Chapter 4 - The Iron Fortress
The Castellano estate was less of a house and more of an old-world fortress built from gray granite and slate. High iron gates, guarded by armed security personnel and infrared camera towers, sealed the perimeter from the surrounding wilderness.
Dante escorted me through a grand foyer lined with oil paintings and marble archways, leading me to a lavish suite on the second floor. A large four-poster bed stood against the far wall, flanked by a roaring stone fireplace and a wide window overlooking the stormy gardens below.
“This room will be your quarters,” Dante said, standing in the doorway. “A physician will be here in the morning to evaluate your health and ensure the baby is progressing normally. Whatever food or medicine you require will be provided immediately.”
“And if I want to leave?” I asked, leaning against the edge of the mahogany desk.
“You won't,” Dante said flatly. “There are forty armed men on these grounds. The gates are locked. If you step outside without an escort, my security team will detain you.”
He turned to leave, but stopped with his hand on the heavy brass door handle.
“Mark knew you were pregnant, didn't he?” Dante asked, looking back over his shoulder.
I blinked, taken aback by the question. “No. I only found out today at the clinic. He disappeared three weeks ago.”
Dante’s eyes hardened into ice. “Then he left you defenseless while he dragged a target onto your back. Remember that, Eliza, when you lie awake tonight wondering if he is coming back to save you.”
The door closed with a heavy click, and I heard the turn of a brass key in the lock.
I collapsed onto the plush velvet sofa in front of the fireplace, wrapping my arms around my chest as tears of exhaustion and anger finally spilled down my cheeks.
Mark hadn't been kidnapped. He hadn't been hit by a car or lost in a tragic accident. He had abandoned me, lied to me for months, and stolen millions from a dangerous mob boss, leaving me behind as collateral damage for his ruthless enemies to hunt down.
May you like
I pressed my hand against my stomach, feeling the tiny, silent life inside me.
“It’s just you and me now,” I whispered into the quiet, firelit room. “I won't let them hurt you. I promise.”
