Page 21 of Devil’s Embrace (31 Days of Trick or Treat: Biker & Mobster #10)

Chapter Thirteen

Emory

The first shot rang out as we rounded the corner, the bullet embedding itself in the wall inches from my head.

I ducked instinctively, clutching Mina tighter against my chest as plaster dust showered down on us.

Luca moved with frightening speed, shoving us behind a marble column as he returned fire, his movements precise and deadly.

Two of Mateo's men fell before they could take cover, blood blooming across their chests like crimson flowers.

"Stay here." Luca’s gaze scanned the corridor ahead. "More coming."

Mina whimpered against my neck, her small body trembling. "Shh, baby. Close your eyes. Don't look."

The sounds of gunfire intensified, echoing off marble floors and high ceilings. Through the chaos, I heard Luca's phone buzz. He checked it, his expression darkening.

"Perimeter breach at three points. They're coordinating. We need to move. Now."

I peered around the column, counting at least four men advancing toward us, using doorways for cover. Behind them, smoke billowed from what must have been an explosion somewhere deeper in the mansion.

"Give me your belt." I didn’t know if it would work, but I had an idea.

Luca looked at me sharply but didn't question it. He removed his leather belt with a single fluid motion, handing it to me. I set Mina down behind the column, keeping my body between her and the gunfire.

"Cover me." I wrapped the belt around my hand, leaving the heavy metal buckle dangling.

Luca's eyes narrowed, but he nodded once. "On three. One... two... three."

He pivoted from cover, firing with lethal precision.

As he drew their attention, I swung out from the opposite side, the belt whipping through the air.

The buckle caught one of Mateo's men across the face with a sickening crack.

He staggered, dropping his weapon. I lunged forward, grabbing his fallen gun and swinging the belt again, catching another man in the throat.

Luca dispatched the other two with cold efficiency, each shot finding its mark. He looked at me with something like surprise as I returned to Mina, who remained huddled behind the column, hands over her ears.

"Where did you learn that?" Luca eyed the belt.

"Survival. Besides, I thought two of us might be a distraction for them and end things quicker. We need to keep moving."

We advanced down the corridor, stepping over bodies, the smell of gunpowder and blood thick in the air. Mina kept her face buried against my neck, her tears dampening my skin. I whispered reassurances with each step, promises of safety I wasn't sure I could keep.

More of Mateo's men appeared ahead, emerging from the stairwell like shadows. Luca pushed us into a side room, bullets splintering the doorframe as we took cover.

"We're cut off from the panic room.” He checked his ammunition. "We need another route."

I scanned the room—a small sitting area with antique furniture and crystal vases. Nothing that would stop bullets, but plenty that could cause damage. I set Mina down in the corner furthest from the door, behind a heavy bookcase.

"Stay here, sweet pea. Don't move, no matter what you hear. Understand?"

She nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I'm being brave, Mama."

"The bravest." I pressed a kiss to her forehead before turning back to Luca.

I grabbed a heavy marble figurine from a side table, testing its weight in my hand. I kept the letter opener tucked up my sleeve, ready if I needed it. "We need to get to Mina's room.”

If Maria's note was correct, Mateo's men would target it first, thinking Mina was still there. We needed to secure it, to remove any trace of her presence that might help them track us.

Luca's eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded. "I’m assuming you have a reason, even if you won’t share it.”

Footsteps approached the door—at least three men, judging by the sound. Luca positioned himself to the side, his gun raised. I took position on the opposite side, the marble figurine raised like a club, my heart hammering against my ribs.

The door burst open. Luca fired twice, dropping the first man. The second turned toward him, weapon raised. I swung the figurine with all my strength, connecting with the back of his head. He went down hard, but the third man was already advancing, his gun swinging toward me.

I ducked as his bullet shattered a vase behind me, shards of crystal raining down.

The letter opener slipped into my palm, and I drove it upward as I rose, finding the soft flesh beneath his jaw.

His eyes widened in shock as blood spurted from the wound.

Luca finished him with a single shot to the chest.

"Remind me never to make you angry." Luca’s voice came out calm despite the carnage surrounding us.

I yanked the letter opener free, wiping it on my jeans. I’d panic later. Right now, I had to protect my daughter, no matter what it took. "Just get us to Mina's room."

We collected Mina, who was shaking but silent, her blue eyes huge in her pale face. I wasn’t sure any amount of therapy would help her when this was over. The corridors were eerily quiet as we advanced, the absence of gunfire more unnerving than its presence had been.

"They're regrouping. Changing tactics." Luca glanced at me, and I saw the concern in his eyes.

We reached the hallway leading to Mina's room, and my blood ran cold. The door stood open, two men in tactical gear moving methodically through her belongings. They hadn't seen us yet.

"They're looking for clues to where she might be," Luca whispered. "Personal items, favorite toys."

Something primal rose in me at the sight of strangers pawing through my daughter's things. "Take her." I passed Mina to Luca. To my surprise, she went willingly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

I pulled the gun from my waistband, checking the safety as Luca had shown me. The weight felt strange in my hand, but my grip was steady. I took a deep breath, then stepped into view.

"Get away from my daughter's things."

The men whirled, weapons raising. I fired before they could, adrenaline and maternal fury guiding my aim.

The first shot went wide, but the second caught one man in the shoulder, spinning him against the wall.

Luca appeared beside me, holding Mina securely behind him with one arm while he fired with his free hand.

His shots were more accurate than mine—two clean hits that left both men crumpled on the floor.

"Cover the door," Luca instructed as we entered the room. "I'll check the bathroom and closet."

I stood guard, gun raised, as Luca cleared the remaining spaces. Mina stayed pressed against his leg, her trust in him both touching and terrifying. What did it say about our situation that my five-year-old felt safe with a killer?

"Clear.” Luca returned to my side. "We need to secure the door. They'll be back with reinforcements."

Together, we dragged a heavy cabinet in front of the door, barricading ourselves inside. Luca pushed the bed against it for good measure, then checked his phone.

"Antonio's team is engaging hostiles in the west wing. Marco's holding the main entrance. We're isolated here for now."

"Is that good or bad?" I asked, gathering Mina close.

"It means we have time to think." He moved to the window, checking the grounds below. "We can't stay here long. This room is too obvious a target."

I began gathering Mina's essential items—her favorite stuffed unicorn, a change of clothes, things Luca had asked someone to bring from our rental home the other day. As I worked, I noticed Luca's expression change as he looked at his phone.

"What is it?" Dread pooled in my stomach.

"Mateo. He's here."

I froze, confusion washing over me. "That's impossible. You killed him. I saw it happen."

Luca's gaze met mine, cold and hard. "Not Mateo himself. His namesake. His son."

"His son?" The words felt like stones in my mouth. "You never mentioned he had a son."

"Because he kept him separate from the business. Protected. Educated in Europe." Luca's jaw tightened. "Junior. Just as vicious as his father, but with a veneer of sophistication. And apparently, he's decided to claim his inheritance."

The implications hit me like a physical blow.

This wasn't just about revenge for Mateo's death.

This was about succession—about who would control the Moretti empire now that the old man was gone.

And somehow, my daughter had become a pawn in that deadly game.

They needed her to control Luca, the only other heir.

Luca's phone buzzed again. He checked it, his expression turning grim. "He's inside the mansion. Coming this way."

I looked at Mina, at her tear-stained face and trembling lips, at the trust in her eyes despite the terror surrounding us. Then I looked at Luca, at the man who had killed without remorse yet had shown my daughter nothing but gentleness.

"What now?" I asked.

Luca moved to the far wall, pressing a panel that slid open to reveal a small alcove—a panic room built into the bedroom itself.

"In here. Both of you. It's reinforced steel, with its own air supply and communication system.

Not nearly as good as the one we were going to, but in a pinch, it will do. "

I hesitated. "And you?"

His hand hovered over the panic room's latch, his shoulders tensing visibly before he squared them. "I'm going to end this. Once and for all."

"No," I said firmly, stepping closer to him. "We stay together. We fight together."

Something flickered in his eyes—surprise, perhaps, or respect. "This isn't your fight, Emory."

I raised my chin, meeting his gaze without flinching. "They came for my daughter. That makes it my fight."

For a moment, we stood locked in silent battle of wills. Then Luca nodded, a decision made.

"Then we face him together." He checked his weapon. "And God help him when we do."

“What if we left Mina in the panic room?” I asked.