Chapter 3 - The King’s Protection
The massive iron gates of the Torino estate swung open as the black sedan pulled into the driveway.
The morning sun was just beginning to rise, casting long, golden shadows across the immaculate lawns.
Isabella pressed her small face against the tinted window, her brown eyes wide with absolute wonder.
She had never seen the front of the mansion in the daylight.
Carmen sat rigidly beside her, clutching a single duffel bag that contained their entire lives.
Vincent parked the car near the grand entrance, stepping out before his guards could even rush to open his door.
Marco, his trusted underboss, walked down the marble steps with a deep frown on his face.
"Boss, you have been gone all night," Marco said, his eyes darting toward the passenger doors.
"Who is in the car?"
Vincent walked around the vehicle and opened the back door himself.
He offered his large, scarred hand to little Isabella.
The guards stood in stunned silence as the feared head of the Torino family gently helped a young child out of the car.
Carmen followed closely, keeping her head bowed submissively.
"Marco, this is Carmen and her daughter, Isabella," Vincent announced to his men.
"From this moment on, they are under my personal protection."
"They will stay in the east wing guest suites."
Marco’s jaw tightened, clearly unhappy with this sudden and bizarre development.
"With all due respect, Boss, a maid and her kid don't belong in the VIP wing," Marco warned cautiously.
Vincent turned his head slowly, locking eyes with his second-in-command.
"Do you question my orders in my own house, Marco?" Vincent asked softly.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
"No, Boss," Marco conceded, taking a respectful step back.
"Good," Vincent replied, turning his attention back to the terrified mother and daughter.
He led them through the grand double doors, into the magnificent foyer bathed in morning light.
Isabella looked up at the crystal chandelier, completely mesmerized by the sparkling glass.
"Are we really going to live here, Mama?" Isabella whispered loudly enough for Vincent to hear.
Carmen hushed her quickly, terrified of angering the unpredictable mafia boss.
Vincent stopped and knelt down so he was eye-level with the little girl.
"You will live here as long as you want," Vincent promised her.
"And you will never, ever have to hide in a pantry to eat again."
Isabella smiled, a genuine, heartbreakingly beautiful smile that reached her bright brown eyes.
For the first time in his ruthless life, Vincent felt a strange, warm flutter in his chest.
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He realized he was no longer just a king defending an empire of blood and money.
He was a protector, and he would burn the city to the ground to keep this little girl safe.
