Amira's pulse thundered in her ears as the first shots cracked through the night, shattering glass and splintering wood. Zion was at her side, his breath ragged, eyes wild. Gabriel barked orders, positioning Rosalie and Lucia behind cover as Dominic's mercenaries advanced through the burning trees, the fire casting monstrous shadows along the walls.
Amira darted from room to room, returning fire, heart pounding with a mix of terror and rage. Between bursts of gunfire, Lucia revealed the horrifying truth: Dominic hadn't just ordered Celeste's murder; he had orchestrated the entire art theft ring to fund a coup against Zion and take over the Carter empire.
In the chaos, Zion and Amira were pinned in the hallway, smoke curling around them as Dominic's voice echoed through the broken windows, taunting them. Amid the crackle of flames and stench of blood, Zion grabbed Amira, pulling her close, his lips crashing into hers with desperate hunger, a confession unspoken in the heat of battle.
Gunshots ripped them apart, and Amira dove for cover, screaming for Zion as Dominic's men stormed the house. The chapter ends with Dominic stepping through the shattered front door, gun leveled at Amira's chest, whispering, "It ends tonight."
The night was thick with smoke and fear. Dominic's men surrounded the safehouse, their footsteps crunching over gravel and broken glass. Inside, Amira gripped her gun so tightly her knuckles went white, every breath a ragged gasp in the stifling heat.
Zion stood beside her, his shirt stained with blood, jaw set in grim determination. Rosalie worked frantically at her laptop, trying to lock down the house's security feed as Lucia loaded clips into spare magazines.
Suddenly, gunfire erupted, shattering the front windows. Amira ducked, pulling Rosalie down just as shards of glass sprayed across the room. Zion returned fire, each shot ringing out like a bell tolling doom.
"Amira!" Dominic's voice echoed through the darkness outside, cold and mocking. "Come out, or I'll burn this place to the ground with you inside!"
Amira's chest heaved. Images of Celeste flashed in her mind: smiling, laughing, falling… dying. Rage bubbled up, drowning her fear. She grabbed Zion's arm, whispering fiercely, "We end this tonight."
He nodded, eyes burning. "Together."
In the chaos, Lucia is shot while protecting Rosalie, Zion takes another hit to the shoulder, and Amira confronts Dominic face-to-face in the smoke-filled hallway, gun to his head.
Dominic grinned through bloodied lips, whispering, "You don't have the guts," as Amira pulls the trigger…