Chapter 6 - THE BETRAYAL WITHINThe sanctuary of the Duca estate was shattered three days later at 3:00 a.m.
Ariana woke up to the sound of shattered glass and automatic gunfire echoing through the lower levels of the mansion. Sirens blared throughout the hallways, red emergency lights casting blood-colored shadows across her bedroom wall.
She threw off the silk sheets, grabbed the gun Lorenzo had given her for protection, and sprinted into the hallway.
The mansion was an active warzone. Duca soldiers were firing down the grand staircase at invading men wearing black tactical gear—Valerio’s hit squad.
"Ariana!"
She turned to see Marco running toward her, holding a wounded arm, blood soaking through his shirt.
"Where is Lorenzo?" she demanded above the deafening roar of gunshots.
"It’s a trap!" Marco shouted. "The security codes were leaked from inside! Lorenzo is in the subterranean vault trying to secure the hard drives—he’s surrounded!"
"Leaked from the inside?" Ariana’s mind raced. Only three people had those codes: Lorenzo, Marco, and the head of security, C. Reeves.
"Where is Reeves?" Ariana asked, her eyes narrowing.
Marco looked shocked. "She... she was at the main control gate when the attack started."
Ariana didn't hesitate. Instead of running for the safe house in the woods, she turned and sprinted down the private service stairs toward the underground vault.
She reached the iron doors of the basement level just in time to see C. Reeves standing over a fallen Duca guard, holding a silenced pistol. The vault door was half-open, and inside, Lorenzo was pinned down behind a reinforced desk, returning fire against four heavily armed mercs.
"Reeves!" Ariana yelled.
Reeves turned instantly, raising her gun toward Ariana. "You should have stayed in your hole, little girl. Valerio paid fifty million dollars for the vault key and your head."
Reeves pulled the trigger.
BANG.
Ariana ducked behind a concrete pillar just as the bullet chipped the stone inches from her face. She raised her own gun, her training kicking in. Breathe in. Exhale. Lock.
Ariana stepped out from behind the pillar and fired three rapid shots. Two hit Reeves squarely in the chest plate; the third caught her in the throat. Reeves collapsed to the floor with a choked gasp.
Without slowing down, Ariana snatched a dropped assault rifle from the floor, rolled through the open vault doorway, and fired a barrage of bullets into the back of the two mercenaries pinning Lorenzo down.
"Lorenzo! Cover!" she screamed.
Lorenzo didn't waste a millisecond. He popped up from behind the desk, headshooting the remaining two mercenaries with terrifying precision.
The vault fell dead quiet, save for the hum of the servers and their heavy breathing.
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Lorenzo stared at Ariana, who was standing in the doorway holding a military-grade rifle, her silk nightgown torn and covered in drywall dust and blood, her emerald eyes fierce and triumphant.
A slow, wicked smile spread across his face. "I definitely chose the right strategic partner."
