CRIMSON IVY

Chapter 10: The First Strike

​The gala was a blur of champagne and fake smiles. Sloane played her role to perfection, leaning into Dante’s side and laughing at the right moments, though her eyes were constantly scanning the room for the Sokolovs.

​It happened near the end of the night. Dante had stepped away to speak with a "business associate" near the balcony. Sloane was standing by the punch bowl when Isabella Vance approached her, her face twisted in a mocking grin.

​"He's just using you, you know," Isabella hissed. "Once he gets the codes from your father, he’ll discard you like yesterday’s news."

​Before Sloane could respond, the glass doors to the balcony shattered. Screams erupted as three men in masks stormed the hall. One headed straight for Sloane, a jagged blade glinting in his hand.

​Time seemed to slow down. Sloane reached into her emerald clutch, her fingers finding the cold steel of the 9mm. She didn't think; she reacted. She leveled the gun just as Dante lunged from across the room, tackling the man to the ground.

​Dante looked up from the floor, his face splattered with a drop of blood, his eyes wide as he saw Sloane standing there, gun drawn and steady. For the first time, the predatory heir didn't look at her like a piece of property. He looked at her with something far more dangerous: respect.

​"I told you," Sloane breathed, her voice trembling but her gaze hard. "I’m not just the ink. I’m the one holding the pen."