Chapter 9 - Interrogation
Nicholas kicked the bedroom door wide open.
Inside, a second masked man had Maria pinned against the wardrobe, a gloved hand clamped over her mouth, while his other hand reached toward the bed where Lucy was cowering under the blankets, screaming hysterically.
The intruder spun around, bringing his pistol up, but Nicholas was faster.
Nicholas closed the distance in two strides, grabbed the man’s gun barrel, forcing it upward as a suppressed shot punched harmlessly into the plaster ceiling. With a brutal, fluid motion, Nicholas drove his elbow straight into the attacker’s nasal bone with sickening force.
Cartilage shattered. The man choked on his own blood and stumbled back. Nicholas followed through with a devastating roundhouse kick to the man's knee, snapping the joint backward. The intruder collapsed to the hardwood floor with a muffled shriek of agony.
Nicholas placed his heavy boot directly over the man’s crushed knee, bearing down with his full weight.
“Make another sound, and I tear your leg off,” Nicholas whispered coldly.
The man groaned, clutching his ruined knee, completely incapacitated.
Behind them, Maria was trembling uncontrollably, her arms wrapped tightly around Lucy. The little girl was crying, hyperventilating into her mother’s chest, her tiny fingers clutching the yellow dress she hadn't wanted to take off.
Nicholas didn't look at them yet. He didn't want Lucy to see the darkness in his face.
Marco and two heavily armed estate guards rushed into the room, their weapons trained on the wounded infiltrator.
“Perimeter secure, boss,” Marco reported, breathing heavily. “Four dead outside. This one and the one in the hall make six. We caught one more trying to jump the south wall. He’s in the basement cellar right now.”
Nicholas lifted his boot from the groaning man’s leg. “Drag this trash down there with him. I’ll be down in five minutes.”
“Yes, sir.” The guards seized the intruder by his collar and hauled him out like a sack of garbage.
Once the room was clear of blood and threats, Nicholas tucked his gun into his shoulder holster and knelt down in front of the bed. He pulled off his leather gloves, ensuring his hands were clean before reaching out.
“Lucy,” he said softly.
The little girl slowly peeked out from Maria’s embrace. When she saw Nicholas, she lunged forward, throwing her small arms around his neck.
“Uncle Nick! Bad men came into the room!” she sobbed into his collar, her tiny body trembling like a leaf in an autumn storm. “They had masks! I was scared!”
Nicholas wrapped his powerful arms around the little girl, holding her close, feeling the fragile beat of her racing heart against his chest. He gently rested his chin against the top of her hair.
“I know, sweetheart,” he murmured, rubbing her back. “I know. But I’m here now. The bad men are gone. They will never hurt you again. I swear to you on my life.”
Maria looked at Nicholas through her tears, her face etched with terror and profound gratitude. She reached out and touched Nicholas’s sleeve. “Mr. Moretti... they were going to take her.”
“They failed,” Nicholas said, standing up and gently passing Lucy back to Maria’s arms. “Arthur is bringing blankets and warm milk to my personal master suite. You two will sleep in my room tonight. It has reinforced steel doors and bulletproof glass. No one gets in without my retinal scan.”
“Thank you... thank you,” Maria whispered.
Nicholas turned toward the door, his jaw locking into a terrifying mask of vengeance.
“Arthur,” Nicholas called as the butler appeared in the hallway.
May you like
“Sir?”
“Watch over them,” Nicholas commanded, his eyes turning to black ice. “I have some business to settle in the basement.”
