Chapter 2 - The Lion's Den
Maeve squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the bullet to end her miserable life.
The sound of the gun being cocked echoed loudly in the massive foyer.
"Put the weapon away, Salvatore," a deep, commanding voice echoed from the shadows.
Maeve opened her eyes and saw a man rolling forward in a sleek black wheelchair.
Elias Marchetti was the most intimidating person she had ever seen.
He wore a tailored dark suit that perfectly matched the cold calculation in his dark eyes.
Salvatore slowly lowered his weapon but kept his eyes locked on Maeve.
"Margaret Ashford claims this is her hidden daughter, sent to take Sienna's place," Salvatore sneered.
Elias rolled his wheelchair closer to Maeve until he was inches away from her trembling legs.
He reached out and gently took her left hand.
Maeve held her breath as his thumb brushed over her skin.
He was looking for the twelve-carat diamond ring that Sienna had abandoned.
Instead, Elias's thumb traced the rough, callused skin on Maeve's palms.
These were the hands of a woman who scrubbed floors for a living, not an heiress who drank champagne.
Elias slowly turned the black onyx ring on his right hand.
"Margaret Ashford is a very bold woman to send a maid into my home," Elias said quietly.
Maeve gasped, realizing her secret had been destroyed in less than a minute.
"I am so sorry," Maeve pleaded as hot tears spilled down her cheeks.
Elias did not look angry at all.
Instead, a dark and dangerous smile slowly spread across his handsome face.
"Do not apologize, little bird," Elias whispered.
He pulled a heavy, leather-bound document from his jacket and dropped it onto the glass table.
"Sienna was a coward, but you are going to sign this marriage contract anyway."
Maeve stared at the papers in utter confusion.
Before she could ask why a mafia boss wanted to marry a maid, the front doors burst open.
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Gabriel Ferraro, the head of security, rushed into the room with blood dripping down his face.
"They just firebombed the south warehouse, boss," Gabriel shouted.
