Blood dripped from the deep slash on his bicep and from his stomach where he had been shot. He had already lost a lot of his men and he was sure he would be losing a lot more. Because of his mindlessness.

If only his second in command was there all this wouldn't have happened because unlike him, he thought with his mind, not with his anger.

His house came into his sight and he sighed in relief just as his phone rang. Somehow dragging himself forward, he took out his phone and saw Hector's name flashing on the caller ID.

"Hector..." He breathed, pressing the phone to his ear.

"Robert. Are you done with the meeting with the Caligos?"

He gritted his teeth remembering how well the meeting went. "I am. Where are you?"

"In your study."

"Wait for me." And he hung up the call and continued to drag himself to his house and as he opened the front door and stepped inside, he fell with exhaustion and loss of blood.

His wife rushed out of the living room. "Oh, God! What happened?!"

Before he could say anything, he slipped into unconsciousness.

The next time he opened his eyes, he found himself in his bedroom, laying on the bed, bandaged, the lights were dim but he could make out Hector's figure as he sat in the corner of the room on a chair, looking after him.

"You messed up, Robert." He spoke slowly on seeing him awake, his sharp steel blue eyes pinning him under his gaze.

Robert groaned as he pushed himself up to a sitting position leaning back against the headboard. "I know."

"It's a war now. You killed Damon Caligo. Why would you do that?" Hector's voice carried a dangerous glint in it, he knew they were all in dangerous waters now.

"He was provoking me and I shot him."

Hector adjusted his spectacles. "He was their leader. You killed him and invited war on your doorstep."

"Damon doesn't have any heir nor does that idiot have any second in command, no one's there to take the reigns now, their mafia will crumble in no time."

Hector fixed him with a cold glare. "It will not before his men avenge their leader's death."

"My family's in danger now. What should we do?"

"Your wife is safe. But your daughter..." He trailed off.

"She isn't someone to listen to me and stay at home for some time. She is the one in danger, there is no doubt they all will target her."

"Then we keep her safe."

"How?"

Hector rose from his seat and buttoned his suit jacket. "You need to rest. Let me worry about that."

Robert nodded and obeyed him cause he always trusted Hector and Hector never failed him and he knew he would come up with something.

And he did the very next day as he stood in front of Robert's bed and ran his fingers through his hair. "We have already lost many men. The Caligos don't know about Farren much, they hardly ever saw her but if we suddenly surround her with a lot of security that will gain her unnecessary attention."

Robert listened to him with attention. "I agree. Then what do you suggest?"

"We get her a personal bodyguard. But...no one will be able to doubt he is there for her security."

"And how do we do that?"

Hector planted his hands on his hips. "By getting her married to him. A husband accompanying her wife to places is never going to raise any suspicion."

In their world, girls weren't allowed to date, they were just supposed to marry the man their father chose for them and Robert liked the idea very much. "For how long will she stay married to him because I already have someone else in mind for her?"

Hector shrugged. "As long as we need her safe after that, they can get divorced."

Robert watched him and rubbed his chin. "I assume you already have someone in mind, do you?"

A slight smirk formed on his face. "My younger brother."

Robert's eyes narrowed. "Wasn't he training abroad?"

"He came back."

Prologue completion on 11/7/22

Scroll down to the next chapter!