Chapter 9 - The Mother’s Strike
The orange spark traveled completely around the perimeter of the reinforced lock.
With a heavy, deafening CLANG, the central steel lock mechanism fell inward onto the concrete floor, bouncing loudly.
The heavy vault door was kicked open from the outside.
Kaelen—Vance’s massive, scarred security chief—stepped into the smoky room, holding a suppressed pistol in his right hand, a thermal mask pushed up on his forehead.
"Claire Marino!" Kaelen called out, his cruel voice echoing off the concrete walls. "Come out, little girl! Vance wants his baby back!"
He took two slow, arrogant steps past the door frame, searching the lit center of the room.
I didn't hesitate.
I lunged out from the dark shadow behind the door, swinging the solid steel baton with every ounce of strength in my body.
CRACK!
The heavy steel rod struck Kaelen directly across the side of his knee.
Kaelen let out a horrific scream of agony as his knee joint shattered inward under the force of the blow. He collapsed sideways onto the concrete floor, dropping his weapon.
Before he could reach for his sidearm, I kicked the pistol across the floor, away from his reach, and slammed the heavy end of the steel baton straight down into his chest, pinning him down.
"Touch my daughter and I will kill you!" I screamed, my voice echoing like a battle cry through the vault.
Kaelen gasped for air, his eyes wide with utter shock as he stared up at the fierce, unstoppable mother standing over him.
Suddenly, heavy, rapid footsteps thundered down the spiral stairwell outside the vault.
Dominic burst through the door, his dark coat soaked with rain, his weapon drawn, flanked by Marcus and four tactical officers.
Dominic took one look at Kaelen groaning in pain on the floor, then at me standing over him with the steel baton raised, my hair wild, my eyes blazing with fierce protection.
Dominic dropped his weapon into its holster, stepped over Kaelen without even looking at him, and pulled me into his arms.
He held me so tightly I could feel the wild, desperate beating of his heart against my chest.
"You're safe," Dominic breathed into my hair, his hands trembling as he cupped the back of my head. "God help me, Claire... you're safe."
"Ava..." I sobbed, the adrenaline finally washing out of my system, leaving me shaking violently. "She's behind the desk..."
Dominic walked over to the supply crate, carefully lifting the Kevlar vest.
Little Ava was sitting up, blinking her wide, bright blue eyes, holding her tiny stuffed rabbit, completely unharmed.
Dominic reached down and gently lifted Ava into his arms, holding her against his chest as she rested her soft head against his shoulder.
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He turned to look at me, tears gleaming in his dark, powerful eyes.
"It's over, Claire," Dominic said softly. "The shadows are gone. You're home."
