Chapter 1 - The First Blood and the Bulletproof ReplyThe shattering roar of automatic gunfire blew out what remained of the clinic’s front windows, sending safety glass raining down like crystal hail.
"Get down!" Gabriel Costa roared.
Before the first bullet could even ricochet off the stainless-steel prep table, Gabriel lunged forward, catching Chloe around the waist and hauling her hard against the floor behind the low partition. His men drew heavy-caliber weapons from beneath their jackets with terrifying, practiced synchronization.
"Vance's crew," one of the guards hissed, peering through the shattered window frame while returning fire with three sharp, suppressed pops.
Chloe’s heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. Her knees were scraped, her blue scrubs were soaked in Brutus’s blood, and the most dangerous man in Chicago was shielding her body with his own.
"They tracked the dog's microchip signal," Gabriel said, his dark eyes fixed on the entrance. There was no panic in his voice—only an icy, calcified rage that made the temperature in the room drop ten degrees. "Rostova wants my bloodline wiped out. He thinks killing Brutus breaks me."
"I don't care about your mob wars!" Chloe breathed fiercely, shoving against his chest. "You’re in an animal clinic! There are sedated patients here—"
"They aren't targeting the clinic, Chloe. They're targeting you because you were seen with me," Gabriel interrupted, his fingers locking around her chin, forcing her to look directly into his dark gaze. "You said 'No' to me five seconds ago. Do you still think you can walk out those back doors and pretend this night never happened?"
Outside, tires screeched as two black SUVs peeled away into the predawn gloom, leaving behind smoking shell casings and shattered glass.
Gabriel stood up slowly, towering over the room. He didn't look back as he barked an order to his lead enforcer. "Dante. Burn the clinic's cameras. Wipe every electronic log. Move Brutus and Dr. Reynolds to the North Side estate immediately. And put Chloe in the lead vehicle."
"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Chloe snapped, scrambling to her feet and grabbing her canvas bag.
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Gabriel paused at the smashed threshold, turning his head just enough for the harsh fluorescent light to catch the hard line of his jaw.
"You saved my dog, Chloe. And my enemies just watched you do it," he said quietly. "You belong to my world now, whether you want it or not."
