Chapter 9 - THE WAR BEGINS
For the next four days, the mountain fortress became the nerve center of a silent, brutal gang war.
Carmine barely slept, sitting at the long wooden table issuing orders to hit squads across the city.
Warehouse after warehouse belonging to the Moretti crime family was raided, burned, or seized.
News reports on the television blared constantly about mysterious fires and gangland shootings across Boise.
I stayed by Carmine's side, bringing him coffee, changing his bandages when he returned from late-night meetings, and holding his hand when he was exhausted.
The line between boss and maid, protector and protected, had completely dissolved into something intense and unbreakable.
One night, as the fire crackled in the hearth, Carmine rested his head on my lap while I ran my fingers through his dark hair.
"When this is over, Ivy, I will give you a normal life," he whispered, his eyes closed in rare peace. "You can leave."
I paused, looking down at his sharp jawline and the faint scars on his skin.
"What if I don't want a normal life anymore?" I asked quietly.
Carmine opened his dark eyes, staring up at me with an intensity that made my heart leap.
"This world is dark, Ivy," he warned softly.
May you like
"It was dark when I was cleaning floors for monster men like Rocco," I replied. "With you, at least I can breathe."
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