Chapter 1 - The Hollow Core
The polished Italian marble of the estate kitchen gleamed beneath the glare of crystal chandeliers, yet the room felt frozen in a suffocating silence. Val stood rigid, his tailored black suit casting a long shadow across the pristine floor. His gaze remained locked on the surgical tray where the bloody slug rested. Beside him, his two lieutenants—Marco and Silas—did not dare flinch. On the island, young Mia swung her uninjured leg slowly, clinging to a worn stuffed bear while Sarah, the governess, adjusted the sterile bandage wrap.
Sarah peeled off her latex gloves with a sharp snap. Her pulse raced, but her expression remained practiced, mask-like, honed by years of surviving inside the brutal fortress of Valerio “Val” Moretti. “A 9mm hollow point, hollow-milled core with micro-serrations,” she whispered without looking up. “The exact custom rounds issued exclusively to your inner circle.”
Val leaned down slowly. His broad palm enveloped the rim of the counter, the leather of his jacket groaning under the strain of his tightening grip. “Say it again.”
“Someone tried to kill her from inside this house,” Sarah replied, her voice trembling slightly. “They didn't miss by accident. Mia moved because she dropped her ribbon.”
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Val straightened to his full, towering height. His jaw hardened into pure stone, veins corded across his tattooed neck like iron wire. He turned slowly toward Marco and Silas, the silence stretching so taut it threatened to snap. “Lock down the gates,” Val commanded, his whisper deadlier than a roar. “No one leaves. If a bird flies over the perimeter walls, shoot it down.”
As Marco hurried toward the security intercom, Sarah noticed a tiny red laser dot drifting silently across the frosted glass behind Val’s head.
