The Shadow Gate

Roman stood in the upper hallway of his sister’s house, breathing heavily, the raw fury in his chest giving way to a sickening, hollow realization.

He looked past Elena toward the guest room at the end of the hall, where a faint nightlight glowed beneath the door.

He could hear the soft, rhythmic murmur of a mother shushing a restless infant.

He took a step forward.

Elena immediately blocked his path, her hand dropping to the pocket of her robe where he knew she carried a snub-nosed revolver.

“Take one more step toward that door, Roman, and I will call the federal prosecutor who has been waiting three years for me to hand over your logistics hard drives,” Elena warned softly. “Choose wisely.”

Roman stopped.

He realized she wasn't bluffing.

For the first time, his intimidation tactics were useless because his opponent held something he valued infinitely more than his empire.

He looked at his sister, his jaw working tightly.

“Tell her... tell her I just want to see if the baby is okay,” Roman muttered, the words tasting like ash.

“You had your chance at nine o’clock tonight,” Elena said coldly. “Now get out of my house.”