Chapter 5 - A Bullet in the Garden
They reached the nursery in a breathless rush.
Mrs. Gable was kneeling by the shattered bay window, pulling a terrified Maisie and Rosie away from the glass. Jagged shards of diamond-patterned windowpane littered the white rug, sparkling wickedly in the afternoon light.
Embedded deep in the heavy oak door frame on the opposite side of the nursery was a sleek, silver-jacketed rifle bullet.
"Get down!" Vincent roared, drawing his weapon instantly and positioning himself defensively in front of Mrs. Gable and the twins. His eyes darted to the shattered window, scanning the sprawling gardens and the dense line of pine trees bordering the estate perimeter.
"Vance!" Vincent yelled into the collar microphone of his shirt. "Code Red! Sniper on the north perimeter! Seal the estate gates now!"
“Moving, Boss,” Vance’s voice crackled back instantly through the static. “Enforcers are sweeping the tree line.”
Elise dropped to her knees beside Mrs. Gable, wrapping her arms around the trembling twins, pulling their heads down against her chest to shield them from flying glass or stray rounds. Rosie was sobbing hysterically, burying her face in Elise’s neck.
"You're safe," Elise whispered fiercely, rocking the little girl back and forth, her own heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped animal. "I've got you. Look at me, Maisie. Look at my eyes. You're safe."
Vincent stood like a statue of dark vengeance near the ruined window, his gun raised, scanning the horizon for any movement. The terrifying aura of a crime lord was back in full force, but underneath the cold calculation, Elise could see the vein throbbing violently at his temple.
An assassination attempt. Not just on him—on them. On his children’s nursery.
Ten minutes later, the estate was locked down tighter than a maximum-security prison. Armed enforcers in tactical gear patrolled every hallway and courtyard. Vance entered the nursery, his face grim and shadowed.
"Perimeter was clean by the time we hit the tree line, Boss," Vance reported, keeping his voice low as he stepped around the glass on the floor. "Professional rig. Long-range sniper, suppressed. They weren't looking for a kill shot today—it was a message."
Vincent lowered his weapon slowly, sliding it back into his shoulder holster. His face was carved from ice. A message from a rival syndicate testing his new vulnerability.
"Find out who authorized the drop," Vincent ordered, his voice dangerously quiet. "I want every warehouse, every shipping manifest, and every associate in Queens turned inside out by midnight. If they breathe, I want to know who gave them the oxygen."
"Consider it done," Vance said, casting a brief, assessing glance at Elise, who was still holding the calming twins on the sofa. He nodded once and withdrew.
Vincent turned around, walking slowly across the ruined rug. He knelt down beside Elise and the girls.
Maisie sniffled, looking up at her father with wide, frightened eyes. "Daddy... is a bad man coming?"
Vincent reached out, his large, calloused hand gently stroking his daughter’s hair. For a man who ruled an empire built on fear, his touch was impossibly tender.
"No, sweetheart," Vincent said, his voice steady and absolute. "No one is ever going to hurt you. I promise you that."
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He lifted his dark gaze, locking eyes with Elise over the heads of the children. There were no words exchanged, but the message passed silently between them: This house is no longer safe.
And yet, as Elise looked into his fierce, protective eyes, she knew with terrifying certainty that she wasn't going anywhere.
