Chapter 7 - The Threat from the Past
Not everyone was happy with the new Adrien Romano.
His enemies saw the change as a vulnerability.
A weakness they could exploit.
The Valero family,
longtime rivals of the Romanos,
decided it was time to strike.
They thought a man distracted by a child was a man who wouldn't see a knife coming.
One evening,
as Adrien walked the grounds with Lucia,
a black car slowed down at the gates.
It was a subtle movement,
the kind only a man like Adrien would notice.
He didn't panic.
He didn't run.
He simply picked Lucia up and tucked her against his side.
"Go inside,
Lucia,"
he said,
his voice turning to steel.
"Find Marcus and stay in the safe room."
"Is it a game?"
she asked,
her eyes bright with excitement.
"Yes,"
Adrien said,
forcing a smile.
"A very important game."
"Go."
He watched her run toward the house,
her small legs moving fast.
Once she was inside,
he turned back to the gates.
The car had stopped,
and a man stepped out.
It was Julian Valero,
the youngest and most hot-headed of the clan.
"I heard you were playing house,
Romano,"
Julian called out,
leaning against the car.
"I heard you’ve got a little pet now."
Adrien walked toward the gate,
his hands in his pockets.
"You heard wrong,
Julian,"
Adrien said,
his voice echoing in the twilight.
"I don't have a pet."
"I have a family."
"And if you ever come near my gates again,"
"I will show you exactly why my family has ruled this city for a hundred years."
Julian laughed,
but it was a nervous sound.
He saw the look in Adrien's eyes.
It wasn't the look of a man who had gone soft.
It was the look of a man who had found something worth killing for.
Adrien didn't wait for a reply.
He signaled to the guards hidden in the trees.
In a second,
the Valero car was surrounded by red laser sights.
"Leave,"
Adrien said.
"Now."
Julian scrambled back into the car,
and the vehicle roared away,
leaving a cloud of dust behind.
Adrien stood at the gate for a long time,
watching the road.
He knew this was just the beginning.
He knew he would have to be more ruthless than ever to protect the peace he had found.
But he didn't mind.
May you like
Because for the first time,
the war felt like it was for something real.
