She walked straight into the deadliest courtyard owned by a notorious mafia boss, where a killer dog had already torn grown men apart. Everyone expected the starving little girl to become Phantom’s next victim—until the beast dropped to his knees at one whispered name, and even Holden Cross, a man feared throughout the underworld, went rigid with shock.

The counter-attack at Cross Manor was short, brutal, and absolute. None of the fifteen Volkov assassins made it off the estate grounds alive.

By 3:00 AM, the rain had turned into a thick, freezing sleet. Holden stood in the courtyard, looking down at the corpse of the mercenary commander. Marcus stepped up, wiping blood off his tactical gloves.

"The perimeter is re-secured," Marcus reported. "Volkov thought he could catch us off guard with an EMP strike. He didn't realize you kept an isolated offline emergency grid."

"He was desperate," Holden said, staring into the dark sky. "He knew once Chloe was in my hands, his time was measured in hours. He tried a hail-mary play, and now he’s out of pieces."

"What are your orders, Don Cross?" Marcus asked, adopting the formal title reserved only for times of total war.

"Call the family lords," Holden ordered. "Tell them the peace treaty with the Volkov Syndicate is void. Any business, any boat, any man carrying the Volkov name in this city is to be put to the sword tonight. And assemble my personal strike squad. We hit the sub pen in one hour."

"What about the girl?"

Holden turned back toward the estate. High up on the second-floor balcony, Chloe was standing wrapped in a blanket, watching him through the reinforced glass. Phantom sat right behind her, his large form a silhouette of absolute protection.

"She stays here under full military guard," Holden said. "Dr. Vale will stay with her."

Holden walked back inside, making his way up to her room before leaving. When he entered, Chloe ran straight toward him, wrapping her tiny arms around his waist. Holden froze for a moment—unaccustomed to touch that wasn't violence—before slowly dropping to his knees and wrapping his arms around his niece.

"You have to go get Mommy now, don't you?" she asked softly, her green eyes looking deep into his.

"Yes," Holden said. "I'm going to bring her home."

Chloe reached into her pocket and pulled out her little silver raven pendant. She placed it into Holden’s large, scarred palm and closed his fingers over it.

"Give this back to her," Chloe whispered. "She told me she left it behind when she was taken so you would know she was still fighting."