Chapter 6 - The Gilded Cage
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The drive to the Hamptons was a blur of rain, darkness, and suffocating silence. Lena sat in the back of the armored SUV, flanked by heavily armed guards, while Victor worked quietly on a glowing tablet in the front seat.
When they finally passed through the towering wrought-iron gates of the Romano estate, Lena’s breath caught in her throat.
It wasn't just a house. It was a sprawling, stone fortress situated on an isolated cliff overlooking the raging Atlantic Ocean. Security cameras watched every angle. Men in dark coats patrolled the perimeter with high-powered rifles.
"Welcome to the compound," Victor said as the SUV rolled to a stop beneath a massive portico.
He stepped out and personally opened her door. The cold ocean wind bit through her thin caterer’s uniform, making her shiver violently. Without a word, Victor stripped off his expensive suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders. The residual heat from his body and the scent of his cologne enveloped her.
"Thank you," she whispered, pulling the heavy fabric tighter.
He didn't respond, merely placing a hand on the small of her back to guide her inside.
The interior of the mansion was breathtakingly opulent, yet remarkably cold. Vaulted ceilings, dark mahogany floors, and minimalist modern art. It lacked the warmth of a home. It felt exactly like what it was: a beautiful, heavily guarded prison.
An older woman in a severe gray dress met them in the foyer.
"Maria, take Miss Hart to the East Wing guest suite," Victor ordered. "Provide her with whatever clothing and necessities she requires. No one is to enter her wing without my explicit permission."
"Yes, Mr. Romano," Maria nodded respectfully.
"Victor," Lena said, stopping him before he could walk away into the depths of the house.
He turned back, his dark eyes unreadable.
"How long do I have to stay here?" she asked, the reality of her captivity finally sinking in.
"Until the threat is neutralized," Victor replied flatly.
"And how long will that take?"
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"As long as it takes me to find out exactly who paid Leon to poison me," Victor said, his voice dropping into a lethal, terrifying register. "Get some sleep, Lena. Tomorrow, your new life begins."
He walked away, disappearing into the shadows of a long corridor. Lena followed the housekeeper up the grand, sweeping staircase, feeling smaller and more trapped than she ever had in her life. She had saved a king, and in return, he had locked her in his highest tower.
