Chapter 3 - The Broken Beast
"Jesus Christ..." one of the lieutenants whispered in the background, entirely paralyzed by the impossible scene unfolding in front of them.
Dante didn't scold his men for breaking protocol. He couldn't speak. He stared at his highly trained guard dog, who was currently letting a five-year-old girl gently stroke his ears.
Sophie pulled back slightly, looking directly into the Doberman’s dark eyes.
"He's really sad," Sophie stated softly, her voice carrying a profound, innocent wisdom. "He misses somebody."
Dante stopped breathing. The air in his lungs violently turned to absolute ice.
The little girl was entirely correct. Bruno wasn't just a guard dog. He had originally belonged to Dante’s younger brother, Leo. Leo had been brutally murdered by a rival cartel six months ago. Ever since that horrific night, Bruno had refused to let anyone touch him. He had become violent, aggressive, and completely broken by grief, waiting for a master who was never coming home.
Dante slowly raised a hand, a silent, authoritative command to his armed men in the shadows.
"Stand down," Dante ordered quietly, his voice hollow with raw emotion.
He looked gently at the brave little girl in the red dress.
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"His name is Bruno," Dante whispered softly.
👉 What cruel, arrogant figure is about to shatter the peaceful moment in the study?
