Nathaniel Reed did not yell.

"Julian," Nathaniel’s voice was deadly low, his body instantly shifting to place himself between the armed men and me. "You were the one who leaked the Project Aegis codes."

"I was the one who built Vanguard’s entry strategy three years ago, Nathaniel," Julian corrected, putting his glasses back on. "Your late wife was far too clever for her own good. She noticed the account discrepancies in the maritime shipping logs before you did. She wouldn't take ten million dollars to walk away. She insisted on being righteous."

"You murdered her," Nathaniel spat, his jaw clenching so hard a vein throbbed along his temple.

"It was an unfortunate necessity," Julian replied dismissively. "Her heart gave out under the influence of a high-grade synthetic paralytic that leaves no trace in a standard toxicology screen. A very quiet, very elegant solution. Just as yours will be tonight—a tragic house fire caused by an electrical fault during a severe thunderstorm."

My heart stopped. "My daughter is upstairs!" I screamed, taking a step forward.

One of the armed men raised his pistol, pointing it straight at my head. "Stay back!"

"Clara, don't move," Nathaniel ordered softly, his eyes darting frantically around the room, evaluating the distance between us, the pillars, and the heavy piano.

"Hand over the brass key and the red drive from the suite, Nathaniel," Julian demanded, extending his gloved hand. "And I might consider letting the housemaid and her child escape through the back gate."

"He’s lying, Mr. Reed!" I cried out. "He won't leave any witnesses!"

"She’s a smart girl, Nathaniel," Julian smirked. "Too bad she’s just a housemaid."

Suddenly, the baby intercom sitting on the piano bench crackled to life with loud, static-filled audio.

"Mommy?" Sophia’s small, sleepy voice echoed loudly through the ballroom speakers. "Mommy, there’s a loud man in the hallway. I’m scared."

Julian frowned, looking toward his second gunman. "Go upstairs. Clear the nursery."

That was the only mistake Julian needed to make.

The moment the gunman turned his head toward the door, Nathaniel moved with terrifying, explosive speed.

He grabbed the heavy brass floor lamp beside the piano and swung it like a sledgehammer, slamming the weighted iron base directly into the chest of the lead gunman. The man let out a choked scream, flying backward onto the slick parquet floor as his pistol discharged into the ceiling, shattering the crystal chandelier above.

"CLARA, RUN!" Nathaniel roared.

I didn't hesitate. I dropped to my hands and knees, scrambling under the grand piano as glass rained down around us.

Nathaniel tackled the second gunman into the side of the rosewood console, both men crashing violently into the wall.

I crawled out from under the piano, picked up a heavy bronze statuette resting on a side table, and slammed it with all my strength into the back of the third gunman’s knee as he tried to aim his weapon at Nathaniel. The man screamed, buckling to the floor.

Nathaniel delivered a vicious right hook to the second man’s jaw, knocking him cold against the parquet.

Julian Vance backed up toward the shattered ballroom doors, his face wild with panic, reaching into his trench coat for his own weapon.

Nathaniel lunged across the floor like a predator, grabbing Julian by the lapels of his coat and slamming him hard against the marble pillar. The silver pistol dropped from Julian’s hand, clattering harmlessly across the floor.

"WHERE IS MY SISTER?!" Nathaniel roared into Julian’s face, his hand clamped tightly around the lawyer's throat.

Julian choked, his eyes bulging behind his glasses. "She... she’s at the downtown penthouse... she doesn't know... she doesn't know about tonight! I acted alone for Vanguard!"

Nathaniel pulled Julian forward and drove his fist directly into the man’s nose, knocking him completely unconscious onto the floor.

Nathaniel stood over the four downed men, his chest heaving, his hands covered in cuts from the falling chandelier glass. He turned to look at me, his grey eyes wild, fierce, and breathless.

"Clara... are you hurt?"