Chapter 6 - The Iron Gate Falls
The thunderous crash of steel breaking through steel vibrated through the foundation of the house. Through the high security windows of the upper gallery, Dominic watched two black tactical SUVs tear across the gravel driveway, flanking a modified ramming truck that had smashed the wrought-iron front gates into scrap metal.
"They're not trying to sneak in anymore," Marcus said, dropping Clara onto a reinforced settee and racking the charging handle of his tactical shotgun. "They know the poison failed."
"Julian always lacked patience," Dominic said, adjusting the sling holding his twin children. The babies had begun to stir, Luca letting out a soft whimper as the noise grew louder. Dominic laid a heavy, warm hand over the infants, murmuring low, soothing words in Italian until the boy quieted.
Elena picked up an abandoned steel fire poker from beside the marble hearth. It was an inadequate weapon against assault rifles, but the defiance in her eyes showed she had no intention of dying on her knees.
Dominic glanced at her weapon and smirked faintly despite the grim situation. "Keep that, but take this too." He drew an eight-round compact pistol from his ankle holster and pressed it into her hands. "Safety is on the left. Pull the slide back once if it jams. If anyone wearing black tactical gear comes through those doors who isn't Marcus or me, empty the magazine into their chest."
"Understood," Elena replied, checking the grip with intuitive ease.
Glass shattered across the ground-floor atrium as flashbangs detonated in quick succession, filling the air with blinding white flashes and deafening concussive bangs. The assault squad breached the front foyer, their laser sights cutting through the smoke like crimson ribbons.
"Fall back to the reinforced panic vault in the study!" Dominic commanded Marcus. "I'll draw the vanguard into the east corridor."
"Dominic, taking them on alone while carrying the twins is suicide!" Marcus shouted over the gunfire.
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"They don't want to blow up the house—Julian wants my signature on the trust documents before he kills me," Dominic replied coldly. "He needs me alive for ten minutes. That’s nine minutes too long for him."
With that, Dominic sprinted toward the east hall, his boots silent, baiting the invading forces directly into his crosshairs.
