The calm of the morning shattered like glass against concrete.
Jessica was still outside with Alvaro when the sharp echo of gunfire tore through the air. Her heart froze mid-beat. Alvaro, startled, looked up at her with wide, frightened eyes.
“Mommy?” he whimpered, clutching the hem of her dress.
She didn’t waste a second. Scooping him into her arms, Jessica sprinted toward the side entrance of the mansion, her breath hitching with every step. The sound of men shouting and more gunfire erupted in rapid succession.
---
Inside the mansion, Armando was already on his feet, his gun drawn as he barked orders. “Secure the perimeter! No one gets in or out!”
Cole and Alexander were by his side, weapons ready. “Alvarez’s men,” Cole confirmed, glancing out the window. “They’ve breach
