Chapter 8 - The Viper's Strike
Vivian smiled wickedly as they burst into the dark hospital room.
"You really are incredibly predictable, Roman," she purred, aiming her weapon directly at Claire's chest.
"Where is her sister, Vivian?" Roman demanded, keeping his own gun trained firmly on his former fiancée.
"My father orchestrated this entire takeover, Roman, did you really think we would leave anything to chance?"
She stood up slowly, the moonlight reflecting off the diamonds she still wore around her neck.
"Marcus is up on the roof with the crippled girl right now, waiting for my signal."
Roman realized this was a coordinated trap designed to separate him from his loyal men back in New York.
"You are going to drop your weapon, Roman, or I put a bullet in your little maid's heart," Vivian threatened.
Roman hesitated, knowing that dropping his gun would likely mean death for both of them.
Claire did not wait for him to make the impossible decision.
She grabbed the heavy metal oxygen tank resting beside the hospital bed and hurled it directly at Vivian.
The heavy cylinder struck Vivian perfectly in the chest, knocking her violently backward against the wall.
Vivian shrieked in anger and pulled the trigger blindly as she fell.
The gunshot echoed deafeningly in the small room.
Roman grunted in sudden, intense pain as the bullet tore deeply into his left shoulder.
He staggered backward, dropping his weapon as hot blood instantly soaked his white tuxedo shirt.
Claire charged forward with raw, desperate strength and tackled Vivian to the hard linoleum floor.
She punched the wealthy heiress squarely in the jaw, knocking her completely unconscious in a single blow.
Claire scrambled to her feet and rushed over to Roman, applying frantic pressure to his bleeding shoulder.
"I am fine, it went straight through," Roman lied, grimacing as he picked up his gun with his good hand.
"We have to get to the roof right now before Marcus realizes she failed," he gritted out.
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They left Vivian bleeding on the floor and ran toward the emergency roof access stairs.
Roman kicked the heavy metal door open, stepping out into the howling, freezing vortex of the blizzard.
