CHAPTER FIVE
1232 Words
Kael watched as the car rolled through the iron gates of the Castellano estate. They had barely returned from the ambush before the entire household had gone into lockdown. Guards had doubled around the perimeter, weapons had been checked, vehicles searched, and every entrance monitored.
Yet somehow, only a few hours later, the estate looked almost normal. Kael knew better. Places like this never truly relaxed, not when blood had already been spilled at their gates.
“Dante, Mr. Castellano wants to see you.”
Kael's gaze sharpened.
The moment they entered the mansion, his instincts took over. His eyes moved constantly, memorizing the layout automatically. It was a habit he'd developed while growing up.
Clark led him deeper into the mansion. They passed several rooms before stopping in front of a pair of massive wooden doors guarded by two heavily armed men. Clark opened one of the doors and they both stepped inside.
Behind a massive wooden desk sat Rafael Castellano.
Kael had seen that face countless times, he knew his history, his alliances, his enemies, and the blood that stained the Castellano name. This was the man who had spent years fighting and had sworn to destroy the De Laurentises.
And now Kael stood directly in front of him. Rafael lifted his eyes slowly.
“So, you're Dante Kings.”
“Yes, sir.”
Rafael leaned back in his chair, studying him.
“I heard you protected my daughter today. Thank you.”
“There is no need to thank me,” Kael replied calmly. “I was doing my job.”
A faint smile touched Rafael's lips.
“You don't look like a man who is scared easily.”
“That is one of the basic requirements of being a Castellano sworn man.”
“I don't like weak men around my family. My daughter was impressed with your skills.”
Kael already knew where this conversation was going.
“She wants you as her full-time bodyguard.”
“I appreciate the honour,” Kael replied, “but I believe my other colleagues are capable of protecting her.”
Rafael's eyebrow lifted.
Kael kept his face neutral, he didn't want this. He had come to the Castellano organization to disappear.
He needed time for the heat surrounding him to die down, to also find Gabriel Russo. Time to uncover the truth behind his father's murder. Becoming responsible for one of the most important members of the Castellano family was the exact opposite of keeping a low profile.
Besides, Chris would probably be thrilled to take the position.
Rafael's voice hardened.
“You don't get to choose whom you work with. You already swore allegiance to this family,” Rafael continued. “When you accepted the position, you accepted its responsibilities. You will protect whoever you are assigned to protect.”
Kael's jaw tightened slightly.
“My daughter isn't easy to work with.”
"Neither am I."
Silence settled between them. Rafael stared at Kael who stared back. There was something about the stranger standing before Rafael that he couldn't quite place. The man's posture was too controlled. His eyes were too calculating even his stillness seemed deliberate.
Rafael had seen countless men in his life. Very few carried themselves like Dante Kings before either man could speak again, a deafening sound echoed from the corridor.
Both turned toward the door as heavy footsteps followed. Then a guard came rushing into the office, his face pale.
“Sir!”
Rafael immediately stood.
“What happened?”
“Someone broke into the east wing!”
“How many?”
“We don't know.”
BANG!
A gunshot exploded through the mansion.
Kael immediately grabbed the guard's gun and headed toward the sound of gunfire.
“Dante.”
Rafael's voice followed him.
Another gunshot rang through the hallway. Kael reached the corridor just as an armed man came charging around the corner. Kael fired at the first attacker, then the second. Two more men appeared from the opposite corridor. He dropped them before they could fire. Then footsteps sounded behind him.
He spun around to see Alessia. Their eyes locked. Then Kael noticed the man emerging behind him.
The attacker raised his gun.
BANG!
Alessia shot the man.
Kael looked back at Alessia.
“You're welcome.”
Before he could respond, another gunman appeared around the corner. Kael fired and the man collapsed. Alessia stared at him for half a second before a smirk appeared on her lips.
“Try to keep up.”
She turned and ran down the corridor. Kael almost smiled then he followed.
The mansion erupted into chaos. Gunfire thundered through the corridors as armed men poured into the building. Another attacker dropped.
Kael couldn't help it as the corner of his mouth twitched.
Alessia noticed.
“Did you just smile?”
“No.”
“You did.”
“You're imagining things.”
“No”
They continued moving as they fought side by side. They simply understood each other's movements. Eventually, the gunfire stopped. They turned the corner together. Rafael stood at the end of the hallway, beside him was Michael. Both men looked completely calm.
Kael's eyes narrowed. Alessia looked between them then realization slowly dawned on her face.
“This wasn't an attack.”
Rafael smiled.
“Now you understand.”
“Dad!”
Rafael walked toward them.
“That was excellent.”
He looked at Alessia first then Kael.
“I see why you insisted on him. He's good.”
One of the supposedly dead attackers groaned and sat up. Another removed a bulletproof vest from beneath his shirt before getting to his feet. The rest of the attackers slowly stood and filed out of the hallway. Alessia stared at them in disbelief.
“You've got to be kidding me.”
Rafael chuckled.
“It's a test. But now I know he can actually protect you.”
“You passed, Dante. You're now Alessia's personal bodyguard and you'll be living here.”
Kael's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. Exactly what he hadn't wanted.
“You'll remain with her twenty-four hours a day. If anything happens to her,” Rafael added, his voice turning colder, “you'll answer to me.”
Michael stepped forward.
“He wasn't joking.”
Alessia rolled her eyes.
“That's enough. I am not a child.”
She holstered her weapon.
“I can take care of myself.”
“I know,” Rafael replied.
“Then stop acting like I need someone following me everywhere.”
“You do.”
Alessia glared at him. She sighed heavily before turning toward Kael.
“Come with me to the training room.”
Rafael's eyebrow lifted.
Alessia continued walking.
“We need to train and apparently, I'm stuck with you now.”
He followed Alessia.
Behind them, Rafael watched the two disappear down the corridor. There was something almost amusing about the way his daughter walked ahead while the new bodyguard followed behind her with the expression of a man questioning every decision that had led him to this moment.
Rafael didn't notice the hostile look Michael directed at Kael. Michael wasn't convinced that Dante Kings was merely a skilled bodyguard.
Neither Kael nor Alessia knew it yet, but the greatest danger inside the Castellano estate wasn't the enemy outside its walls.
It was the dangerous pull neither of them could explain.
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