Chapter 4 - The King Awakes
The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by the sound of Dr. Bennett’s heavy, terrified breathing. The syringe in his hand trembled so violently that a drop of the clear poison spilled onto the silk sheets.
"A-Alexander..." Bennett stammered, his face draining of all color. "You're awake. This... this is a misunderstanding. I was trying to save you."
"Save me?" Alexander’s voice was low, a rumbling thunder that seemed to shake the very foundations of the mansion. He stood up from the bed, his towering six-foot-four frame dominating the room despite his recent illness. The sheets fell away, revealing the cold sweat and the absolute power of a man who had survived ten assassination attempts before his thirtieth birthday.
"You think I didn't know, Marcus?" Alexander turned his gaze to his consigliere, his expression completely devoid of mercy. "You think I didn't notice the bitter taste in my scotch for the last three weeks? You think I didn't see the way you looked at my chair at the high table?"
Marcus Hale didn't panic. He slowly raised his hands, a chilling smile spreading across his face. "If you knew, Alexander, why did you let it go this far? Why play the dying king?"
"Because a king needs to know which of his hounds are loyal, and which ones need to be put down," Alexander growled. He flicked his eyes to the curtain. "Leo. Stop hiding and do your job."
Leo stepped out from behind the velvet drapes, his gun raised, aiming at the lead soldier. But before anyone could pull a trigger, Alexander fired.
The deafening roar of the Desert Eagle echoed through the master bedroom. Dr. Bennett collapsed to the floor, a single neat hole through his forehead, his syringe shattering into pieces.
The three soldiers in the doorway hesitated for a split second—and that split second was fatal. Leo fired twice, dropping the two men on the left, while Alexander brought his weapon down and took out the leader before the man could even raise his rifle.
Blood pooled on the polished hardwood floors. The scent of gunpowder and copper filled the air.
Marcus stood alone in the center of the carnage, his hands still raised, his smile finally faltering. "You think killing me solves this, Alexander? The Commission already signed the papers. By morning, the other four families will recognize me as the head of the Romano empire. You're a dead man walking."
"The Commission only respects power, Marcus," Alexander whispered, stepping over Dr. Bennett's body, pressing the hot barrel of his gun directly beneath Marcus’s chin. "And by morning, they will see your head delivered to them on a silver platter."
Alexander looked over at me, his eyes softening for a brief fraction of a second. "Leo, take Nina to the safehouse in the basement. Secure the perimeter. I have some family business to clean up."
"Alexander, no," I cried, stepping through the blood, grabbing his bare arm. "Don't go out there. There are more of his men outside!"
Alexander looked down at my hand on his arm. He didn't push me away. He reached up, his large, rough hand gently cupping my cheek, wiping away a stray tear with his thumb.
May you like
"You saved my life tonight, Nina," he whispered, his voice thick with an emotion I had never heard from him before. "I heard what you said when you thought I was dying. I heard every word. Now let me protect what's mine."
Before I could answer, Leo grabbed my waist, pulling me backward out of the room as Alexander turned his back, dragging Marcus Hale out into the dark hallway to face his judgment.
