Chapter 6 - Into the Fire
The thick white foam slowly began to dissolve against the luxurious carpet.
Damon stood over Trent's unconscious body with his knuckles covered in dark blood.
He had knocked the criminal out cold before the gun could be fired again.
The stray bullet had shattered the massive floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the courtyard.
The two mercenaries were coughing violently, blinded by the chemical suppression foam.
Damon grabbed Naomi's hand, hoisted Zuri onto his strong shoulder, and sprinted into the hallway.
"We have to reach the underground garage before they recover," Damon yelled over the blaring alarms.
They ran down the grand staircase, slipping dangerously on the expensive marble steps.
The entire first floor was swarming with armed men wearing black tactical gear.
Marcus was standing in the center of the foyer, directing the mercenaries like a military general.
"They are on the stairs, take them alive!" Marcus ordered loudly.
Damon pulled Naomi behind a heavy marble pillar just as bullets began chipping away at the stone.
"We are completely trapped," Naomi sobbed, holding her hands over Zuri's ears to block the terrifying noise.
Damon pulled a sleek silver keycard from his pocket and pressed it into Naomi's trembling hand.
"There is a hidden elevator behind the grand piano that leads straight to my private helipad," Damon instructed quickly.
"What about you?" Naomi asked, her heart breaking at the thought of leaving him behind.
"I am going to buy you the time you need to get our daughter to safety," Damon replied softly.
He leaned forward and pressed a gentle, unexpected kiss against Naomi's forehead.
It was a promise of protection that she had never felt from a man in her entire life.
Damon stepped out from behind the pillar and raised his hands in surrender to distract the guards.
Naomi crawled desperately toward the grand piano, swiped the keycard, and pulled Zuri into the hidden elevator.
The doors closed smoothly just as Marcus walked up and pointed his gun at Damon's chest.
"You lose, Ashford," Marcus smiled cruelly.
The heavy front doors of the mansion suddenly burst open, revealing a person Damon thought he would never see again.
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An elegant older woman stepped into the foyer wearing a perfectly tailored black suit.
"You always were too sentimental, Damon," Victoria, Elena's wealthy mother, sighed in disappointment.
