Chapter 37: Anna Collins stepped softly across the polished dining room beneath the warm….
Chapter 37

“You are finished,” Alexander murmured, signaling to his men. “My men will escort you to the holding cells. If you ever attempt to speak my name again, you will not live long enough to see the sunrise.” Marcus and Ethan dragged the broken warlord out of the gallery, hauling him toward the subterranean service exits to avoid the elite guests above. The gallery fell into a heavy, ringing silence. Alexander stood alone for a moment, the violent tension bleeding out of his broad shoulders. He wiped a small drop of blood from his knuckles with a crisp white handkerchief. The heavy wooden doors opened softly, and Anna stepped into the corridor. She looked at the blood on the floor and then at her husband, her beautiful face reflecting absolute calm. Emily was safely secured in the armored SUV with her security detail. “Is the threat contained, Alexander?” she asked, a dark, brilliant smile touching her lips. “The immediate threat is neutralized,” Alexander replied, walking across the room to meet her. He tossed the handkerchief aside, the cold, sociopathic mask melting entirely as he looked at his wife. “The borders are secure. The European syndicate is entirely dismantled.” “You handled them quickly,” Anna noted, reaching out to gently trace the artistic tattoos on his hands. “They were blunt instruments,” Alexander murmured, pulling her securely against his chest. “I will annihilate anyone who attempts to cast a shadow over your light.”