Chapter 4 - The Fire and the Fury
"Mabel!" Jolene shrieked, trying to break away from Knox’s grip to get to the back office. "My baby is in the back!"
"Stay here!" Knox commanded, his eyes blazing. "I’ll get her!"
Knox stood up, ignoring the smoke rising from the floor. He kicked a wooden chair out of the way and dashed into the back office. The room was already filling with thick, black smoke. Mabel was coughing, sitting up on her cot, crying and terrified.
Knox scooped her up in his massive arms, shielding her face with his coat. "I've got you, Mabel. Hold on tight to Uncle Knox."
He ran back into the dining room. The fire was spreading fast, blocking the front exit. Jolene was frantically trying to throw water from a pitcher onto the flames, but it was useless.
Knox grabbed her arm. "We go out the back! Now!"
They burst through the kitchen door into the cold alleyway. Perry was there, his gun drawn, standing over a man who was groaning on the wet asphalt.
"They were hired local muscle, boss," Perry reported, his face dark with rage. "Marcus sent them to burn the block down before the paperwork could be filed at the city hall."
Knox looked back at the small restaurant. Smoke was pouring from the shattered windows, but the fire department’s sirens were already wailing in the distance.
Mabel was crying into Knox's neck, her small hands clutching his collar. "The pretty tables... the napkins..." she sobbed. "They broke our castle, Mommy."
Knox held the little girl tighter, his hand gently stroking her hair. He looked at Jolene, who was staring at her burning dream with a broken heart.
"They didn't break anything we can't rebuild, Mabel," Knox said, his voice carrying an iron-clad promise. "And this time, we’re going to build it out of stone."
He turned to Perry. "Get the cars. We are taking them to the estate. And Perry—"
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"Yes, boss?"
"Find Marcus. I don't want him in prison. I want him broke, on his knees, and out of my city by sunrise."
