Chapter 6 - The Edge of the Blade
Barrett stared down the barrel of the gun, his chest heaving, every drop of color vanished from his face.
"Boss... please," Barrett whispered, his voice cracking with raw terror. "Twenty years. I've given you twenty years of loyalty—"
"Loyalty isn't something you claim, Barrett," Kendrick said coldly, his finger resting lightly on the trigger. "It's something you demonstrate. And sneaking into my daughter's hallway in the middle of the night to terrorize her nanny isn't a demonstration of loyalty. It's a sign of a traitor who thinks my household is weak."
Willa stepped forward instinctively, touching Kendrick’s arm. "Mr. Ashford... don't. Not here. Not in front of Penny."
Kendrick paused. He glanced down at Willa, her fingers resting lightly on his forearm. For a fraction of a second, the lethal tension in his posture softened. Then, he slowly lowered the gun, though he kept his eyes locked on the groveling lieutenant.
"You're lucky the girl has more mercy than you deserve," Kendrick muttered. He turned to two armed guards who had just sprinted up the service stairs, drawn by the commotion. "Take him down to the sub-level holding cells. Strip his rank, strip his accounts, and lock him in solitary until morning. If I see his face on this floor again, feed him to the river."
"Yes, Boss!" the guards barked, hauling Barrett up by his arms and dragging him screaming down the hallway.
As the commotion faded into the distance, Kendrick turned back to Willa. He lowered the gun to his side, his gaze searching her face.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice unexpectedly gentle.
Willa shook her head, pulling her hands back. "I'm fine. Thank you."
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Kendrick then looked down. Penny was still clinging to the hem of Willa’s skirt, her small face solemn and quiet. Without a word, Kendrick knelt down, scooped his daughter up into his arms, and cradled her against his chest. Penny rested her head on her father’s shoulder, finally closing her eyes.
"Go back to bed, Willa," Kendrick said quietly, turning toward the master suite. "Tomorrow, your real life in this house begins. And let me assure you... nobody will ever touch you here again."
