Chapter 11 - The Ambush at the Gate
Adrenaline surged through my veins with the force of a tidal wave as the intruder pressed the barrel of a silencer against the back of my neck.
"Walk toward the back window,
nice and slow,
" the gunman hissed.
My mind raced back to the ER,
where split-second decisions meant the difference between life and death.
Instead of walking,
I dropped my heavy canvas bag directly onto his instep with all my weight.
The man cursed in agony as the heavy books inside crushed his toes.
I spun around,
driving my elbow upward into his solar plexus with every ounce of strength I had.
He gasped,
doubling over,
and I didn't wait to see what happened next.
I bolted out the apartment door,
flying down the stairwell three steps at a time.
Bursting out onto the street,
I sprinted toward Marco's parked Mercedes.
Marco threw the door open before I even reached the handle,
his submachine gun already raised.
"Get in!" I screamed,
slamming the heavy door shut.
Marco hit the gas pedal,
launching the armored vehicle forward just as two men in trench coats emerged from my building firing pistols.
Bullets ricocheted harmlessly off the reinforced glass with loud metallic pings.
"Are you hit?" Marco demanded,
gripping the steering wheel as he navigated sharp city corners.
"I'm fine!" I gasped,
my chest heaving as my hands shook uncontrollably.
"Drive straight back to the estate,
now!"
Forty minutes later,
the iron gates of the Rossi mansion swung open,
welcoming us inside like a sanctuary.
When I walked into the master suite,
Dominic was standing by the window waiting.
One look at my flushed face and shaking hands told him everything.
He crossed the room in three strides,
grabbing my shoulders with both hands.
"Did they touch you?" he demanded,
his voice trembling with a fury I had never heard before.
"No,
" I whispered,
looking up into his dark,
blazing eyes.
"I fought back.
"
Dominic let out a long,
shuddering breath,
pulling me into a fierce,
protective embrace against his chest.
"You are never leaving this estate again,
May you like
Nora,
" he vowed softly against my hair.
