Chapter 7 - THE GUNMAN IN THE BEDROOM
The black muzzle of the pistol gleamed under the dim bedside light.
Oliver froze, too terrified to even scream.
“Step away from the boy,” the masked man hissed.
His voice was distorted by a cheap synthetic mask.
I didn't think.
I lunged forward, grabbing a heavy glass water pitcher from the nightstand.
I hurled it straight at his face.
The pitcher shattered against his mask, blinding him for a split second.
“Run, Oliver! Hide in the walk-in closet!” I screamed.
Oliver scrambled across the carpet and dove into the dark closet, pulling the door half shut.
The gunman cursed, wiping glass shards from his face.
He swung the pistol toward me.
My breath caught in my chest.
This was it.
I was going to die on the floor of a mafia lord's bedroom.
Suddenly, a shadow dropped silently from the ceiling skylight.
Luca.
He landed directly on top of the gunman with the force of a falling freight train.
The pistol fired into the ceiling, showering plaster dust over us.
Luca slammed the man's head into the hardwood floor once, twice, three times.
The gunman went limp instantly.
Luca stood up, breathing heavily, his face splattered with blood.
He looked frantically toward the closet.
“Oliver?” Luca called out.
The closet door clicked open slowly.
Oliver peeked out, then ran straight into his father's arms.
“Daddy!”
“I've got you, buddy. I've got you,” Luca whispered, burying his face in his son's hair.
He looked up at me, his eyes wide with adrenaline and lingering terror.
“Are you hurt, Emily?”
“I'm okay,” I breathed, sliding down the side of the bed as my legs finally gave out.
Luca caught me before I hit the floor.
His strong arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me close against his chest.
“You saved his life,” Luca murmured, his voice thick with emotion.
“So did you,” I whispered, looking up into his dark, intense eyes.
For a moment, the gunfire downstairs vanished.
The world narrowed down to just the two of us in the dimly lit room.
Then Luca's phone rang again.
He answered it on speaker.
May you like
“Boss,” a frantic voice shouted.
“The Bellini enforcers have breached the panic room. They've taken Vanessa and they're heading for the private helipad on the roof!”
