Chapter 1 - The Instinct of a Beast
The heavy courtyard silence following Bruno’s low, rumbling growl was more suffocating than the freezing winter air.
I stood near the stone archway of the estate, my tailored coat draped over my shoulders, watching the standoff unfold. Behind me, four armed men went entirely rigid.
The guard standing ten feet from Emma was Viktor.
Viktor had been with my syndicate for six years. He was a veteran of the eastern European conflicts, a silent, methodical man who handled money logistics, guard rotations, and payroll distribution for my inner circle. I had trusted him with keys to my private office. I had trusted him with my life during a ambush in New Jersey two years ago.
Yet Bruno, my 158-pound Cane Corso who had never once growled at a member of my household staff, stood between Viktor and three-year-old Emma, his dark lips curled back to reveal gleaming white fangs.
“Mr. Moretti,” Viktor said smoothly, taking a slow half-step backward, raising both of his gloved hands in a peaceful gesture. “The dog is unstable. The handler was right—his temper is slipping. He needs to be put down before he hurts the child.”
Emma sat on the stone steps behind Bruno, holding her cream teddy bear tightly against her chest, her big brown eyes moving between the massive dog and Viktor.
“Bruno isn't mad,” Emma said quietly, her small voice cutting through the tense air. “He’s telling the bad man to stay away.”
Viktor’s left eye twitched for a fraction of a second.
I walked forward slowly, my leather shoes crunching on the thin layer of fresh snow covering the courtyard stones. My hand rested inside my coat pocket over the grip of my custom firearm.
“Viktor,” I said, my voice flat, low, and smooth as ice. “Why were you approaching the child?”
“I was bringing her mother’s daily schedule from the main kitchen, sir,” Viktor answered instantly, pulling a folded piece of paper from his coat pocket. “I saw her sitting outside alone in the cold.”
“Sophia is inside the laundry room,” I noted, stopping five feet from Bruno. “She never leaves Emma unattended. Where is Sophia?”
Viktor hesitated for a microsecond. “I believe she was called to the east wing by the head housekeeper, Mr. Moretti.”
My mind instantly clicked through the security protocols of my estate. The head housekeeper was currently on leave in Florida. Sophia knew that better than anyone.
Bruno raised his broad head, letting out another deep, vibrating bark that rattled the glass panes of the surrounding windows. He didn't look at me. His entire focus remained locked onto Viktor’s midsection.
“Marco,” I called out quietly to my second-in-command, who stood near the main doors.
“Yes, Boss?”
“Take Emma and Sophia inside,” I commanded, keeping my eyes fixed on Viktor. “Lock the east wing doors.”
Marco moved quickly, stepping around the perimeter to gather Emma into his arms. The little girl didn't fight him, but as she was carried away, she reached out her small hand toward the dog.
“Thank you, Bruno,” she whispered.
May you like
The moment the child disappeared behind the heavy mahogany doors, Bruno’s posture changed. He didn't relax, but he dropped his chest lower, his front paws planted firmly on the wet stone, ready to spring.
“Viktor,” I said softly, taking my hand out of my pocket. “Unbutton your coat.”
