Chapter 8 - The Crack in the Armor
Dante laughed, a high-pitched, manic sound that echoed off the bookshelves. "Negotiate? You think I'm an idiot? The moment I let her go, you'll tear me apart! We're walking out of here together, Moretti. Get me a car, get me a helicopter, or she dies right now!"
He began dragging me backward toward the balcony doors, his grip on my hair so tight I could feel my skin tearing. But as he focused all his attention on shouting at Luca, he made a fatal mistake.
He lowered the gun from my temple just a fraction of an inch to point it toward Luca to emphasize his threat.
It was the only opening I needed.
I didn't hesitate. I brought my right hand up with everything I had left, driving the sharp silver letter opener deep into the soft flesh of Dante’s thigh.
Dante roared in agony, his grip on my hair instantly releasing as his leg buckled beneath him. He stumbled back, firing a wild shot into the air.
Before he could recover, Luca moved like a shadow in the night. He crossed the distance between us in half a second, his heavy boot connecting violently with Dante’s wrist, sending the gun flying across the room. Luca’s left hand caught me, pulling me safely behind his massive frame, while his right hand brought the butt of his pistol down across Dante’s jaw with a sickening crunch.
Dante fell to the floor, coughing up blood, completely incapacitated.
Marco and the guards rushed into the room, immediately pinning Dante to the ground and slapping heavy steel cuffs onto his wrists.
Luca didn't even look at the fallen man. He spun around, his hands instantly cupping my face, his eyes searching mine with a frantic, desperate intensity. "Elena! Look at me. Are you hurt? Did he shoot you? Talk to me, please."
I looked up at him, the adrenaline fading, leaving me completely exhausted but lighter than I had ever felt in my entire life. I reached up, placing my small hands over his.
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"I'm fine, Luca," I whispered, a genuine tear of relief finally rolling down my cheek. "I'm free."
Luca closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against mine, his breath shaking. "You're safe now. I swear to you, by my life, no one will ever hurt you again."
