Chapter 10 - The Crossbow in the Corridor
The heavy oak door groaned as Leo threw his weight against it, but the reinforced steel frame installed after the birthday incident held firm.
"Open this door, you bitch!" Leo roared from the hallway, his voice cracking with rising panic. "You think Dominic can protect you forever? He's miles away at the main office!"
Inside the room, Anna’s fingers shook as she reached for the wall-mounted emergency console. She punched in the override code for the private security line.
"Marco! Marco, respond!" she yelled into the receiver.
Static hissed through the speaker, followed by the sound of muffled shouting and heavy gunfire echoing from the lower courtyard.
"We're pinned at the west gate!" Marco’s voice barked over the radio, punctuated by the sharp crack of an assault rifle. "Leo Vance triggered a diversion! Boss is heading your way—get away from the door!"
Before Anna could answer, a loud, metallic crunch echoed from the doorway. Leo was using a heavy crowbar to pry the reinforced hinges apart. Wood splintered, and the upper bolt began to warp under the immense leverage.
Lily whimpered, curling into a tight ball beneath the console, clutching her stuffed rabbit. "Mommy, I'm scared."
"Look at me, Lily," Anna said, her voice fierce and steady, masking the terror tearing at her chest. She grabbed a heavy brass lamp from the side table, positioning herself directly between the ruined door and the trembling child. "Close your eyes and count to ten. Mommy’s right here."
The door gave way with a deafening screech.
The upper hinge snapped clean off, and the heavy panel swung inward, crashing against the interior wall.
Leo stepped through the dust and splinters, his face twisted in a mask of manic fury, the crossbow raised and aimed directly at Anna’s chest.
"End of the line, housekeeper," Leo snarled, his finger tightening on the trigger.
A shadow detached itself from the dark corner of the private foyer behind him.
Before Leo could release the bolt, a heavy, leather-clad arm wrapped around his neck, dragging him backward with brutal, mechanical efficiency. A muffled choke tore from Leo’s throat as Dominic Moretti slammed him against the stone wall with enough force to shatter plaster.
The crossbow dropped from Leo’s limp fingers, clattering uselessly against the hardwood floor.
Dominic didn't say a word. His face was a mask of dark, concentrated fury. With a single, fluid motion, he drove his fist into Leo’s midsection, followed by a vicious right hook that knocked the intruder unconscious before he even hit the ground.
Leo crumpled into a heap near the doorframe, motionless.
Dominic stood over him for a second, breathing heavily, before turning his head toward the room. His eyes locked onto Anna and Lily, scanning them for any sign of injury.
The terrifying rage on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by an overwhelming, raw relief. He crossed the room in two strides, dropping to his knees beside them.
"Are you hurt?" Dominic demanded, his hands gently framing Anna’s face, his thumbs brushing away a smudge of dust from her cheek. "Did he touch her?"
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"We're fine," Anna whispered, her voice finally breaking as the adrenaline drained from her veins. "We're safe."
Dominic pulled them both into his arms, holding them so tightly it felt as though he was trying to fuse them to his very soul.
