Chapter 3 - The Siege of Blackthorne
By 2:00 AM, the storm outside the mansion had intensified, heavy rain beating furiously against the bulletproof glass of the second-floor library.
Blackthorne Estate sat on fifty acres of private wooded land overlooking the river. Normally, it was a peaceful, grand palace of limestone and dark oak. Tonight, it was a citadel under heavy siege.
I sat on a soft velvet sofa in the grand library, wrapped in a warm cashmere blanket, holding a cup of hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows. My mother sat beside me, holding my hand, while two heavily armed guards stood watch near the double oak doors.
Alejandro stood near the high arched window, wearing a clean black suit, a silver holster visible beneath his jacket. He was drinking a glass of ice water, his breathing completely back to normal.
Leo stepped into the room, carrying an encrypted tablet.
"Report, Leo," Alejandro said without turning around.
"The perimeter sensors caught movement in the south woods ten minutes ago, Boss," Leo said grimly. "Four SUVs without lights turned off the main highway. It's Carlo Donati. He brought at least twenty heavy hitters."
"Carlo thought he was coming to collect my corpse," Alejandro murmured, a dark, dangerous smile touching his lips. "He thought Victor’s poison would leave this house leaderless and in chaos."
"Should we evacuate through the private tunnel?" my mother asked softly, her voice laced with fear as she held me tighter.
Alejandro turned around, looking at Sarah with absolute calm. "The tunnel is for retreats, Sarah. The Moretti family does not retreat from scavengers."
He walked over to where I sat, reaching out to pat my head softly. "Are you scared, Emma?"
I looked up at him, swallowing a marshmallow. "A little bit. But you're bigger than the bad guys."
Alejandro let out a low, warm laugh—a sound his guards hadn't heard in years. "Yes, little one. I am much bigger than the bad guys."
He looked at Leo. "Bring up the feed from Victor’s phone."
Leo tapped his tablet, projecting a audio call onto the library’s wall screen.
A raspy, arrogant voice echoed through the room's speakers. It was Carlo Donati, the head of the rival crime family that had controlled the docks for twenty years.
"Victor? Is it done? Is the king dead?"
Alejandro walked over to the desk microphone, pressing the transmit button.
"The king is very much alive, Carlo," Alejandro spoke into the mic, his deep voice carrying through the line like a tolling church bell. "And your assassin is sitting in my basement, waiting for me to finish with you."
Dead silence fell over the radio line.
A long, tense breath was drawn on the other end.
"Moretti...?" Carlo gasped, his confidence evaporating instantly. "How... Victor swore the dose was fatal!"
"A four-year-old girl has more honor and strength in her little finger than your entire family possesses, Carlo," Alejandro said coldly. "You brought twenty men to my gates tonight thinking you were attending a funeral. Instead, you're stepping into your own."
Alejandro didn't wait for a reply. He clicked the radio off, looking at Leo.
"Activate the perimeter defense grid," Alejandro commanded softly. "Flood the south woods with spotlights. Let them see what happens when they cross the river."
"Yes, Sir!" Leo replied with a grin, stepping out to coordinate the defense.
Moments later, the entire south estate lit up like mid-day sunlight as massive stadium lights mounted on the stone towers ignited! The heavy hum of remote security turrets hummed through the thick walls, followed by the distant sound of engines roaring in panicked retreat.
The Donati force, realizing they had been lured into a fully prepared, lethal trap, didn't even fire a single shot. The four SUVs slammed into reverse, tearing through the wooden gates in a frantic, cowardly rush to escape.
Alejandro stood by the window, watching the red taillights disappear into the dark woods.
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"They will run back to the city council," Sarah whispered, watching the lights fade.
"Let them run," Alejandro said, turning back to us with absolute clarity in his dark eyes. "Tomorrow, I go to the city council myself. And I am bringing my new counsel with me."
