CHAPTER 6
821 Words
WELCOME TO HELL
The fire still burned.
Orange flames licked the night sky while firefighters stood helplessly outside the estate.
Nobody crossed the yellow tape.
Nobody asked questions.
This wasn't their war.
This belonged to the Mafia.
Clara stood frozen, Albert's scotched pocket watch clutched tightly in her trembling hand.
Her father was gone.
Or…
Missing.
She didn't know which was worse.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
She wiped it away immediately.
She refused to cry in front of Lucien Moretti.
“Take me back”.
Lucien didn't answer.
She turned toward him.
“I said”.
“Take me home”.
His eyes shifted toward the burning mansion.
“You don't have one anymore.”
The word landed like a slap.
She glared at him.
“This is your fault.”
“No”.
“It is”.
“If you hadn't forced this marriage…”
“I didn't burn your house.”
“You started this war.”
Lucien took one slow step toward her, his voice was quiet.
“No, I ended one.”
Before she could answer…
A phone vibrated.
Marco.
He looked at the screen.
His face changed.
“Boss”.
Lucien looked over.
Marcos' voice dropped.
“We've got a company."
Three black helicopters appeared above the estate.
Their blades thundered across the night.
Everyone looked up.
Even the firefighters stepped back.
One helicopter circled.
Then another.
The third descended into the field behind the burning mansion.
Clara frowned.
“What now”.
Marco answered.
“The Romano family…doesn't negotiate."
The helicopter doors slid open.
Armed men jumped out.
Not five.
Not ten.
Nearly thirty.
Dressed in white suits.
Every one of them carried assault rifles.
At their center…
A man stepped forward.
Silver hair.
White gloves.
A tailored ivory coat.
He smiled.
The kind of smile that made your skin crawl.
“Lucien”.
His voice echoed through the smoke.
“You stole something that belongs to me."
Lucien remained perfectly still.
“I don't steal”.
The older man laughed.
“No… you simply refused to return what's mine."
His eyes moved to Clara.
“There she is."
Clara felt every hair on her body rise.
The way he looked at her.
It wasn't a desire…it was ownership.
She stepped backward.
Lucien noticed.
Without speaking…
He moved half a step.
Just enough to block the Romano leader’s view of her.
Not protective.
Strategic.
The old man chuckled.
“Still pretending”.
Lucien said nothing.
“So..”
The Romano leader continued.
“Does she know?”
Clara looked between them.
“Know what?”
Nobody answered.
The old man smiled wider.
“Interesting”.
He looked back at Lucien.
“You never told her.”
Lucien's expression never changed.
“There was nothing to tell."
“Oh?”
The Romano leader laughed.
“Then perhaps... I should.”
Silence.
Even Marco tensed.
The old man looked directly at Clara.
“Your father didn't just steal from Moretti."
“He stole from me first”.
Her breathing stopped.
“What”.
“He worked for both families”.
“He took something much more valuable than money."
Clara frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
The Romano leader's smile disappeared.
“My daughter."
The world went still.
Lucien's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
Marco slowly reached for his gun.
Clara looked utterly confused.
“What does your daughter have to do with my father?”
The old man's eyes became cold.
“Everything."
Suddenly….
BANG!
A sniper round shattered the side mirror of Lucien's car.
Chaos erupted.
“SNIPER!”
Moretti guards pulled weapons.
Romano's soldiers returned fire.
The night exploded into bullets.
Lucien didn't duck.
He didn't panic.
He simply grabbed Clara by her wrist..
“Move”.
“I can run myself!”
“Then do it."
Another bullet smashed into the ground beside them.
She ran.
Lucien didn't hold her hand.
Didn't carry her.
He simply stays one step ahead.
Always calculating.
Always watching.
Always alive.
Inside the armored SUV…
The doors slammed shut.
Bullets hammered against the vehicle.
Clara struggled to catch her breath.
“What is happening?”
Nobody answered.
Marco spoke into the radio.
“Convoy Alpha moving."
Lucien stared through the bulletproof window.
His phone vibrated.
He answered immediately.
“Speak”.
The caller said in a sentence.
Lucien's eyes darkened.
“When?”
A pause. Then..
“I understand
”.
He ended the call.
Marco looked back.
“What now?”
Lucien spoke calmly.
“Albert Ashcroft has contacted us”.
Clara shot upright.
“My father?”
Lucien nodded once.
“He's alive”.
Her eyes filled with hope.
“Where is he?”.
Lucien looked directly at her.
“He says…”
A bit.
“He won't surrender…unless you come alone”.
- Writer
