Chapter 31
~Elle~
Half an hour earlier.
I fiddle with the bracelet that Dominic gifted me last night after we made love. It’s a slim gold band with colorful stones embedded in the metal. There’s an engraving in the inner band in cursive:
My Angel Elle.
Dominic made me swear to never take it off. The bracelet wasn’t just jewelry, inside he’d hidden a tracker. “If you’re ever taken,” he said “I will find you.” I remember—the weight of it on my wrist, equal parts comfort and fear.
Knowing that I was anxious about the possible danger that Dominic would be facing, Serafina showed up earlier today to keep me occupied.
We spent the evening watching a movie. Then, we roped Jimmy into playing a game of scrabble with us.
I was surprised at how competitive he was.
Serafina was hilarious, as she tried to make up words, for which we challenged her.
It is now close to midnight. I’m finally alone in our bedroom.
Serafina is likely now asleep in one of the guest rooms. Now my imagination is running away with me, as I worry about my husband.
I can’t wait for Dominic to return home safely.
Hopefully, after tonight, he will have dealt with the people after me.
Falling asleep is impossible right now. Without changing into my nightgown, I sit in bed while I go through my phone.
Temptation to dial Dominic’s number, gnaws at me.
Any distractions could place him in danger, so I resist. I move to his side of the bed, hugging his pillow.
Taking comfort from his scent. I somehow doze off.
A loud explosion has me snapping out of sleep.
Rapid gunfire is audible from outside. I hear loud voices and screams. Heart racing, from being jolted awake, I try to make sense of what’s happening.
Rubbing my hands across my eyes, trying to wipe away the fog of sleep.
I rush towards the windows, and I’m shocked by the scene.
Flames are visible, down the long driveway where the front gate once stood proudly.
Dominic’s soldiers are rushing about. They’re now exchanging gunfire with whoever it’s that is attacking the mansion.
I’m overtaken by a feeling of dread, because I’m sure that they’re here for me.
Outside the bedroom door, footsteps draw closer to my room.
“Elle! Elle!” Hearing the urgency in Jimmy’s voice, snaps me out of my frozen state, and has me rushing towards the door.
“Wha…what?” His appearance has me stuttering.
He’s armed. Gone is my carefree guard. I keep forgetting that the men who I’m surrounded by are capable of such violence.
“We’re under attack, I need to get you to safety.
” Jimmy says with urgency as he leads me down the corridor.
I follow him silently. He retrieves his phone from his pocket.
Shock makes me forget about Serafina. That's until she rushes out of the guest room to join us, her phone to her ear likely informing her husband of the attack. My head can’t help but block out the sounds of their voices.
“Boss, the mansion is under attack. The front gate was blown away.” Jimmy pauses listening to Dominic.
“Yes, I have the women, we’re headed there now.
” He continues. “Yes boss.” The phone is given to me.
My husband must have asked to speak to me.
“Dominic? I don’t know what’s going on….
there was an explosion.” I can’t seem to keep my voice from trembling.
“Listen to me, Angel. Jimmy is going to take you and Serafina somewhere safe. Stay there until I get to you. Do you hear me?” I hear the barely controlled rage in his voice.
“Yes. I hear you. Dominic, are you okay?” “Yes Angel, don’t worry about me. Stay safe until I get to you.” Serafina was also speaking to her husband. When she hangs up, we join hands as we follow Jimmy.
Silently, he leads us to the ground floor of the mansion. The sound of gunfire is louder down here. The lights are out. This adds to my anxiety. We enter Dominic’s study. Jimmy presses a hidden button on the side table, where Dominic keeps his alcohol.
A sharp clicking echoes and the area behind the sidebar slides open.
Seraphina and I gasp in surprise as a hidden room is revealed.
Jimmy wastes no time, ushering us inside.
Monitors glow on the table to the left, two chairs are pulled up close.
. A cot sits against the opposite wall. A cabinet of weapons gleams behind a glass door.
“You need to stay here until the boss arrives.” Jimmy orders, his tone leaving no room for argument.
At this exact moment a loud crash vibrates through the house.
It comes from the direction of the front door—followed by gunfire echoing inside.
“Jimmy, please stay with us.” I beg, as fear grips me.
I already know his answer. He’s no longer just Jimmy: he’s a soldier, trained to and ready to kill to protect us.
“I can’t, my job is to protect you. You must stay here, where it is safe.
” His voice is firm and unyielding. With a final look, he hit the button. There’s a click and locked in.
Damn! The monitors allow us a view of Dominic’s office, the main areas of the house, and the surrounding grounds of the mansion.
There’s complete mayhem. Dominic’s men are doing their best to keep the intruders back, but a few have gotten past them and into the mansion.
Jimmy with his weapon drawn is standing with his back to the wall and behind the door to Dominic’s study.
Seraphina and I lower ourselves onto chairs in front of the monitors, anxiously watching what’s going on.
“God, I wish that Dominic was here,” I whisper.
“I’m sure they’ll get here soon.” Serafina tries to steady me.
We watch as one of the intruders appears in the corridor leading to Dominic’s office.
Heavy footsteps drawing nearer. I'm overcome with panic when he draws nearer.
His black hair is slick back in a ponytail.
He's tall,bulky and menacing. The library opens, with a creak. My breath hitches, dread claws at me for Jimmy’s well-being.
As he stalks inside, Jimmy steps out from the shadows.
His gun pointed to the back of his head.
But the intruder spins around unexpectedly, knocking the gun out of Jimmy’s hand.
It clatters to the floor. Grunts are heard when he drives Jimmy down, his hands around his throat.
“Where is she?” He growls, voice low and savage.
My breath catches, terror seizing my chest.
“Fuck off!” Jimmy lets out an animalistic growl.
He brings his knee forcefully up into the bastard’s groin, forcing him to loosen his grip.
They both swing at each other exchanging blows.
Grunts of pain could be heard through the walls of the safe room.
As they roll around the floor, the sound of fists connecting with flesh is audible.
We look at the scene, through the monitor helplessly.
I’m so distracted by what’s going on in the next room that I miss the arrival of several vehicles.
“Look Elle, they’re here.” Serafina draws my attention to another monitor displaying the pandemonium outside of the mansion. I’m overwhelmed with relief when I recognize the black SUV that comes to a halt. It’s the same vehicle that Dominic left in earlier today.
Dominic, Dario, Dante and Nico exit the SUV with guns blazing. They down assailants in their paths as they make their way to the entrance of the mansion. Soldiers who arrived on their heels are spreading out to secure the compound.
I’m in awe of their coordinated assault on the enemy.
As they slash, kick, and shoot, bodies fall in their wake.
But they keep moving unflinchingly towards the mansion.
A few of the men who entered our home tried to escape, but they were intercepted.
They likely panicked upon the arrival of reinforcements.
The explosion of a single gunshot in the other room draws my attention back to the other monitor.
I look on with horror. Jimmy falls to the ground, blood oozing from a wound to his chest. His assailant is standing over him; his gun is aimed at Jimmy’s head, and he is about to fire again.
A sneer is on his face just as he is about to pull the trigger.
I’m unable to look away. But the shot never comes.
The monster's eyes widen in shock before he falls face down onto the floor.
Blood is pooling from his back. Dominic is standing like an avenging angel behind him.
A blade is in his hand coated with blood.
It occurs to me that a knife is his preferred weapon.
His face is hard and unyielding with barely controlled rage.
Dario rushes in to take in the scene. “Fuck!” He says, when he zeros in on Jimmy.
“Elle!” My husband yells. The door to the secret room suddenly clicks open.
My legs are heavy, I’m motionless, but he is in front of me in no time.
“Dominic?” I whisper before he crushes me to him, kissing me.
“Nico!” I hear Serafina call out, as Nico enters, and she rushes into his arms. “Are you okay, Angel?” He whispers.
“I’m fine, Jimmy got us…. Oh God! Jimmy.
” Suddenly, I remember his injury. “I need to help him, Dominic.” I try to pull away from his embrace.
“He was shot, we need to get him to a hospital.” He reluctantly releases me.
“We can’t take him to the hospital. We’ll risk the police being called.
I can’t have them asking questions.” Dominic reminds me.
He is right, all gunshot wounds must be reported to the police.
Dante and Dario are kneeling next to him.
Dante is applying pressure to the wound on his chest.
Jimmy is conscious but pale, and tachycardic.
His breathing is labored. I pray that he doesn’t have a pneumothorax.
“I need to get the bullet out.” I tell them.
“We have an infirmary here.” I roll my eyes at my husband.
“Of course you do. Well, what are we waiting for? We don’t have all day.
” Dominic shakes his head, amused at my sassiness.
I’m in my element now that I have a surgical problem to deal with.
For now, I can temporarily put aside the horror of tonight’s events.
Dario and Dante carry him to the infirmary, which is located at the back of the garage.
It is much bigger than the one at the safe house, where Dominic and I met when he was injured, almost three months ago.
I’ve never been inside the garage before, so I had no idea that this area existed.
After passing through the space, housing several luxury cars, there's a nondescript door at the back leading to the infirmary.
The men place Jimmy onto the cot. Dario leaves saying that he needs to take care of clean-up. It’s a good thing that this mansion is secluded and away from the city.
“Dante, make sure that the doctor and nurse we have on standby are contacted.” My husband instructs him.
“There are a few more men who have sustained injuries and require medical attention.” Dario replies.
“They're already on their way.” I ignore them as I prepare to help Jimmy. He has lost quite a bit of blood and is barely conscious. “It’s okay Jimmy, I’ll get you fixed up. ”
Just as I’ve set up an intravenous access and administered morphine, Dario returns, flanked by a man and a woman. Dominic, who was still pressing down on Jimmy’s wound, greets them.
“Doctor Samuel, Nurse Jane, thank you for coming—my wife could use your help with Jimmy.” Dominic informs them. “There are more men in the next room who need attention.” Dario says.
Doctor Samuel nods. “Nurse Jane can assist me here. You can treat the other men’s injuries. When I’m finished here, we’ll join you.” He follows Dario out and Jane takes over from Dante and Dominic. Together we bend to our work, the room heavy with urgency. The men leave us to our work.