Chapter 7 - The Bloodline's Honor
Before Marcus could squeeze the trigger, a shadow dropped from the upper ductwork directly behind him.
It was Roman. The scarred lieutenant tackled Marcus with the force of a freight train, crashing both men into a massive display of aged wine bottles. Glass shattered, and dark crimson liquid spilled across the stone floor like blood.
The gun went off with a loud crack, the bullet ricocheting harmlessly off the concrete ceiling. Marcus fought savagely, driving an elbow into Roman's ribs, but Roman roared, grabbing Marcus by the throat and slamming him violently against the stone pillar.
"Traitorous scum," Roman growled, striking Marcus with a heavy fist that knocked the traitor unconscious instantly.
Roman turned, breathing heavily, blood dripping from a small cut on his forehead. He looked at Sarah, who was still holding the iron bottle rack, her knuckles white.
"Are you all right, Miss Williams?" Roman asked, panting.
"I'm okay," Sarah breathed, lowering her improvised weapon. "Mia is safe inside."
"Good," a voice echoed from the stairwell.
Julian stepped into the cellar. His suit jacket was gone, his white shirt rolled up at the sleeves, stained with soot and rain. In his hand, he carried his sidearm, his eyes wild with a fierce, frantic energy until they landed on Sarah and the safe room door.
"Julian!" Sarah stepped out of the bunker.
Julian closed the distance between them in three long strides. Dropping his weapon onto a wooden table, he pulled Sarah into a tight, desperate embrace. Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling the rapid, heavy thud of his heart against her chest.
"You're safe," Julian whispered against her hair, his voice trembling with an emotion he had never shown to anyone in his life. "Thank God... you're safe."
"We're fine," Sarah murmured, pulling back just enough to look into his eyes. "We held the line."
Mia peeked out from behind the heavy safe room door. "Daddy?"
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Julian dropped to one knee, wrapping his daughter into the embrace along with Sarah. For the first time in years, the fearsome crime boss let tears slip down his cheeks, holding the two females who had come to define his entire world.
Upstairs, the gunfire had completely ceased. Moretti's attack force had been utterly wiped out, their insider neutralized, and their power broken forever. The raid on the Vance estate had failed—and in its failure, it had sealed the fate of Julian's enemies once and for all.
