Chapter 3 - The Unbelievable Proposal
Two days passed before Orion was strong enough to stand on his own four paws. During that time, the clinic remained under heavy guard. Unmarked black sedans sat parked along the snowy tree line, and men in dark suits watched every shadow outside the windows. Iris continued her treatments, refusing to be intimidated by the silent army camped in her parking lot.
On the third evening, as the sun dipped below the frozen horizon and painted the snow in shades of bruised purple and gold, Enzo Valenti asked her to sit down across from his makeshift desk in the recovery room.
"You cannot stay here, Dr. Cantrell," Enzo began without preamble, pouring two cups of black coffee from a thermos he had brought himself. He pushed one toward her across the metal examination table.
Iris didn't touch the cup. "This is my clinic. My home is upstairs. I'm not going anywhere."
"Dante knows you saw the way he reacted to Orion," Enzo said, his voice entirely calm, which made it all the more chilling. "He knows you suspect him. In my line of work, loose ends are tied up swiftly. Even if I protect you while you are within these four walls, you cannot live locked inside a veterinary clinic forever. The moment you step out to buy groceries or check a cow in a pasture, you become a target."
"So you're threatening me?" Iris asked, narrowing her eyes.
"I am offering you a choice," Enzo corrected gently. "My offer comes with a proposal you may find... unconventional."
Iris leaned back, crossing her arms. "I'm listening."
"Come with us," Enzo said plainly. "Move your practice, your equipment, your life, into the fortified compound in Chestnut Hill. We have an entire wing currently unoccupied, easily converted into a state-of-the-art veterinary facility for animals that require absolute discretion. You will have unlimited funding, absolute security, and a permanent home for Orion, who will never be safe as long as Dante walks free."
Iris stared at him as if he had lost his mind. "You want me to move into a mafia fortress? Are you out of your absolute mind, Mr. Valenti? I'm a licensed veterinarian, not a mob doctor!"
"You are a healer who refused to back down to a room full of armed men because an innocent animal needed you," Enzo countered, his gaze locking onto hers with unwavering intensity. "My world is treacherous, Dr. Cantrell, but we honor debts. You saved the most precious remaining piece of my family's soul. In exchange, I will ensure that no harm ever touches you, your clinic, or your future. Think about it carefully. Because Dante is already making his moves, and the next storm coming to this county won't be made of snow."
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Before Iris could formulate a scathing refusal, a violent crash echoed from the front lobby. The sound of splintering wood and shattering glass broke the quiet evening, followed by the sharp, undeniable pop of a silenced gunshot.
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