Chapter 9 - The Carriage House Showdown
Vanessa looked wild, unhinged, her hair disheveled and her expensive clothes stained with mud from the storm outside.
"Vanessa..." I gasped, stepping back against the elevator frame. "How did you get down here?"
"My father helped build this estate thirty years ago, you ignorant little brat!" Vanessa spat, her revolver pointed squarely at my chest. "I knew about the subterranean tunnels long before you ever set foot in this mansion!"
She took two steps toward me, her eyes bloodshot with pure hatred.
"You destroyed my entire life!" Vanessa screamed, her finger tightening on the trigger. "My wedding! My family's fortune! My father is in a federal prison, and it's all because you couldn't just keep your pathetic mouth shut and throw that photograph away!"
"Your family stole a baby, Vanessa!" I fired back, holding my ground despite the terror rushing through my veins. "You tried to sell a dead woman's memory! You hurt me, and you lied to the man who trusted you!"
"Luca belonged to me!" Vanessa shrieked hysterically. "And if I can't have his empire, nobody will!"
She raised the revolver, lining up the sight right between my eyes.
BANG!
A deafening gunshot echoed through the narrow concrete tunnel!
I closed my eyes, bracing for impact—but no pain came.
Instead, Vanessa let out a sharp cry of pain, dropping her pearl-handled revolver onto the concrete floor as a red stain spread across her shoulder!
Behind her, standing at the tunnel entrance holding a smoking silenced pistol, was Marco Moretti!
"Stay away from my family," Marco growled coldly, stepping forward and kicking Vanessa's gun far down the hallway.
Vanessa collapsed against the wall, clutching her bleeding shoulder, sobbing hysterically as Marco smoothly cuffed her hands behind her back with heavy steel zip-ties.
Heavy footsteps thundered down the tunnel corridor.
Luca burst into the subterranean hallway, flanked by Daniel and three tactical guards. The main attack upstairs had been crushed, Marcus Bellini and his mercenaries completely neutralized by the Moretti security forces.
"Claire!" Luca roared, sprinting down the hallway.
He swept me into his arms, pulling me tight against his chest, his face buried in my neck as he breathed heavily.
"Are you hurt? Did she touch you?" Luca asked frantically, his hands checking my face, my arms, my shoulders.
"I'm okay, Luca," I sobbed with relief, holding him tight. "Marco saved me. He saved my life."
Luca looked over at his twin brother, who offered him a quiet, proud nod.
May you like
Luca turned back to me, holding my face in his hands, his hazel eyes shining with fierce, eternal love under the dim tunnel lights.
"It's over, Claire," Luca whispered softly, kissing my forehead, my cheeks, and then my lips with tender passion. "It's finally over."
