Chapter 2 - The Sinking Ship
The corridor erupted in a deafening crack as Valerio’s 1911 spoke once.
The heavy-caliber round caught the hitman squarely in the center of his chest, lifting him off his feet and slamming him into the service doors before he slid down in a boneless heap. The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the distant, muffled rhythm of the jazz band playing through the ballroom walls.
Valerio holstered his weapon in a single fluid motion and crossed the hallway in three massive strides.
"Danica."
He caught her as her knees buckled. She didn't shrink away from him; instead, she threw her arms around his neck, burying her face into the lapel of his charcoal suit. Her body was trembling violently, her chest heaving against his chest, but the panic in her eyes was mixed with an overwhelming wave of relief.
"I thought... I thought they were going to kill me," she gasped, her voice thick with tears. "I went to the ladies' room... I saw them corner Oswaldo. I hid in the supply closet, but they dropped the key. When I ran out, I saw Veto shaking hands with a man with a scarred face. Veto gave the order."
Valerio held her tighter, his large hand smoothing down the loose locks of her dark hair. His heart hammered against his ribs—not from fear for himself, but from the terrifying realization of how close he had come to losing her.
"You saved my life," Valerio murmured, his voice dropping into a harsh, protective register. "You walked right into a lion's den to drop that note."
"I couldn't let them kill you," she whispered fiercely, pulling back just enough to look into his stormy gray eyes. "Even if you are an arrogant, terrifying mob boss."
A faint, humorless ghost of a smile touched the corner of Valerio’s mouth. "We can discuss my personality flaws later. Right now, my brother wants my head on a spike, and half the South Side is in the ballroom."
Ignatio jogged up to them, his own weapon drawn and scanning the corners of the corridor. "Boss, the freight elevator is locked from the control room. Veto’s men have cut the primary stairwell access."
"They want to trap us," Valerio said coldly. He looked down at Danica, taking her soft, trembling hand in his large, calloused grip. "Can you run in those heels?"
"I'll run through a brick wall if I have to," she said, her chin lifting with that same stubborn, magnificent defiance that had captivated him from day one.
"Good girl."
Valerio unbuttoned his suit jacket, tossing it aside to grant his arms full freedom of movement. He kept his grip firm around Danica's hand as they sprinted toward the kitchen service corridors, leaving the blood-soaked coat room behind. But as they reached the heavy double doors leading to the industrial kitchens, the kitchen doors swung open.
Three armed men wearing the distinct pins of the Felicity crew stepped into the corridor, raising their weapons.
Valerio reacted instantly, pushing Danica behind his broad frame while drawing his pistol and firing twice in rapid succession. Two of the men dropped instantly, but the third managed to dive behind a stainless-steel linen cart, returning fire. Bullets chewed through the drywall inches from Valerio’s head.
"Ignatio, flank right!" Valerio barked.
Before Ignatio could move, Danica did something completely unexpected. Spotting a heavy copper stockpot left on a rolling utility cart, she grabbed it with both hands and hurled it across the hallway with surprising strength. The heavy pot crashed into the linen cart, tipping it over and exposing the gunman just long enough for Valerio to step out and end the threat with a single clean shot.
Valerio stared at her in stunned silence for a fraction of a second.
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Danica brushed a stray strand of dark hair from her forehead, her chest heaving. "What? I took self-defense classes in college. Accountants need hobbies."
A dark, dangerous laugh rumbled deep in Valerio’s chest. "Remind me never to audit your expense reports."
