The Queen’s Gambit
623 Words
Chapter 17:
The scent of gunpowder and blood clung to the air like a storm waiting to break.
Serena’s heart pounded, but her grip on the gun remained steady.
The Santiago nightclub was no longer a place of revelry.
It was a battlefield.
Bodies littered the floor, and the once-pulsing music had been silenced by the echo of gunfire.
But the fight wasn’t over.
Not yet.
Damian moved like a shadow, taking down another guard with a swift, ruthless shot.
Serena forced herself to breathe, to push past the fear clawing at her chest.
This was her war now.
And she would not lose.
A Target on Her Back
A sudden movement—
Serena turned just in time.
A Santiago enforcer lunged at her, a knife gleaming in his grip.
Instinct took over.
She ducked, twisting away, and fired—
The bullet struck him in the chest.
The man staggered, eyes wide with shock, before crumpling to the floor.
Serena exhaled shakily.
She had just taken a life.
But there was no time to dwell on it.
Not when the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the hallway.
More were coming.
Damian’s voice was sharp. “Move!”
Serena ran.
They weaved through the chaos, cutting through the club’s back corridors.
Every turn was a potential ambush.
Every shadow a threat.
Serena’s blood roared in her ears.
She wasn’t just fighting for survival.
She was fighting for vengeance.
For the family she never knew.
For the child she carried.
For the war the Santiagos had started.
And she would end it in blood.
The Warning
They burst through the back exit into the alley.
A black car was already waiting.
Damian’s men—silent, efficient—opened the doors without question.
Serena slid into the seat, her pulse still hammering.
Damian climbed in beside her, the door slamming shut.
The car sped off into the night.
For a moment, silence.
Then—
Damian turned to her.
“You hesitated.”
Serena clenched her jaw. “I shot him.”
“But you hesitated first.” His gaze burned into hers. “Next time, that hesitation could cost you.”
Serena’s fists tightened in her lap.
She knew he was right.
Killing wasn’t natural for her.
Not yet.
But it had to be.
If she wanted to survive this war, she couldn’t afford weakness.
Not when the Santiagos would show her none.
Damian studied her for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
“You did well.”
Serena exhaled.
It wasn’t praise.
Not exactly.
But it was enough.
A Message in Blood
By the time they reached the penthouse, Serena’s exhaustion weighed heavy.
But there was no time for rest.
Not when the next move had already been made.
A single envelope sat on the dining table, waiting for them.
Damian picked it up, his expression unreadable as he tore it open.
Serena stepped closer, her stomach twisting.
Inside was a single playing card.
The Queen of Spades.
And written across it in dark red ink—
Or was it blood?
We know what you are, Montenegro.
Serena’s breath caught.
They knew.
Not just that she was alive—
But who she truly was.
Damian crushed the card in his fist, his jaw tightening.
“This isn’t just a warning,” he muttered. “It’s a declaration.”
Serena swallowed. “They’re coming.”
Damian’s smirk was sharp.
“Let them.”
The Next Move
Serena ran a hand over her stomach, feeling the faintest flutter of life within her.
Her child.
The future.
No matter what, she would protect them.
She wasn’t just some pawn in the Santiagos’ game.
She was a queen.
And now?
She was ready to take back her throne.
- Writer
