Page 76 of Maximum Bet

I’m about to do the same to my wife, who, of course, didn’t listen to my first command.

“Give me a gun,” Cassandra says.

I scoff and side-eye her. “No.”

“Yes.” Her shoulders set as she places her hand out, palm up, waiting for a weapon.

A growl emanates from deep in my chest. I should fight for her, get her out of danger. But God knows she’ll find a way to put herself back in it. I might as well give her a way to defend herself.

“My right ankle. There’s a holster with a Glock.”

She kneels and lifts my pant leg, making quick work of retrieving the gun. She remains crouched as she lifts the weapon and aims it down the aisle.

“Dominic,” Leo says, switching places with Marco. “We’ve got to get you out of here.” The enemy fire is getting closer, despite my soldiers guarding the hallway, fighting back.

Cassandra spares a glance in Leo’s direction. “We need to get the guests out of here.”

Leo’s eyes lock in on Natalie, who is crouched down in a back corner, horror-stricken.

“How?” Leo asks. For once, he turns to me for advice.

I scan the room, then nod toward a set of double glass doors to the left. They lead to a rooftop veranda decorated with foliage and water features.

“There’s an emergency exit across the patio with a stairwell that leads to the bottom floor.”

“Anatoliy and Esteban could have men coming that way,” Leo says, brows drawn.

I shake my head. “They would have made it to us already.”

A bullet cracks the wood on the back door. From inside the event space, my men surround the entrance, forming a defensive wall while our allies take the perimeter of the room.

“You and Lucas go first, check and see if it’s safe,” I say. “If it is, we’ll send the guests down that way.”

Leo takes one last look at Natalie and sighs in acceptance. “Lucas, did you hear him?”

“I’m ready when you are.” Lucas steps forward, inching toward the glass wall.

Leo nods, his expression resolute. “Let’s go.”

As the two men rush off, Natalie and Sadie cry out. Cassandra does her best to placate them, motioning for them to lower their voices, and mouths, “It’s okay.”

From the crowd, my father, Jonathon, and Nico run toward us, quickly turning so as not to have their backs to the looming threat.

“Where the hell did they go?” Nico asks, taking a spot next to Marco.

“There’s a stairwell on the other side of the veranda,” I explain. “If it’s clear, we’re sending the guests that way.”

“What about the two of you?” Jonathon grunts. “Cassandra has to get out of here, and unfortunately, I think you’re the best one to keep her safe.”

Cassandra huffs and sends her father a disgruntled look. “I can fight, too,” she mumbles.

“Yeah, we know.” I roll my eyes. “But you shouldn’t have to.”

“I can get the guests in the reception area downstairs,” my father says. “I talked to Dante, and he said the security team is only reporting an attack on this floor.”

“So far.” My mouth sets in a grim line.

“The stairwell is clear,” Lucas calls from the double doors.