Chapter 7 - Blood Ties
Dante did not even flinch at his brother's desperate threat.
He kept his silver pistol aimed perfectly steady at Marcus's arrogant face.
"You really thought you could hire a street gang to take my throne?" Dante asked with terrifying calmness.
"You were entirely too soft, Dante," Marcus spat aggressively, tightening his painful grip on my throat.
"You let this pathetic family become weak, and I am simply fixing your massive mistakes."
I could barely breathe, but I noticed Marcus's finger slightly trembling on the heavy trigger.
He was entirely terrified of his older brother, and he was losing his fragile nerve.
"I highly suggest you let Maya go," Dante said smoothly, deliberately using my real name.
Marcus looked deeply confused for a split second, glancing sideways at my face.
"Who the hell is Maya?" Marcus asked in pure confusion.
I used his momentary distraction to stomp my heel violently down onto his expensive leather shoe.
Marcus howled in sudden pain, and his grip on my neck loosened just enough.
I threw my weight forcefully forward and broke completely free from his grasp.
Dante pulled his trigger instantly, firing a single, perfect shot that echoed deafeningly in the tight space.
The bullet struck Marcus directly in his right shoulder, spinning him violently to the stone floor.
His revolver clattered uselessly into the dark corner of the tunnel.
Dante rushed forward and kicked his bleeding brother brutally in the ribs to keep him down.
"We need to get back to Elara right now," Dante ordered, grabbing my trembling hand tightly.
We sprinted back down the long tunnel and burst out through the hidden bookshelf door.
The mansion was eerily quiet now, the heavy gunfire having completely stopped.
We rushed frantically back to the hallway where I had been forcefully separated from the little girl.
Elara was absolutely nowhere to be found.
Dante let out a horrifying roar of pure anguish that shook the very walls.
I looked down at the carpet and spotted a small, folded piece of white paper resting exactly where Elara had fallen.
May you like
I picked it up with shaking hands and read the messy handwriting aloud.
"If you want the girl back, come to the old shipping yards alone.—Chloe."
