Chapter 5
The shockwave of the explosion threw Lena forward, straight into Emmett’s solid chest. He caught her instantly, his strong arms wrapping around her like a vice as the sound of shattering glass and wailing alarms echoed through the mansion.
"Stay down!" Emmett roared, pulling her to the floor. He covered her body with his own, shielding her from the debris raining down from the cracked ceiling.
For ten agonizing seconds, the world was a cacophony of destruction. Then, the deafening roar of automatic gunfire erupted from the front gates, shaking the very foundation of the estate. The Voss family had not waited for nightfall; they had launched a brazen, full-scale assault in broad daylight.
Emmett rolled off Lena, instantly pulling the heavy pistol from his shoulder holster. He grabbed her hand, hauling her to her feet. "Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm okay," Lena gasped, coughing through the thick cloud of plaster dust filling the room. Panic seized her throat. "Theo! Emmett, Theo is in the kitchen!"
"I know. We're moving," Emmett said, his face a mask of cold, calculated violence.
He dragged her out of the guest suite and into the grand hallway. The luxurious mansion was unrecognizable. The cascading crystal chandeliers they had stood beneath only twelve hours ago were now swinging violently, dropping shards of glass onto the polished marble floors. Guards in dark tactical gear were sprinting past them, shouting orders and returning fire through the shattered windows.
"Marcus!" Emmett barked as his underboss, a towering man with a scarred face, rushed up the stairs clutching a submachine gun. "Report!"
"They breached the main gate with a rigged explosive truck," Marcus yelled over the gunfire. "It’s a heavy hit squad, Boss. At least fifty men. They’re trying to push through the front doors. We’re holding the line, but they brought heavy artillery."
"Where is my son?" Emmett demanded, his grip on Lena’s hand tightening painfully.
"Safe room beta, beneath the kitchen," Marcus replied quickly. "Four of my best men are locked in with him. He's safe, Emmett."
Lena let out a massive sob of relief, her knees going weak. Emmett caught her by the waist, holding her upright.
"Hold the grand staircase, Marcus. Kill anyone who steps foot on the marble," Emmett ordered. He turned to Lena, his dark eyes burning with fierce determination. "We are going to the master wing. There's a fortified panic room behind my office. You will be safe there."
"I want to go to Theo," Lena pleaded, pulling on his arm as another explosion shook the eastern wing. "Please, he needs me!"
"The kitchen is completely exposed to the courtyard, Lena. If I take you down there, we have to cross the main firing line," Emmett yelled, dragging her down the corridor toward his private wing. "I will not risk your life! You go to my panic room, and I will go down and slaughter every last one of these bastards."
"Don't leave me alone," Lena cried, the fear finally breaking through her resolve. "Emmett, they'll kill you!"
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Emmett kicked open the heavy oak doors of his master office and pulled her inside. He slammed the doors shut, throwing the heavy steel deadbolts. He spun her around, grabbing her face with both hands, smearing plaster dust across her fair cheeks.
"I am not going to die," Emmett said fiercely, pressing his forehead against hers. "I finally have something worth living for. I'm coming back for you, Lena. I swear on my life."
