The Bride Under Fire
1975 Words
Valentina fired before the masked man could pull his trigger.
Her bullet struck his shoulder and spun him toward the shattered window.
The shot meant for her tore through the wall behind Roman’s desk.
Alessio lay motionless on the floor.
The masked man recovered faster than she expected. A black rope connected the harness around his waist to the helicopter hovering outside. Wind whipped through the office, scattering papers and broken glass.
He raised his weapon again.
Valentina dove behind Roman’s desk.
Bullets tore through the wood.
She curled beneath it, clutching the pistol in both hands as pieces of the desk rained over her hair.
The helicopter’s rotors thundered outside.
A second attacker descended the rope.
Then a third.
Valentina looked toward Alessio.
Blood spread across his shirt.
“Alessio.”
He did not respond.
The first masked man moved around the desk.
Valentina saw his boots through the gap beneath it.
She waited.
One step.
Two.
When his leg appeared, she fired into his knee.
The man screamed and collapsed.
Valentina surged from behind the desk and kicked the gun from his hand.
He reached for a knife strapped to his vest.
She stepped on his injured knee.
Bone shifted beneath her heel.
His scream became ragged.
“Who sent you?”
He laughed behind the mask.
“Your brother wants you alive.”
“Luca does not have a helicopter.”
The attacker’s hand moved toward his belt.
Valentina drove Roman’s knife through his palm and pinned it to the floor.
He howled.
“Who sent you?”
Another masked man came through the window.
Valentina ripped the knife free and rolled aside as he fired.
The wounded attacker took the bullet intended for her.
His body jerked.
Blood sprayed across the floor.
Valentina crawled toward Alessio.
The second man advanced.
She grabbed the front of Alessio’s jacket and dragged him behind an armchair.
His eyes opened.
“You’re alive.”
Alessio sucked in a painful breath.
“Disappointed?”
“Deeply.”
He touched his chest.
The bullet had lodged in the armor beneath his shirt, but blood still seeped from a cut near his collarbone.
Valentina shoved a gun into his hand.
“Two came through the window. There may be more.”
Alessio checked the weapon.
“Security should have shot the helicopter down.”
“Security has not appeared.”
His expression changed.
The second attacker rounded the chair.
Alessio fired.
The bullet entered the man’s chest, but his body armor absorbed it.
Valentina lunged low.
Roman’s knife cut through the inside of the attacker’s thigh.
The man collapsed.
Alessio shot him through the exposed skin beneath his mask.
His body struck the carpet.
A metal object rolled from his hand.
Valentina recognized it too late.
“Flash grenade.”
Alessio dragged her against him and covered her face.
White light exploded through the room.
The blast punched the air from Valentina’s lungs.
A high ringing filled her ears.
She tasted blood.
Hands seized her ankles.
The third attacker dragged her across the floor toward the window.
Valentina kicked wildly.
Her heel struck his mask.
He tightened his grip.
She reached for the pistol, but it had fallen beyond her fingertips.
Alessio tried to stand.
The attacker shot him in the leg.
Alessio fell with a curse.
Valentina slid across broken glass.
The open window approached.
The helicopter hovered twenty feet away, connected by a narrow rope.
A man inside the aircraft aimed a rifle into the office.
The attacker hauling Valentina shouted something she could not hear.
The rifleman lowered his weapon.
They were not allowed to kill her.
Valentina stopped fighting.
The attacker mistook it for surrender.
He bent to secure a cable around her waist.
She pulled Roman’s knife from beneath her dress and drove it into the side of his neck.
The blade entered above his armor.
The man released her and stumbled backward.
His hands flew to the wound.
Valentina grabbed his harness.
His weight carried him through the window.
For one second, he hung outside the building, choking as the rope pulled tight.
Valentina held the harness with both hands.
The helicopter strained against the sudden weight.
The wounded man looked up at her.
“Help me.”
She thought of the three children in Luca’s photograph.
She thought of Elena tied inside a burning slaughterhouse.
She let go.
The helicopter dragged him across the glass exterior before the rope snapped free.
His body disappeared into the darkness below.
The rifleman inside the helicopter opened fire.
Valentina dropped behind the stone wall beneath the window.
Rounds shattered what remained of the glass.
Alessio crawled toward Roman’s desk.
“There’s a red button beneath the center drawer.”
Valentina looked at him.
“What does it do?”
“Press it.”
She slid across the floor while bullets chewed through the room.
Her fingers found the button.
She pushed it.
Metal shutters dropped over every window.
The rifle rounds struck the armored panels with deafening force but did not penetrate.
The office became dark.
Emergency lights flickered on.
The helicopter remained audible outside, circling the estate.
Valentina stood.
“Why did no one come?”
Alessio pressed his hand over the wound in his leg.
“Security may be compromised.”
“Or dead.”
“That too.”
Roman’s office doors opened.
Valentina raised her gun.
Three DeLuca soldiers entered with rifles.
She kept the weapon trained on them.
“Names.”
The soldiers stopped.
The first removed his earpiece.
“Marco Bellini.”
“Who is your commanding officer?”
“Alessio.”
“Who gave you orders tonight?”
“Alessio and Roman.”
“Why did it take you this long to reach us?”
The soldier glanced at Alessio.
“The elevators shut down. The emergency stairwell doors were locked from the inside.”
Alessio’s face hardened.
“That requires a security code.”
“Whose?”
“Mine, Roman’s, or the head of estate security.”
“Where is he?”
The soldiers exchanged looks.
“We haven’t found him.”
Valentina stepped over the dead attacker.
“Lock down the estate. No one enters or leaves. Find every member of the security team and disarm them.”
Marco hesitated.
He looked toward Alessio.
Valentina saw it.
He did not consider her authorized to give orders.
Alessio pulled himself upright using the chair.
“You heard her.”
Marco nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
“No,” Alessio said. “You heard her.”
The soldier’s gaze returned to Valentina.
“Yes, ma’am.”
They left.
Valentina looked at Alessio.
“You did not have to do that.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Why?”
“Because Roman told Chicago you were his bride.”
“He told me to say it.”
“He would not have given you those words if he did not intend to make them true.”
Valentina wiped Roman’s knife on the dead attacker’s jacket.
“You people have strange wedding traditions.”
Alessio looked at the bodies.
“This is relatively calm.”
The helicopter’s engine faded into the distance.
Valentina crouched beside the first attacker.
He was still breathing.
The bullet from his own partner had entered beneath his ribs.
She removed his mask.
He was young.
Possibly thirty.
A small black tattoo marked the skin behind his ear.
A crown pierced by a sword.
Alessio saw it.
“Sokolov.”
“Viktor?”
“One of his private soldiers.”
Valentina searched the attacker’s pockets.
No identification.
No phone.
Only a metal key engraved with the number thirteen.
“What does this open?”
Alessio shook his head.
Valentina held the key in front of the wounded man.
“Where are the children?”
He smiled weakly.
“Dock One.”
“I know that.”
“Then go.”
“What is waiting for me?”
“Your future.”
His eyes closed.
Valentina slapped his cheek.
“Stay awake.”
His breathing grew shallow.
“Who gave you the estate security codes?”
The man’s smile returned.
“A DeLuca.”
“Which one?”
He opened his eyes.
“The rightful one.”
Then his body went still.
Valentina stared at him.
Alessio crouched despite the pain in his leg and checked the man’s pulse.
“Dead.”
“What did he mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“That was a lie.”
Alessio looked at her.
She raised the key.
“He said a DeLuca gave them access. You reacted.”
“My family has buried enough traitors to fill a cemetery.”
“That is not an answer.”
“You sound like Roman.”
“People keep telling me that.”
Alessio leaned against the desk.
“Roman’s father had three sons. Roman was the youngest.”
“I know.”
“Gabriel was the eldest. He was supposed to inherit everything.”
“And the other?”
“Damien.”
“What happened to them?”
“They died.”
“That is what everyone says.”
“It is what I saw.”
“You saw their bodies?”
Alessio did not answer immediately.
Valentina understood.
“You did not.”
“I saw what remained of Damien.”
“And Gabriel?”
“His car exploded.”
“No body.”
“Enough blood to confirm he was inside.”
“Blood can be placed.”
“So can bodies.”
Valentina looked toward the medical wing.
“Did Roman order their deaths?”
Alessio’s face became cold.
“Be careful.”
“I am asking.”
“Roman did not kill his brothers.”
“Then who did?”
“We never proved it.”
The office phone rang.
Both of them turned.
The private line on Roman’s desk glowed red.
Valentina answered.
“Speak.”
Luca laughed softly.
“You sound comfortable in his chair.”
Valentina tightened her grip around the phone.
“You sent Sokolov men into Roman’s estate.”
“Viktor sent them.”
“Why?”
“To collect what he purchased.”
“I am not for sale.”
“Our father disagrees.”
“Our father is tied inside one of Roman’s cells.”
“Then he is exactly where he belongs.”
Valentina froze.
Luca did not sound angry about Salvatore’s capture.
He sounded pleased.
“You never intended to save him.”
“No.”
“You wanted Roman to take the estate.”
“I wanted Roman wounded and distracted.”
“And now you want me.”
“I want the ledgers.”
“You already have them.”
“I have copies.”
She looked at Alessio.
“What is missing?”
Luca was silent.
“Those men were searching Roman’s office,” Valentina said. “They were not only here to kidnap me.”
“You always were clever.”
“What is inside his office?”
“Ask your fiancé.”
“He is in surgery.”
“So the Butcher is not as invincible as Chicago believes.”
“He survived everything you sent.”
“For now.”
Valentina looked toward the shelves.
Weapons.
Ledgers.
Family photographs.
“What does Viktor believe Roman has?”
“Something my father spent twenty years searching for.”
“And you expect me to find it.”
“I expect you to come to Dock One.”
“To save the children.”
“And to receive your answers.”
“How do I know they are alive?”
A child whimpered through the phone.
Valentina’s heart stopped.
Luca’s voice lowered.
“You have forty minutes.”
The call ended.
Valentina placed the phone down carefully.
Alessio had heard everything.
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