His Weakness

Taken

Everything happened at once.

Voices.

Footsteps.

Gunfire.

The sharp crack echoed through the halls, louder than before—closer.

Too close.

Elena’s breath caught as the reality hit her all over again.

They weren’t just testing anymore.

They were inside.

---

“Stay here.”

Alessandro’s voice was sharp, absolute.

But this time—

she shook her head.

“No.”

His gaze snapped to hers, dark and dangerous.

“Elena—”

“I’m not staying behind,” she cut in, her pulse racing. “Not again.”

A beat.

Tension.

Then—

another gunshot rang out.

Closer.

No time.

Alessandro made a decision.

Fast.

“Fine,” he said. “But you don’t leave my side.”

Her heart slammed.

“I won’t.”

And she meant it.

---

The hallway was chaos.

Men moved quickly, weapons drawn, voices sharp and controlled. The air smelled like tension and gunpowder.

Elena stayed close to Alessandro, just like he said.

Closer than ever.

His hand found hers instantly, gripping tightly as he guided her through the movement.

Not letting go.

Not even for a second.

“West side is compromised,” someone shouted.

“They’re pushing in!”

Alessandro’s expression hardened.

“Fall back to inner perimeter,” he ordered. “No one gets past this point.”

His voice cut through everything.

Authority.

Control.

Power.

But Elena felt something else too—

urgency.

This wasn’t routine anymore.

This was real.

---

They turned a corner—

and everything went wrong.

A man stepped into view.

Not one of theirs.

Weapon raised.

Time slowed.

“Elena—down!”

Alessandro moved first.

Fast.

He pulled her sharply to the side just as the shot fired, the bullet hitting the wall where she had been standing a second before.

Her heart slammed violently against her ribs.

Before she could even react—

another shot rang out.

This time—

from Alessandro.

The man dropped instantly.

Silence followed.

Short.

Heavy.

Elena’s breath came in sharp bursts.

“I—I—”

“You’re fine,” Alessandro said quickly, his hands already on her, checking, scanning, making sure she wasn’t hurt.

His touch was firm.

Focused.

But there was something else in it now.

Something unsteady.

Something close to losing control.

“I’m okay,” she managed.

But her voice shook.

His jaw tightened.

“You stay behind me,” he said again.

This time—

she didn’t argue.

---

They moved faster now.

Deeper into the estate.

But the sounds followed.

Closer.

Louder.

They were being pushed.

Elena could feel it.

The pressure.

The shift.

“This way,” Alessandro said, pulling her toward a side corridor.

They didn’t make it far.

A sudden crash echoed from behind them—

too close—

followed by shouting.

Multiple voices.

Not theirs.

Alessandro turned sharply, positioning himself between her and the threat.

“Stay back.”

But before she could move—

hands grabbed her.

From behind.

Fast.

Rough.

A scream tore from her throat as she was yanked away from him.

“Alessandro!”

His name broke out of her without thought.

Without hesitation.

The grip tightened.

Pain shot through her arm.

“Let go of me!” she struggled, but it was useless.

Too strong.

Too sudden.

“No—!”

The word ripped from him.

Raw.

Not controlled.

Not calm.

Not the man everyone else saw.

He moved instantly—

but another man stepped between them, weapon raised.

Blocking him.

Delaying him.

And that was enough.

Elena was dragged backward, her heart racing, panic flooding every part of her body.

“Alessandro!”

Their eyes locked.

For a split second—

everything else disappeared.

The noise.

The chaos.

The fear.

Just that moment.

Just him.

And the look on his face—

it wasn’t anger.

It wasn’t control.

It was something far worse.

Fury.

Pure.

Unfiltered.

Deadly.

“Touch her again,” he said, his voice low and lethal,

“and I will kill every single one of you.”

The man holding her laughed.

A mistake.

A fatal one.

“You’ll have to catch us first.”