Chapter 7 - The Empire’s Heir ApparentThe weeks blurred into a surreal, hypnotic routine. Locked inside the penthouse, Briar was treated like a queen, yet she remained acutely aware that she was a prisoner of love and obsession.
Damien showered her with rare books, exquisite meals, and endless protection. But beneath the luxury, a darker reality was closing in. The underworld had noticed Damien’s distraction. Word was spreading through the criminal syndicates of New York that the great Damien Ashworth had grown soft over a stray veterinary assistant from Brooklyn.
It was a dangerous weakness. And in the mafia, weaknesses were invitations for slaughter.
Late one evening, while Damien was locked in his high-security basement study conducting a conference call with his international capos, Briar sat by the grand piano. Goliath rested his head on her slippered feet, fast asleep.
Suddenly, the penthouse lights flickered and died.
Emergency red backup strips illuminated the hallways with an eerie, pulsing glow. Before Briar could stand up, the heavy oak doors of the library burst open.
A man stepped inside, holding a silenced submachine gun. He wore a mask of black tactical gear, but the eyes above it were icy and familiar.
"Well, well, well," a raspy voice sneered. "The little stray cat that captured the beast's heart."
Briar’s heart leapt into her throat. She recognized that voice instantly. It belonged to Viktor Vance—Damien’s most ruthless rival, a man Damien had supposedly exiled to Siberia two years ago.
"How... how did you get past the security?" Briar stammered, backing away until her spine hit the piano keys, creating a discordant, echoing crash.
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"Security is easy when you have friends on the inside," Viktor laughed softly, stepping closer, raising the gun barrel directly toward her chest. "Damien thinks he can build a fortress and hide his precious new toy. But when I put a bullet through your heart, Damien’s focus will shatter. And then, his empire falls to me."
Briar squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact. This is it, she thought. I survived Corbin, only to die for a monster who loved me too much.
