Chapter 4 - The Lion's Wrath
Ellie froze.
The cold barrel of Marco Rossi’s silenced pistol was pointed directly at her forehead. Behind her, Sophia buried her small face into Ellie’s shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably, her tiny arms wrapped so tightly around Ellie’s neck that Ellie could barely breathe.
Marco smiled—a cruel, thin-lipped sneer that showed yellowed teeth.
"Hand the child over," Marco demanded in Italian, taking a slow step forward. "My uncle’s estate demands its share. With this girl in my custody, Calderon will sign over every pipeline from here to Albuquerque."
Ellie looked at the man. She felt the terror roaring in her ears, the overwhelming urge to shrink away. But then she felt Sophia’s small, shivering body pressed against her chest. She remembered the promise she had made to this innocent girl. She remembered the promise she had made to Rafe.
Something inside Ellie snapped. The soft, gentle waitress vanished, replaced by a fierce, protective fire.
"Over my dead body, you bastard," Ellie snarled in fluent, sharp Tuscan Italian.
Marco’s eyes widened in brief surprise at her flawless accent.
That split-second distraction was all Ellie needed.
Instead of backing away, Ellie violently kicked sideways, smashing her heavy leather boot directly into the high-end audio speaker sitting on a pedestal beside the corridor wall. The heavy wooden speaker tipped over, crashing hard against Marco’s shins!
"Cazzo!" Marco yelled, losing his balance and stumbling backward as his gun drifted off target.
PFFT!
The silencer discharged harmlessly into the ceiling, showering plaster dust over the hallway.
Ellie didn't hesitate. She threw her full body weight into Marco, slamming her shoulder into his chest! Driven by pure adrenaline and her broad, powerful frame, the impact sent the sleek criminal flying backward into the dry-walled partition!
Marco hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of his lungs, his pistol slipping from his fingers and rattling across the wooden floor.
"Run, Sophia!" Ellie yelled, grabbing the girl’s hand and lunging toward the safe room keypad.
She punched in the digits—0-4-1-2.
The heavy steel door hissed, unlocking with a mechanical clunk. Ellie shoved Sophia inside the reinforced vault.
"Stay inside!" Ellie screamed.
Before Ellie could step inside herself, Marco lunged from the floor like a wounded animal. His face was contorted in pure rage. He grabbed Ellie by her hair, violently yanked her backward onto the floor, and wrapped his fingers tightly around her throat!
"You miserable bitch!" Marco spat, pressing his thumb hard against her windpipe. Ellie gasped for air, thrashing wildly, her hands clawing at Marco’s face and arms. Darkness began to creep into the edges of her vision.
"I’m going to kill you, and then I’m going to take that girl—"
BANG!
A deafening shot shattered the hallway.
Marco’s body suddenly went rigid. His eyes rolled back into his head, a look of utter shock freezing on his face. Blood bloomed across his silk shirt.
Slowly, Marco collapsed sideways, lifeless, falling off Ellie’s body like a heavy sack of concrete.
Ellie gasped violently, clutching her throat, coughing as air rushed back into her lungs.
Through her blurred vision, she saw him.
Raphael stood at the end of the corridor. His custom suit jacket was gone. His white shirt was soaked in sweat and splattered with blood. In his right hand, his pistol smoked. His grey eyes were devoid of all humanity—pure, untamed, predatory rage.
When he saw Ellie lying on the floor, breathing, the icy terrifying look instantly melted from his face.
"Ellie!" Rafe dropped his gun and rushed down the hallway, dropping to his knees beside her.
He pulled her up into his arms, crushing her against his broad chest. His hands trembled as he touched her neck, checking her pulse, his breath ragged.
"Ellie... Jesus Christ, Ellie," Rafe breathed, his voice cracking with emotion he hadn't shown in twenty years. "Are you alright? Look at me. Speak to me."
Ellie coughed, resting her forehead against his shoulder, holding onto his thick arms for support. "I'm... I'm okay. Sophia... she's in the vault..."
Rafe pulled back slightly, his hand gently cupping her face, his thumb softly brushing away her tears. "You saved her. You fought him off."
"I wasn't... going to let him touch her," Ellie whispered weakly.
Rafe looked at her—this extraordinary, brave, beautiful woman who had risked her life to protect his child. A deep, unstoppable wave of devotion washed over him. Without thinking, without care for the danger that had just passed, Rafe leaned down and pressed his lips firmly against hers.
The kiss was passionate, desperate, and filled with relief. Ellie gasped against his mouth, her arms wrapping around his neck, sinking into his strength. For a long, beautiful moment, the blood, the smoke, and the dark world around them ceased to exist.
When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against hers, his eyes burning with absolute clarity.
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"It's over, Ellie," Rafe promised softly. "I'm going to wipe out every last person who dared to threaten you and my daughter. And when I am done... you are never leaving this house again. Not unless it's as my wife."
Ellie looked into his gray eyes, her heart pounding violently in her chest, knowing that her quiet, simple life had changed forever.
