They didn't sell her because she was beautiful. They sold her because she was broken. In their world, a woman’s entire value was measured in the sons she could produce

The peaceful atmosphere in the kitchen shattered in an instant.

Nora’s face drained of color. The spatula slipped from her hand, clattering against the stovetop. "Carmine Romano?" she whispered, horror surging through her veins. "Why is he here?"

Dante’s expression instantly morphed from quiet warmth to absolute, lethal steel. His gray eyes hardened like frost on glass. He stepped away from the counter, pulling a sleek black handgun from his shoulder holster with practiced ease, checking the magazine before slipping it back into place.

"Stay in the kitchen with the kids, Nora," Dante ordered coldly.

"Dante, wait!" Nora cried out, stepping forward and grabbing his sleeve. "Carmine is ruthless. He owns half the dock unions and three security firms. If my father told him about the debt..."

Dante looked down at her small hand gripping his sleeve. His expression softened for a fraction of a second before hardening into iron. "He is in my territory now. He doesn't make the rules here."

He turned to Marcus, who had just rushed into the hallway wearing a tactical vest. "Lock down the house. Escort the children and Nora to the safe room in the west wing."

"No!" Nora said firmly, her voice ringing out through the hall.

Dante stopped, turning to glare at her. "Nora, this is not a discussion."

"Carmine came for me!" Nora insisted, stepping up to him, refusing to cower. "If I hide like a frightened child, he will use it as an excuse to launch a turf war against you! I know how my father and Carmine think. Let me stand beside you."

Dante stared at her, his jaw clenching tightly. He saw no fear in her eyes—only a fierce, stubborn brave resolve that amazed him.

"You stay behind Marcus and me," Dante commanded sternly. "If a single shot is fired, you drop to the floor. Understood?"

"Understood," Nora agreed.

Five minutes later, Dante, Nora, and eight heavily armed Vane security guards walked out onto the grand stone courtyard in front of the manor.

Standing near the iron gates were three black SUVs. Richard Hayes stood near the hood of the center vehicle, looking nervous and sweaty. beside him stood Carmine Romano—a burly, sixty-year-old mob boss with a thick gray beard, a scarred cheek, and eyes full of vicious malice.

Carmine sneered as Dante and Nora approached the gate.

"Dante Vane!" Carmine shouted across the iron bars, his voice thick with a thick raspy accent. "You bought damaged goods from a rat!"

Dante stopped ten feet from the gate, his arms crossed, his posture radiating absolute dominance. "You are trespassing on South Side property, Romano. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't have my snipers clear this driveway."

Carmine spat on the gravel. "Richard Hayes owed me three point five million dollars! He promised me his daughter to seal our alliance! You intercepted the deal at the Continental Club behind my back!"

"I cleared his debt in full," Dante stated flatly. "The transaction was finalized with cashier's checks. The paperwork was filed with the syndicate council at midnight. Nora Hayes is legally under the protection of the Vane family."

Richard Hayes stepped forward, raising his hands nervously. "Dante, please! Carmine offered to double the shipping terminal shares if I brought Nora back! The medical report was a mistake! Carmine doesn't care about heirs anymore—he just wants the dock control!"

Nora felt a sickening wave of revulsion wash over her. Her own father was trying to trade her again, undoing the deal simply because Carmine offered a bigger kickback.

Nora stepped out from behind Dante, standing tall beside the mob boss.

"Look at me, Father," Nora called out, her voice cutting through the cold morning air like a silver blade.

Richard flinched, looking at her.

"You sold me like trash because you thought I was useless," Nora said, her eyes flashing with cold disgust. "You took Dante's money. The debt is settled. I am never going back to your house, and I will never let you trade my life again."

Carmine Romano laughed—a dark, wet sound. "Listen to the barren little bitch talk! You think this quiet widower can protect you from the North Side, girl? He's a babysitter with a body count!"

Dante’s eyes narrowed into slit. In a movement so fast it was barely visible, Dante drew his weapon, aimed through the iron gate, and fired a single round.

BANG!

The bullet blew off the side mirror of Carmine's SUV, missing Carmine's ear by less than two inches.

Carmine flinched violently, staggering backward into his guards, who instantly drew their weapons. Dante’s guards racked their rifles in unison, pointing eight red laser sights directly at Carmine's chest.

"The next bullet goes between your eyes, Carmine," Dante said, his voice dropping into a terrifying, icy quiet that silenced the entire courtyard. "Nora Vane is my wife in the eyes of this city. Touch her, speak to her, or step onto my land again, and I will tear down every shipping lane you own and feed your body to the lake."

Carmine stared at Dante, breathing heavily, seeing the absolute, unhinged lethality in Dante's eyes. He knew Dante wasn't bluffing.

"Retreat!" Carmine barked to his men, scrambling back into his SUV.

Richard Hayes stood frozen on the driveway. "Carmine, wait! What about the docks?!"

Carmine shoved Richard into the back seat and slammed the door. The three SUVs reversed frantically down the winding driveway, tires screaming against the gravel, escaping through the main road.

Silence returned to the courtyard.

Nora stood frozen, her heart hammering against her ribs, staring at the empty driveway.