“Either way, this was a declaration of war. They weren’t trying to capture or interrogate. They were trying to kill everyone in this house.”
The weight of that settles over the room. An assassination attempt on me is one thing. An attack that puts Scarlett and Luca in danger is something else entirely.
“We need to find the ledger,” Viktor continues. “Now. Before the families unite against us. If they think we’re hunting it for ourselves, they’ll come at us with everything they have.”
He’s right. The ledger is the key to ending this. But I’m not ready to reveal how much Scarlett has already remembered. Not yet. Not until I know who I can trust completely.
“We’re working on it. I have leads.”
“What kind of leads?”
“The kind I’m not sharing until they pan out.”
Viktor’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t push. He knows better.
“In the meantime, we increase security. Double the guards. Bring in additional contractors if needed. I want this estate locked down so tight that a mouse couldn’t get through.”
“That’s going to draw attention. Show weakness.”
“I don’t care. My family’s safety comes first. Everything else is secondary.”
The word ‘family.’ I’ve never used it before in reference to anyone except my organization. But that’s what they are now. Scarlett and Luca—my family.
And I’ll burn this entire city down before I let anyone hurt them.
19
SCARLETT
A week after the first attack, things are starting to return to normal and I’m starting to think maybe we’re safe now.
How wrong I am, because that’s when the second attack happens.
It’s past midnight and I’m helping Rosa get Luca ready for bed after a late family movie when the alarms start screaming again. The sound sends ice through my veins because I know what it means.
They’re back.
“Rosa, get him to the safe room,” I say, already moving.
“You come too?—”
“I will. Just go!”
She doesn’t argue, just scoops up Luca and runs. He’s crying now, scared by the sudden chaos, and my heart breaks hearing it.
I’ve been loathing myself anytime I remember what my sweet boy is going through here, but I’d still choose to bring him here even if I got a second chance.
I can’t risk my son being targeted, injured, or killed because of me.
And there is something about seeing him with his father that just makes everything all right.
I’m running behind Rosa and Luca when the first gunshots echo through the house. This one is closer than the last time.
We break into a run, heading for the hallway toward the reinforced safe room when the window beside me explodes.
Glass shatters inward in a spray of shards. I immediately feel the sting of something hot and sharp on my upper arm. When I look down, there’s blood spreading up through my sleeve, bright red against the white fabric.
My goodness, a bullet.Someone just shot at me through the window.
