Chapter 15
The southern courtyard of the Santoro estate erupted into a war zone within seconds.
Heavy automatic gunfire chewed through the ancient stone pillars of the manor, shattering centuries-old windows and sending shards of glass raining down onto the cobblestones. Santoro’s security detail returned fire from fortified positions along the balcony, but the sheer volume of the invading force was staggering.
Inside the medical bay, Julian struggled to sit up, but Naomi pushed him gently back down onto the bed.
"Stay here," she ordered, grabbing the heavy steel wrench she had kept in her bag since the night at Corso Restorante. "I'm not letting anyone touch you after we just got you back."
Belvin stood at the reinforced oak door of the medical wing, his Glock steady, his face carved from granite. "They're coming through the main corridor. Twenty seconds."
"Let them come," Naomi said, her green eyes flashing with the fierce, unyielding spirit of her mother. She whistled sharply. "Titan, up!"
The massive pitbull trotted to her side, his brindle muscles bunched, his dark eyes locked onto the hallway doors.
Boom!
An explosive charge blew the heavy double doors of the medical wing inward, sending a shockwave of smoke, splinters, and fire across the room. Four heavily armed mercenaries in unmarked black tactical gear rushed through the breach, their assault rifles raised.
They never made it past the threshold.
Titan launched himself like a dark cannonball into the lead mercenary, knocking him flat on his back with a bone-crushing impact.
Belvin opened fire with cold, practiced precision, dropping two more attackers before their rifles could even level toward the bed.
The final mercenary swung his weapon directly toward Naomi, his finger tightening on the trigger.
With a feral cry, Naomi vaulted over the examination table, swinging the heavy steel wrench with every ounce of strength in her body. The metal connected with the mercenary’s helmet with a resounding CRACK, sending him crashing unconscious to the tile floor.
Silence rushed back into the room, broken only by the crackle of distant fires and the heavy panting of the dog.
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"Clear," Belvin breathed, lowering his smoking weapon. He looked over at Naomi, a mixture of profound awe and terrifying respect flashing in his dark eyes. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."
"You already survived my bad side," Naomi panted, wiping soot from her forehead with the back of her hand. "Now, what do we do with the rest of them?"
