Chapter 9 - The Accusation
The heavy oak door of Emily’s suite burst open without warning.
Two armed guards strode in, their faces grim. "Miss Parker. The boss wants to see you in the bunker immediately."
Emily, who had been sitting awake on the edge of the bed staring out at the stormy ocean, stood up defensively. "It's three in the morning! Tell him I'm not going anywhere."
"You don't have a choice," one of the guards said, stepping forward to grab her arm.
Before his fingers could graze her skin, Brutus launched himself off the floor. He didn't bark; he simply slammed his massive body between the guard and Emily, his teeth inches from the man's throat, rumbling with a sound that promised instant death. The guard froze, breaking out in a cold sweat, slowly raising his hands.
"Stop! Brutus, heel!" Emily commanded, grabbing the thick leather collar. The dog reluctantly backed down, though his eyes never left the guards.
"Fine," Emily said, her chin held high as anger surged through her veins to replace her fear. "I'll go. But if your boss thinks he can bully me like one of his criminals, he's gravely mistaken."
When she was marched into the subterranean briefing room, the sight waiting for her made her blood run cold. Dante stood at the head of the digital table, his face carved from ice, surrounded by his capos. Marcus stood nearby with a smug, self-righteous expression, while Elena watched from the shadows with a triumphant smirk.
"You wanted to see me?" Emily demanded, stepping into the center of the room. Brutus marched closely beside her, his presence a living wall of intimidation.
Dante looked up, his pale eyes cutting into her like surgical knives. "The shipment coming in tonight at the docks was ambushed by local police. Someone leaked the exact manifest and coordinates."
"And?" Emily asked, crossing her arms defensively. "What does that have to do with me?"
"You had access to the secure network in your suite," Marcus chimed in smoothly, stepping forward. "An outsider, brought in under mysterious circumstances, with no background check, no loyalty to the family, and a sudden, uncanny ability to control our most lethal enforcer. It adds up, Boss."
Emily stared at Marcus, then turned her gaze slowly to Dante. The betrayal sting hit her hard, sharp and hot in her chest.
"You think I'm a spy?" Emily whispered, her voice trembling slightly with suppressed rage. "You think I tipped off the police?"
Dante didn't answer immediately. He walked slowly around the table, stopping just a foot away from her. He looked down into her eyes, searching for any sign of guilt, hesitation, or fear.
"Give me a reason to believe otherwise," Dante said, his voice dangerously low. "In my world, trust isn't given. It's proven in blood. And right now, all the evidence points to you."
"Evidence?" Emily laughed bitterly, tears of frustration finally pricking the corners of her eyes. "I didn't even know what a syndicate was three days ago! I run a broken-down pet shop in a forgotten district! If I wanted to betray you, I wouldn't even know who to call!"
"Then how did you tame Brutus?" Dante pressed, his hand gripping her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "How did a terrified stray walk through a glass window straight onto your floor out of all the shops in Port Aurelia? Answer me that, Emily."
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Before Emily could speak, a sudden commotion echoed from the security corridor outside.
"Boss! We have a breach!" a frantic guard shouted, bursting into the room. "A rival faction just hit the western perimeter! They're blowing the gates!"
