Chapter 12
Screams filled the gallery as the wealthy guests scrambled desperately for the side exits. Crystal champagne flutes shattered against the pristine floors, mingling with the splattered oil paints.
Dominic’s men opened fire, a chaotic barrage that chewed into the expensive plaster walls and shredded the multi-million dollar canvases hanging nearby. The bright, neutral white lighting flickered violently as a stray bullet struck a chandelier, showering the room in sparkling, deadly debris.
Roland moved with the terrifying, fluid grace of an apex predator. He didn't seek deep cover; he utilized the chaos, stepping aggressively out from behind the easel. He fired in short, controlled bursts, neutralizing two more Thorne operatives before they could establish a tactical foothold in the room.
"Cover the Boss!" shouted Marcus, Roland's lead capo, as the heavily armed Ashcroft security team poured into the gallery from the private corridors.
The firefight became a deafening, brutal crossfire. Mavis huddled behind the cold marble pillar, squeezing her eyes shut, her hands clamped tightly over her ears. The smell of gunsmoke and ozone choked the air, entirely replacing the sophisticated atmosphere of the art exhibition.
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"Push forward! Don't let them flank!" Dominic roared, directing his remaining men toward the center of the room.
Roland reloaded his weapon smoothly, his movie-star handsome face carved into a mask of pure, sociopathic detachment. He stepped out again, his cold, intimidating eyes tracking Dominic through the smoke. He was not just defending his territory; he was eradicating the men who dared to threaten the woman cowering behind the pillar.
