Chapter 4 - The Strike at the Grand Hotel
Snow and shattered glass rained down into the study as automatic gunfire erupted from the surrounding tree line.
"Down!" Dante roared.
He tackled Elena to the floor, rolling her beneath his heavy frame to shield her body completely with his own as bullets tore through the bookshelves above them, shredding ancient paper into clouds of white dust.
Dante drew a sleek black pistol from his shoulder holster, firing three rapid shots through the broken window toward the tree line. Screams echoed from the dark woods outside as his security team returned fire with heavy artillery.
Elena clutched Dante’s lapels, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. She looked up and saw a thin line of red blood trailing down Dante’s temple where a glass shard had grazed him.
"You're hurt," she cried out over the noise of the gunfire.
"It's nothing," Dante growled, his dark eyes burning with absolute, lethal rage. He cupped the back of her head, pressing his lips firmly against her forehead. "Stay under the desk. Do not move."
Within three minutes, the gunfire outside ceased. Marco, Dante’s chief enforcer, stepped into the ruined library, his weapon raised, blood splattered across his tactical vest.
"Clear, Boss!" Marco reported breathlessly. "It was a hit team sent by Arthur Hale and Garrick Voss. They used suppressed rifles from the north ridge. We captured two of the shooters alive."
Dante stood up slowly, pulling Elena up into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest until her trembling stopped. He looked at Marco over her shoulder, his face an unreadable mask of cold death.
"Where are Garrick and Hale right now?" Dante demanded.
"They've called an emergency meeting of the Chicago Commerce Council at the Halston Grand Hotel tonight," Marco revealed. "They're presenting a motion to freeze all Vance shipping licenses, claiming you kidnapped Garrick's daughter."
A cold, dark smile touched Dante’s lips. "They think they can use the city council to destroy me before I reveal their arson."
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Elena stepped back, wiping a speck of dust from Dante’s cheek. Her fear was completely gone, replaced by an electric, fiery resolve.
"They think I'm a helpless hostage, Dante," Elena said, her hazel eyes flashing with fierce determination. "Let's go to that meeting and show them who holds the real power."
