Chapter 1 - The Stolen Breath
Hunter ignored the overwhelming terror in her chest as she held the fragile mafia heir. The little boy felt incredibly cold against her warm skin. She gently guided the starving infant closer, praying that her maternal instinct was right. For a terrible, agonizing moment, Leo remained perfectly still. The heavy silence of the nursery pressed down on her like a physical weight. Then, a miracle unfolded in the dark room. The baby opened his tiny mouth and took a weak, desperate swallow. Hunter let out a choked sob as he pulled again, this time with frantic, desperate strength. The heart monitor beside the crib immediately began to speed up into a healthy, steady rhythm. She closed her eyes and hummed a soft lullaby, rocking the child who was unknowingly saving her broken heart. The sharp click of a weapon safety being disengaged echoed behind her. The cold, unmistakable metal barrel of a gun pressed firmly against the back of her head. "Put my son down before I blow your brains all over the wall," Lorenzo Rossi whispered with lethal calm. Hunter froze instantly, terrified to move a single muscle as the mafia boss stepped closer. The sleeping night nurse suddenly woke up from her drunken stupor and gasped in fake horror. "Mr. Rossi, thank God you are here!" the nurse screamed in a panic. "This crazy maid sneaked in and was trying to smother your poor baby!" she lied smoothly. Lorenzo pushed the gun harder against Hunter's skull, his finger tightening on the trigger. Hunter squeezed her eyes shut, preparing to die for a child that was not even hers. Suddenly, a loud, healthy gulping sound broke the tension in the room. Lorenzo glanced down at the baby in the young maid's arms. His ruthless eyes widened in absolute shock as he realized what was truly happening. Little Leo was actively eating for the first time in two weeks. The infant's tiny hands were clutching the dark fabric of Hunter's maid uniform. Color was miraculously returning to the baby's pale, translucent cheeks. Lorenzo slowly lowered his weapon, his mind struggling to process the impossible sight. Before he could speak, the heavy nursery door burst open. Four armed guards rushed into the room with their assault rifles raised. "Boss, we have a massive security breach on the property," the lead guard shouted. "Someone just cut the power to the entire eastern wing of the estate." The lights in the nursery suddenly flickered and died, plunging them into pitch blackness. The only illumination came from the glowing green line of the baby's heart monitor. Hunter held Leo tighter against her chest, terrified of the violent men surrounding her. Lorenzo grabbed her by the arm with a grip made of iron. "If you drop my son, you will not live to see the sunrise," Lorenzo growled into her ear.
