Chapter 7 - Ambush at the Estate
Dominic acted in a fraction of a second.
Before I could even scream, he swept Julian into his arm with his left hand, grabbed my forearm with his right, and yanked me off the bench down onto the stone floor behind a thick concrete planter.
"Stay down!" Dominic ordered, his voice transforming instantly into absolute, cold authority.
The glass roof of the conservatory shattered as heavy caliber rounds rained down from above. Shards of glass rained down like lethal hail, striking the stone floor and tropical plants around us.
I covered my head, curling my body around Dominic and Julian as the deafening roar of automatic weapons filled the evening air.
"Frankie!" Dominic shouted into a radio comm attached to his collar. "Report!"
"Boss! They breached the south gate!" Frankie’s panicked voice crackled through the radio over the sound of heavy gunfire. "Two SUVs smashed through! Outside contractors! They’re pushing toward the main house!"
"Valerio," Dominic spat through gritted teeth, his eyes burning with pure, murderous fury.
"His uncle?" I gasped, holding onto Dominic's arm, my heart hammering like a trapped bird. "He’s attacking the house?"
"He knows I brought you here. He knows the syndicate is watching," Dominic said, pulling a dark 9mm pistol from his shoulder holster and checking the magazine with a sharp click. "He’s trying to create absolute chaos to force a power grab."
Dominic looked down at me. I was terrified, my body shaking, but I was shielding Julian with my own frame, using my back to block falling glass from touching the baby.
"Clara, look at me," Dominic commanded, his hands cupping my face, forcing me to look directly into his dark eyes.
"I’m scared, Dominic," I admitted, tears blurring my vision.
"Listen to my voice," Dominic said, his gaze locking onto mine with hypnotic intensity. "I will not let them touch you or my son. Do you understand me? I will burn this entire estate to the ground before a single bullet touches either of you."
I swallowed hard and nodded. "Okay. Okay."
"There is a secure panic room built into the basement beneath the wine cellar," Dominic instructed quickly, holding Julian against his chest. "We need to move through the service corridor behind the kitchen."
Another burst of gunfire shattered the remaining glass panels of the conservatory.
Dominic stood up, pulling me up with him. "Run!"
We sprinted through the conservatory’s side exit, bursting into the main hallway of the estate. The house was in utter chaos. Alarms were blaring, emergency red lights were flashing, and the heavy thud of tactical boots echoed from the front foyer.
Dominic moved with terrifying efficiency. As two masked gunmen dressed in tactical gear rounded the corner of the corridor, Dominic raised his weapon without hesitation.
Double tap. Double tap.
The loud cracks of his pistol echoed in the tight space. Both gunmen dropped to the floor instantly.
I gasped, covering my mouth, but Dominic didn't pause. He grabbed my hand and pulled me past the bodies, rushing down the narrow wooden stairs leading to the basement kitchen.
When we reached the lower level, Mrs. Gable was huddled near the steel pantry, weeping hysterically.
"Mrs. Gable! Get into the cold storage!" Dominic ordered. "Lock it from the inside!"
"Yes, Mr. Moretti!" she cried, scrambling into the reinforced cold room.
Dominic dragged me toward the far wall of the wine cellar. He pressed a hidden catch behind a wooden wine rack. A heavy steel door clicked open, revealing a brightly lit, concrete bunker equipped with communication screens, medical supplies, and emergency rations.
"Get inside," Dominic said, pushing me gently through the doorway.
"What about you?" I asked, turning around, holding Julian tightly against my chest.
Dominic stood in the doorway, his pistol raised, his suit covered in dust and glass fragments. His jaw was set like iron.
"I have an uncle to execute," Dominic said coldly.
"Dominic, no!" I cried out, reaching for his arm. "Don't go out there! Stay with us!"
Dominic looked at me, his eyes softening for a split second. He reached out, his thumb gently wiping a speck of dust from my cheek.
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"Keep my son safe, Clara," Dominic whispered softly. "I’ll be back for both of you."
Before I could argue, Dominic pulled the heavy steel door shut. The lock engaged with a deep, echoing thud, sealing me and Julian inside the cold, silent concrete room.
