The mansion was eerily quiet after the intruders had retreated, leaving only the echo of their footsteps behind. Elena pressed herself close to Dante, the adrenaline from the fight still coursing through her veins. Her shoulder throbbed where the dagger had grazed her, but she refused to let pain dominate her thoughts.
Dante moved through the dimly lit hall, his steps silent but purposeful. “We need to secure the house,” he murmured, his eyes scanning every corner, every shadow. “Vincent’s men may have retreated for now, but they’ll be back. And when they do, they won’t hold back.”
Elena nodded, still trembling but determined. “I’m ready. Tell me what to do.”
Dante’s jaw tightened. “Stay close. Watch every movement. Trust no one.”
As they moved deeper into the mansion, Elena’s mind rac
