Chapter 6 - The Trap Sprung
By the end of the second month, the Westchester estate felt less like a fortress and more like a home. Leo was sleeping through the night, his laughter echoed down the marble hallways, and the invisible wall between Ricardo and me had slowly crumbled into a quiet, undeniable bond.
But peace in the underworld is never permanent.
It was a crisp Thursday afternoon when the alarms tripped.
I was in the kitchen helping Leo bake cookies when Dante burst through the back door, blood smeared across his cheek and a smoking rifle in his hands.
"We’ve been breached!" Dante shouted, his eyes wide with adrenaline. "It’s Salvatore. He bypassed the north gates using an insider code. They're heading straight for the main house."
"Where is Ricardo?" I asked, my heart hammering against my ribs as I scooped Leo up into my arms.
"He's in the east wing negotiating with the regional captains," Dante cursed, reloading his weapon. "They cut the communications. We're on our own until backup arrives."
Before we could move toward the panic room, heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway. Glass shattered in the foyer. Shouts and gunfire rang out through the grand entrance.
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"Clara, take the boy through the service tunnel behind the pantry!" Dante ordered, shoving open a hidden panel in the wall. "Go!"
I clutched Leo tightly to my chest, the boy crying out in terror as the sounds of war echoed through the estate. I plunged into the dark, damp tunnels beneath the house, my sneakers slapping against the concrete as I ran blindly into the shadows.
