Chapter 3 - The Bloodline War
The Rossi mansion was placed on red alert.
For the next three days, the estate became a gilded prison. Vincent deployed over two hundred heavily armed guards around the perimeter. Infrared cameras, motion sensors, and snipers lined the stone walls.
Inside, the triplets were adjusting in the way only children could. Vincent had transformed an entire wing of the mansion into a wonderland of toys, clothes, and sweets. Yet, they refused to speak to him. Whenever he entered the room, they would hide behind Elena.
It broke something inside Vincent’s hardened heart. He could command armies, but he couldn't win the trust of his own blood.
On the fourth night, Vincent was in his study, staring at a massive chalkboard filled with names, dates, and bank accounts, trying to trace the origin of the Consortium coin.
The door opened softly. It was Elena. She had swapped her sundress for a silk robe he had provided, looking like the ghost of his past.
"They're asleep," she said quietly, walking over to the bar and pouring herself a shot of vodka. She swallowed it in one gulp. "They asked about you today."
Vincent looked up, a spark of hope in his eyes. "What did they say?"
"Maya asked if you were a superhero because you have so many men guarding the castle," Elena smiled faintly, though it was filled with sorrow. "Lily asked if you were a pirate because of the tattoo."
Vincent looked down at his left arm, tracing the jagged black lines of the broken compass. "And what did you tell them?"
"I told them you were a man who lost his way a long time ago," she replied, stepping closer to his desk. She looked at the chalkboard. "You're fighting a losing battle, Vincent. The Consortium isn't just one family. It’s an alliance of the world’s oldest billionaires. They own judges, presidents, and generals. You cannot shoot your way out of this."
"I am the head of the Rossi family," Vincent said, his voice deep and absolute. "No one dictates terms to me. Especially not concerning my daughters."
Suddenly, the mansion's lights flickered.
Then, they went completely out.
The red emergency backup lights kicked in, casting a bloody glow across the room. Simultaneously, the blaring shriek of the security sirens pierced the air.
Rat-tat-tat-tat!
The distinct sound of automatic gunfire erupted from the front lawn.
Vincent reacted instantly. He drew his custom chrome .45 caliber pistol from his waistband, grabbed Elena by the arm, and pulled her behind his heavy oak desk.
"Marcus!" Vincent shouted into his earpiece. "Report!"
Static crackled, followed by the sound of screaming and gunfire. "Boss! We’re under attack! They bypassed the grid! They’re inside the house—they're targeting the east wing!"
The east wing. Where the triplets were.
Elena screamed, trying to break from Vincent’s grip. "My babies! Vincent, let me go!"
"Stay behind me!" Vincent roared.
They ran out of the study and sprinted down the long, cavernous hallways. The air was already thick with smoke and the metallic smell of blood. Vincent shot two masked men dressed in advanced tactical gear who rounded the corner, dropping them instantly.
When they reached the girls' playroom, the door had been blown off its hinges.
Inside, two intruders were lifting the crying triplets into large duffel bags.
Vincent didn't hesitate. He fired three precise shots. The first two intruders dropped dead. But a third man, hiding behind the doorway, slammed a heavy rifle stock into the side of Vincent’s head.
Vincent crashed to the floor, his vision blurring, blood pouring from a gash on his temple. Through the haze, he saw the attacker grab Lily.
Elena threw herself onto the man's back, biting and scratching like a wild animal. "Let her go! Take me instead!"
The man brutally threw Elena off, sending her crashing into a glass cabinet. He raised his weapon to execute her.
"No!" Vincent screamed, forcing his body up and tackling the man out the third-story window.
They crashed through the glass, falling down into the swimming pool below. The impact stunned the attacker, and Vincent, fueled by pure, unadulterated rage, held the man underwater until the bubbles stopped rising.
When Vincent dragged himself out of the pool and ran back upstairs, the mansion was dead silent.
The attackers were gone. The remaining guards were securing the bodies.
Vincent rushed into the room. Elena was cradling Chloe and Maya, sobbing hysterically.
The third bed was empty.
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Lily was gone.
HOOK FOR FACEBOOK: They took his youngest daughter. Now, the Billionaire Mafia King is letting the monster out of its cage. Blood will flow... Read Chapter 4 now!
