The Maid’s Toddler Bathed the Mafia Boss’s Feared Dog, but What He Did When She Was Taken Brought His Entire Empire to Its Knees The first scream came from a grown man.

Alessandro’s massive hand squeezed Lorenzo’s throat, cutting off his air completely. Lorenzo’s feet dangled inches off the floor, his hands clawing desperately at Alessandro’s iron grip.

Every instinct in Alessandro’s body screamed at him to crush the man’s windpipe, to snap his neck and let his body tumble down the stairs. It would be so easy. It was what the old Alessandro would have done without a second thought.

But then, through the ringing in his ears, he heard a sound.

It was a soft, painful whimper.

Alessandro tore his gaze away from Lorenzo’s bulging eyes and looked down. Bruno was lying on the marble floor, bleeding heavily from the gunshot wound on his shoulder. The dog was looking up at Alessandro, his yellow eyes dimming, his chest heaving with effort.

The sight of the noble, dying dog broke through the red haze of Alessandro’s fury. He remembered Sophia’s hand on his chest. Finish this cleanly, and come back to us.

If he murdered Lorenzo here, in cold blood, with his bare hands, he would cross a line he could never uncross. He would bring the mafia back into his home. He would taint the sanctuary he had built for his family.

Alessandro’s jaw tightened. With a roar of frustration and absolute control, he violently hurled Lorenzo to the ground.

Lorenzo collapsed, gasping and coughing violently, clutching his bruised throat.

Marco and the private security team burst through the broken front doors seconds later, their weapons trained on the remaining intruders.

"Zip-tie him," Alessandro ordered Marco, his voice cold and perfectly steady. "Hand him over to the federal agents. We have enough evidence of this assault to lock him in a supermax prison for the rest of his miserable life."

Marco nodded, visibly relieved that his boss hadn't crossed the point of no return. He hauled the coughing Lorenzo to his feet and dragged him away.

Alessandro immediately dropped to his knees next to Bruno. The massive dog let out a soft sigh and rested his heavy head on Alessandro’s thigh.

"You did good, old friend," Alessandro whispered, his voice cracking as he pressed his hand against the bleeding wound, trying to staunch the flow. "You held the line."

Sophia cautiously opened the heavy steel door of the panic room, hearing the silence that had fallen over the house. When she saw Alessandro kneeling on the landing, she ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck, sobbing uncontrollably.

Emma ran out right behind her, completely ignoring the broken glass and the chaos. She dropped to her knees beside Bruno, burying her face in his thick, graying fur.

"Bruno! You're hurt!" she cried, her tiny hands hovering over his bandages.

Bruno slowly turned his head and gave her cheek one weak, gentle lick.

"Get Dr. Hale," Alessandro yelled down to one of the security guards. "Now! Tell him to bring the surgical kit here. We aren't moving him."

Sophia looked at Alessandro, her hands tracing the lines of his exhausted, soot-covered face. She saw the restraint in his eyes. She saw the man he had chosen to be.