Chapter 4 - The Strike in the Shadows
The peace inside the estate was short-lived.
A month later, on a freezing midnight in November, the estate's external security perimeter was breached.
Dominic, backed by ten heavily armed mercenaries funded by the rival Russian syndicate, launched a desperate, bloody raid on the Corvino mansion, determined to assassinate Vincent and take control of the harbor routes once and for all.
Gunfire shattered the quiet night air downstairs as Vincent’s loyal house guards traded heavy fire with the intruders in the main foyer.
Upstairs in the master bedroom, the red emergency lights flashed silently against the dark walls.
Tessa rushed into the room, locking the reinforced oak door behind her. She ran to Vincent’s side, where he was sitting up in bed, holding his black Italian automatic pistol with calm, deadly precision.
"They breached the courtyard," Tessa said, her voice fast but devoid of terror. "Marcus and two guards are holding the main staircase, but they're outnumbered."
"Tessa," Vincent said, reaching out and grabbing her wrist, his grip strong and unyielding. "There is a private elevator behind the mahogany wardrobe. It leads directly to an underground garage with an armored sedan. The key is in my desk."
"We need to get you into your chair," Tessa said instantly, stepping toward the leather wheelchair near the wall.
"No," Vincent commanded, his dark eyes burning with fierce protection. "There's no time to transfer me. Take the key and go. They are here for me, not you."
Tessa stopped. She turned around and looked at him as if he had just spoken in a foreign language.
"Are you insane?" she snapped, her eyes flaring with anger. "You think I'm going to leave you here to die?!"
"Tessa, I can't walk!" Vincent shouted, his voice echoing through the large room as distant gunshots rattled the glass. "I am dead weight! If you try to drag me, they will catch both of us!"
Tessa marched straight up to the bed, grabbed his heavy wool coat, and threw it over his shoulders.
"Shut up, Vincent Corvino," she said, her voice ringing with absolute, fierce authority. "You pay me to keep you alive. And I don't leave my patients behind."
Without waiting for his permission, Tessa pulled the heavy leather wheelchair directly beside the bed. She wrapped her arms securely around his waist, using every ounce of leverage, skill, and sheer willpower in her body to pull his heavy, muscular torso off the mattress.
Vincent grunted in pain and effort, using his massive arm strength to lock his arms around her neck, helping her bear his weight.
Together, through pure grit and mutual trust, they transferred his body into the wheelchair within fifteen seconds flat.
BOOM!
A heavy kick splintered the lock of the bedroom door.
The oak door burst open, revealing Dominic standing in the hallway, holding a smoking assault rifle, two armed mercenaries behind him.
"Found you, Vince!" Dominic sneered, raising his rifle.
Before Dominic could pull the trigger, Vincent raised his pistol from his lap and fired three rapid, flawless rounds through the doorway.
The first round hit Dominic's rifle, shattering the receiver. The second and third rounds struck the two mercenaries in the chest, dropping them instantly to the floorboards.
Dominic gasped in terror, dropping his ruined weapon and scrambling backward into the dark hallway like a terrified dog.
"Move!" Vincent barked softly.
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Tessa didn't hesitate. She pushed the heavy wheelchair toward the secret wardrobe panel, slid the door open, and rolled Vincent into the concealed elevator just as heavy boots came pounding up the stairs.
She pressed the basement button, the heavy iron doors closing smoothly, sealing them away into the safe darkness below.
