Chapter 16 - THE TROJAN HORSEThe silence in the grand foyer became absolute, heavy enough to crush the air right out of the room.
Nathan looked down at Elena, his expression a complex storm of fury, betrayal, and deep, sorrowful empathy. He knew what it was like to be cornered by powerful men who used loved ones as leverage against you. He had lived that nightmare years ago.
"Get up, Elena," Nathan said softly, his voice remarkably steady.
Elena looked up, her eyes wide with shock. "Mr. Cole... I betrayed you. I compromised your home."
"You were protecting your family," Nathan said, walking over and extending a strong hand to pull her up to her feet. "Just like Grace protected ours. But right now, we need to turn their own trap against them."
Marcus stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with tactical brilliance. "Boss, you’re thinking what I’m thinking?"
"If Julian thinks our security grid is down, he’s going to walk straight through that southern tunnel expecting an empty house," Nathan said, a dangerous, cold smile touching the corners of his mouth. "Let’s give him a warm welcome."
Within five minutes, the mansion transformed into a fortress.
Marcus distributed heavy tactical gear and sidearms from the panic room’s armory. He stationed security personnel at strategic choke points along the grand staircase and the second-floor gallery.
I tucked Lily safely inside the heavily reinforced panic room behind the master suite library bookshelf, locking the blast door securely from the inside with a biometric seal.
"Mommy, why are we hiding?" Lily asked, her big brown eyes filled with innocent confusion as she hugged her stuffed rabbit.
"We’re playing a game of hide-and-seek, sweetie," I said, forcing a calm, reassuring smile while fighting back the tears stinging my eyes. "Papa and I are going to make sure the bad guys can’t bother us anymore. Stay right here, watch your cartoons, and don't open this door for anyone except me or your father. Understand?"
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"I understand, Mommy. Be careful," Lily whispered, kissing my cheek.
I closed the heavy steel door, locking it tight. I turned around, grabbed the tactical sidearm Nathan had handed me earlier, checked the magazine, and walked back out into the dimly lit hallway where Nathan was waiting.
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