Chapter 17 - The Poisoned Chalice
Screams erupted throughout the ballroom as dust, broken glass, and panic flooded the hall.
The string quartet abandoned their instruments, and socialites trampled one another toward the velvet-roped exits.
Vincent immediately threw his body over mine, shielding me from the falling plaster and shattered crystal shards.
Across the smoky room, Julian was already retreating through a discreet service exit behind the catering line, flanked by four armed operatives in black suits.
"Marco!" Vincent barked through his earpiece, dragging me toward the western fire corridor.
"What hit us?"
"Car bomb in the valet circle, Boss!" Marco’s voice cracked through heavy static.
"It was a diversion! Secondary unit just breached the outer perimeter at the lake estate! They’re after the nursery safe room!"
The world around me seemed to freeze, all sound replaced by a terrifying, high-pitched ringing.
*The children.*
Julian never intended to negotiate at the gala; the entire event was a distraction to pull Vincent and his elite guard away from the estate.
"Vincent, they're at the house!" I screamed, pulling the small revolver from beneath my dress.
"They're going to take Mia and Lily!"
"We're moving!" Vincent roared, pulling his Kimber .45 and shooting two masked gunmen who rushed into the corridor from the kitchen.
We burst out into the alley behind the Palmer House, where our armored Suburban was already idling, tires smoking against the asphalt.
Vincent shoved me into the passenger seat, jumped behind the wheel, and floored the accelerator, obliterating a service dumpster as we spun onto Michigan Avenue.
The city lights blurred past us in a streak of red and white as the V8 engine roared at maximum speed.
I dialed the estate security line with shaking fingers.
The phone rang five times before Rosa’s panicked, sobbing voice answered through heavy gunfire.
"Mrs. Moretti! They blew through the heavy security gate on the north side!"
"Rosa, lock the blast doors!" I shouted, tears streaming down my face.
"Don't open them for anyone except Vincent's voice code! Do you hear me?"
"They have thermite charges, ma'am! The outer door is burning through!"
A gunshot echoed through the phone line, followed by the sound of breaking glass and a terrified scream from Mia.
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Then, the line went dead.
Vincent slammed his hand against the steering wheel, his eyes wild with primal rage, accelerating through a red light at eighty miles per hour into the pouring rain.
