Chapter 30: The Price of Power

The night air was thick with the scent of smoke and adrenaline. Ethan's convoy moved through the city like a storm retreating after devastation, but the war was far from over. The club was just the beginning—a single strike meant to shake the foundations of Cavalli's empire. But Ethan knew men like Cavalli didn't break with one blow. They fought back. Hard.

Inside the penthouse, the city stretched beneath him, glittering and oblivious. The skyline was his in every way that mattered. But power came with a price, and tonight, that price was written in blood.

Dominic tossed his jacket onto the couch, rolling his shoulders as he sat. "He'll make a move before the night's over."

Ethan already knew that. He could feel it in the air, the way the city seemed to hold its breath, waiting. "Let him."

Seraphina leaned against the bar, swirling a glass of wine between her fingers. "You're enjoying this," she mused.

Ethan didn't answer. He didn't need to.

The phone on the table vibrated. One message. No name. Just three words.

You started this.

A slow smirk curved Ethan's lips.

Cavalli was angry. Good.

But before Ethan could savor the moment, another phone rang—Dominic's burner. He answered, listened for exactly five seconds, then cursed under his breath.

"They hit one of our warehouses. Set it on fire. Three men inside."

Ethan's jaw clenched, the smirk vanishing. He took the phone from Dominic's hand, his voice a blade. "Who?"

The voice on the other end was unsteady. "Masked men. But we know who sent them."

Cavalli wasn't waiting. He had countered before Ethan had even finished his drink.

The room went silent for a beat. Then Ethan chuckled, low and dark. "He's learning."

Seraphina's gaze sharpened. "And what's the lesson you're going to teach him?"

Ethan picked up his jacket, adjusting the cuffs as he headed for the door. "That there's no mercy in this game."

They moved fast, reaching the burning warehouse in minutes. Flames licked at the sky, casting an eerie glow over the streets. Firefighters worked to contain the damage, but Ethan wasn't looking at the fire. He was looking at the shadows lurking nearby—Cavalli's men, watching.

Dominic spotted them too. "They want us to know they did this."

Ethan stepped forward, his presence enough to make the men shift uneasily. He wasn't here to talk. He was here to send a message.

A single nod to Dominic. The gunshot was quick, silencing the night for a split second. One of Cavalli's men dropped, a warning written in blood. The others scrambled, running before they became the next example.

Seraphina exhaled, stepping beside Ethan. "This war isn't going to stop."

Ethan didn't blink. "I don't need it to stop."

He just needed to win.