Chapter 5 - TAKEN
Naomi bit down hard.
The man cursed.
She drove her elbow backward.
His grip loosened.
She twisted free and ran blindly.
Another gunshot cracked.
Someone grabbed her wrist.
Naomi swung.
“Naomi!”
Luca.
He pulled her behind him.
Emergency lights flashed red across the hallway.
A masked man appeared at the far end.
Luca fired once.
The man ducked.
“Stay behind me.”
“I can help.”
“By staying alive.”
He dragged Naomi toward the music room.
Marco was already there with Isabella.
Dante covered the door.
“What happened?” Luca demanded.
“Two men came through the east wing,” Marco said.
“Vivian?”
“Gone.”
Luca’s face changed.
The guest suite door had been opened from the outside.
Someone on staff had helped her escape.
Then Isabella hit two low piano notes.
Pain.
Naomi rushed to her.
“What hurts?”
Isabella pointed toward her chest.
Naomi checked her breathing.
Fast.
Too fast.
“We need an ambulance.”
Luca grabbed his phone.
No signal.
Marco cursed.
“They jammed the property.”
Then a voice came from the hallway.
“Luca.”
Everyone froze.
Vivian.
She stepped into view.
No longer crying.
No longer pretending.
A pistol rested in her hand.
Beside her stood an older man with silver hair.
Dominic Vale.
Dante whispered, “Son of a bitch.”
Dominic smiled.
“You always were the smarter brother.”
Luca lifted his gun.
Dominic grabbed Vivian and pulled her in front of him.
She laughed.
“Relax. We’re partners.”
Luca’s eyes went flat.
“You touched my mother.”
Vivian shrugged.
“She wouldn’t cooperate.”
Naomi felt rage burn through her.
“She trusted you.”
Vivian looked at her.
“She’s an old woman sitting on hundreds of millions.”
“She’s a person.”
Vivian rolled her eyes.
“That’s why you’ll always be a maid.”
Naomi stepped forward.
Luca caught her arm.
Dominic smiled at him.
“This is touching. You care about the help now?”
Luca didn’t answer.
Dominic’s gaze shifted to Isabella.
“I need one thing.”
“The trust,” Dante said.
“Exactly.”
Luca shook his head.
“You won’t get it.”
Dominic smiled wider.
“I think I will.”
Another man appeared behind Naomi.
Before anyone could react, he wrapped an arm around her throat and pressed a gun to her head.
Luca’s gun instantly lowered.
Naomi stopped breathing.
Dominic watched him.
There.
A reaction.
Small.
But real.
Vivian saw it too.
Her eyes narrowed.
“Oh.”
She looked from Luca to Naomi.
Then laughed.
“Oh, that is interesting.”
Luca’s voice dropped.
“Let her go.”
Vivian stepped closer.
“You never begged me for anything.”
“I’m not begging.”
“No.”
She smiled.
“But you will.”
The man tightened his grip on Naomi.
Dominic tossed a document onto the floor.
“Isabella signs.”
Luca stared at him.
“Or?”
Dominic nodded toward Naomi.
May you like
The gun pressed harder against her temple.
“Or the maid dies first.”
