Chapter 6 - The Standoff
Vincent dragged me backward, using my body as a human shield against his own brother.
The backup generator suddenly kicked in, casting the ruined study in a dim, flickering emergency light.
Dominic stood across the room, his gun raised, but his eyes were filled with sheer panic when he saw me held hostage.
"Let her go, Vincent," Dominic warned, his voice dangerously low.
"She is just the housekeeper, she has nothing to do with our business."
Vincent smirked, tightening his grip around my throat until I gasped for air.
"She knows too much now, and her little brat ruined my entire plan," Vincent sneered.
He slowly backed toward the main door, dragging me along the blood-stained carpet.
"Drop the gun, Dominic, or I paint your beautiful rug with her brains," he threatened.
Dominic didn't hesitate for even a fraction of a second.
He tossed his expensive pistol onto the floor, kicking it far away from him.
I stared at him in complete shock, unable to comprehend why a mafia boss would disarm himself for a servant.
Dominic met my terrified gaze, and a silent, intense promise passed between us.
He was not going to let me die tonight.
Vincent laughed triumphantly, pushing the barrel of his gun harder against my head.
"You really have gone completely soft," Vincent mocked his brother.
But Vincent made one fatal mistake in his moment of extreme arrogance.
He completely forgot about the secret compartment built into Dominic's custom desk.
With a speed that defied human logic, Dominic hit a hidden button under the desk's lip.
A sharp steel blade shot out from the panel, flying directly into Vincent's thigh.
Vincent screamed in absolute agony, dropping his gun and releasing his grip on my neck.
I immediately hit the floor, scrambling away as fast as my legs could push me.
Dominic lunged forward like an angry lion, tackling his brother to the ground with devastating force.
The two men fought brutally, throwing heavy punches that echoed terribly through the room.
I grabbed Vincent's dropped gun from the carpet, my hands shaking violently.
I had never held a weapon before, but the thought of my daughter trapped in the basement gave me strength.
"Stop!" I screamed, pointing the heavy gun directly at the two men rolling on the floor.
Dominic managed to pin Vincent down, pressing his forearm against his brother's throat.
He looked up at me, his face bruised and bleeding, breathing heavily.
Suddenly, the security radio on the desk crackled loudly to life.
"Boss, we have a major problem in the underground bunker," Marcus's voice echoed through the static.
May you like
My heart completely stopped.
"The elevator car arrived safely, but Dr. Harris and the children are not inside," Marcus announced.
