Chapter 6 - THE BREACH
At 1:15 a.m., as the gala was winding down, Julian excused himself to use the VIP lounge upstairs.
He walked down the quiet, carpeted hallway, checking his watch. They had twenty-four hours left on their agreement.
Suddenly, a door to an executive office opened, and a firm hand grabbed Julian by his lapel, dragging him inside!
Julian reacted instantly, sweeping his arm around to break the grip and pinning his attacker against the wall!
"Julian! Stop! It's me!" a woman's voice gasped in the darkness!
Julian paused, clicking on his small penlight.
Standing against the wall, disheveled, pale, and terrified, was Isabelle—Adrian's missing fiancée.
"Isabelle?" Julian whispered in surprise, letting go of her jacket. "What are you doing here? Adrian's security team has been searching the entire tristate area for you!"
"You have to tell Adrian to stop!" Isabelle wept, clutching her hands together. "He can't go through with this coalition!"
"Why did you leave, Isabelle?" Julian demanded softly. "Why did you abandon him on the night of the announcement?"
"Because Falcone has my younger brother!" Isabelle cried out, tears streaming down her face. "Falcone found out that my family owed debts to his syndicate. He told me that if I married Adrian, he would kill my brother and release photos showing that my father was taking bribes from the mob!"
Julian's eyes narrowed. "So Falcone forced you to run."
"Yes!" Isabelle sobbed. "He wanted to embarrass Adrian! He wanted the world to see the Moretti family as weak and abandoned so he could launch a strike on the docks tonight!"
Before Julian could answer, the door to the office exploded inward!
Two armed men in black tactical gear burst into the room, raising suppressed pistols!
"There she is!" one gunman yelled. "Take them both out!"
Julian didn't hesitate. He tackled Isabelle behind a heavy mahogany desk just as a spray of bullets shattered the glass windows behind them!
Julian drew his sidearm from his shoulder holster, firing three precise shots that dropped the first attacker!
The second gunman rushed forward, but suddenly, a massive shadow appeared behind him!
Adrian burst through the doorway like an enraged lion! He grabbed the gunman by his tactical vest, slamming him into the doorframe with terrifying force until the man dropped unconscious to the carpet!
Adrian stood in the doorway, breathing heavily, his gun raised.
His dark eyes swept the room until they found Julian kneeling beside Isabelle.
"Isabelle?" Adrian asked, his voice deadpan and dangerous.
"Adrian..." Isabelle whispered, terrified.
May you like
Adrian looked from Isabelle to Julian, his expression turning cold and distant once more.
"So," Adrian said quietly. "My fake fiancé found my real fiancée."
