Chapter 8 - The Price of Protection
The judge’s ruling was swift and absolute.
Sole physical and legal custody of Lily Bennett was awarded to Clara, with Derek’s visitation rights suspended indefinitely pending a psychiatric evaluation and a full investigation into his financial connection to Thomas Vance.
When they stepped out of the courthouse, the Chicago sun had finally broken through the clouds, painting the stone steps in brilliant gold light.
Sarah was waiting for them with Lily, who immediately sprinted up the steps and threw herself into Clara’s arms.
"Mommy! We won! The knights said we won!" Lily cheered.
"We did, baby," Clara laughed, tears of pure, unadulterated relief streaming down her cheeks. "We did."
But as they walked toward the SUV, Victor’s phone buzzed.
He answered it, his expression turning to stone within seconds.
Victor didn't hesitate. "Lock down the estate. We’re going to the safehouse in Lake Geneva. Now."
The Chase in the StormThe drive north was a blur of high-speed maneuvers and white-knuckle tension.
The dark sedan from the photographs appeared in their rearview mirror as they hit the Edens Expressway. The rain had returned, slicking the highway in a dangerous sheet of gray water.
"Hold onto Lily, Clara," Victor ordered, his hands steady on the wheel as he pushed the heavy SUV to its limits.
The sedan pulled up beside them, the window rolling down to reveal the dark barrel of a weapon.
Crack.
A bullet struck the armored glass of the passenger side, leaving a white, spiderweb fracture but failing to penetrate.
Lily screamed, burying her face in Clara’s lap. Clara held her tight, her own body forming a shield over her daughter, her heart whispering a silent, desperate prayer.
"I’ve got them, Victor," Marco’s voice came through the radio.
May you like
A second black SUV, driven by Victor’s security team, roared up from the behind, slamming into the side of the sedan and forcing it off the road into the muddy shoulder. The sedan spun out, crashing into the concrete barrier in a shower of sparks and metal.
Victor didn't look back. He drove through the rain, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, until the iron gates of Blackwood Point finally rose from the darkness, closing behind them like a pair of iron wings.
