Chapter 3 - The Breach at Midnight
"Stay behind me!" Gabriel commanded instantly.
In a fraction of a second, the mourning father vanished, replaced by the lethal mafia don. Gabriel drew a silenced sleek pistol from a hidden holster under his desk, his posture rigid and deadly.
Emma’s heart leaped into her throat as the terrifying blare of the sirens filled the mansion. "The boys!" she cried out.
"Matteo is securing their room," Gabriel said, his voice terrifyingly calm as he checked the slide of his firearm. "The nursery is a hardened panic room. They are safe. You stay here."
"Like hell I am!" Emma yelled, her fear overridden by pure protective instinct. "I am not leaving those children!"
Gabriel stared at her for a second, a dark flicker of admiration passing through his eyes. "You truly are unbelievable. Fine. Stick close to my back."
They sprinted out of the study and into the grand corridor. The mansion was plunged into darkness, illuminated only by the pulsing red emergency lights. The sound of heavy gunfire echoed from the ground-floor foyer—automatic weapons shattering glass and tearing through mahogany doors.
"Falcone's men breached the perimeter!" Matteo’s voice crackled through Gabriel's earpiece. "They bypassed the main gate! They’re inside the east wing!"
"Hold the stairwell!" Gabriel ordered, pulling Emma behind a thick stone pillar near the top of the balcony.
Below them in the grand foyer, six heavily armed men in tactical gear were advancing, their laser sights cutting through the red-lit darkness. They were not here to rob the mansion; they were executing a hit.
"Gabriel..." Emma whimpered, pressing her curvy frame tightly against his back, feeling the massive, muscular frame of the man protecting her.
"Breathe, Emma," Gabriel murmured over his shoulder, his voice an anchor in the storm. "You are safe with me. I promise you."
Gabriel leaned out from behind the pillar and fired three rapid shots. Each round found its mark with terrifying precision—three attackers dropped instantly to the marble floor.
The remaining mercenaries opened fire, bullets chipping away at the stone pillar, showering Gabriel and Emma with dust and sparks. Gabriel waited calmly, counting the rounds until the attackers paused to reload.
"Now," Gabriel growled.
He moved like a phantom, stepping into the open and clearing the remaining hostiles with deadly, practiced ease. Within seconds, the foyer fell completely silent, save for the hum of the emergency lights and the scent of gunpowder.
Matteo came running up the stairs, his weapon lowered, looking pale. "Gabriel! They weren't here for you!"
Gabriel’s eyes went dark. "What do you mean?"
"We checked the body of the lead shooter," Matteo panted, holding up a encrypted satellite phone recovered from the attacker. "Their orders were to capture the nanny and the kids. Falcone didn't just want a war—he wanted leverage to force you to surrender your shipping docks."
Gabriel turned slowly to look at Emma. She stood trembling near the pillar, her face pale as snow, her hand resting over her heart.
She was no longer just an employee caught in the crossfire. She was the focal point of a war.
Gabriel walked up to her, his gun lowered. He extended his hand, his expression filled with an intense, fierce possessiveness.
"You cannot stay here, Emma," Gabriel said gravely.
May you like
Emma looked up, her eyes wide with fear and betrayal. "You're kicking me out? After everything?"
"No," Gabriel said, his fingers wrapping firmly around hers, pulling her flush against his chest so she could feel the fierce, pounding heat of his heart. "I am moving you and my sons to my private estate in the Hamptons tonight. And I am coming with you. No more hiding. No more distance. If they want to get to you, they will have to go through me."
