelcome Visitors
For two weeks, life at the Bel-Air estate settled into a strange, domestic rhythm that felt entirely foreign to me. I started skipping late-night syndicate meetings, delegating more operational control to Nash, and spending my evenings reading fairy tales to Ruby and having quiet dinners with Tessa on the terrace.
Tessa's health improved dramatically under the care of Dr. Vance and the clean mountain air. The shadows under her eyes faded, and the natural color returned to her cheeks.
But in the underworld, peace is always a fragile illusion.
It happened on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. I was in my private study on the second floor, reviewing shipping manifests, when the heavy oak door flew open without a knock.
Nash strode in, looking grim, his tablet in hand.
"Boss, we have a breach at the outer gate," Nash said quickly. "It's not the Ramos cartel. It's someone higher up."
I stood up instantly, my hand instinctively sliding toward the Beretta tucked into my shoulder holster. "Who?"
"Your father's old syndicate council—the Vanguard," Nash said, his voice tense. "Specifically, Director Sterling. Word reached them that you've integrated a civilian woman and a child into your bloodline. They consider it a liability. They're demanding an audience."
My blood ran cold. The Vanguard was an old-guard council of international crime lords who had mentored me when I first took over the West Coast territory. They operated by brutal, archaic rules: family was weakness, and any attachments outside the syndicate were to be systematically severed.
"Where are they?" I asked, my voice deadly quiet.
May you like
"In the main parlor. They bypassed the outer gates using diplomatic pressure from federal contacts. Your guards couldn't stop them without sparking a localized war."
"Lock down the east wing," I commanded, striding toward the door. "Make sure Tessa and Ruby are secured in the panic room. If Director Sterling so much as breathes in their direction, kill him."
