Chapter 4 - Through the Fire"Move!" Mateo yelled, grabbing Genevieve’s arm. They ducked behind a heavy mahogany pillar as bullets shattered the crystal chandeliers above.
They ran through the maze of hallways, the house she had been trapped in now a warzone. Mateo moved with a lethal grace, picking off Arthur’s men with precise shots. Genevieve wasn't just following; she was watching his back, spotting the flankers before they could make their move.
They made it to the secure panic room hidden behind the library wall. As the heavy steel door slammed shut, cutting off the sound of the fighting outside, Genevieve collapsed against the wall, her chest heaving.
Mateo checked his ammunition, his breathing steady. "You’re not just a reporter, are you?"
Genevieve looked at him, her eyes hard. "My father was in the Agency. I grew up learning how to spot a threat before it becomes one."
"That explains why you didn't panic at the gala," Mateo murmured. He looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time. The mask of the crime boss was gone, replaced by the exhaustion of a man who had lost everything. "Why help me? You could have let him finish me."
"Because he’s the one who’s actually dangerous," Genevieve replied. "He has no code. You... you at least have a structure."
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"A structure that tried to kill me tonight."
"Then we rebuild it," she said.
