Chapter 6 - Crossfire
Clara didn't hesitate. The absolute authority in Julian’s voice bypassed her rational brain. She slid out of the booth and crouched onto the sticky linoleum floor just as the diner’s front window shattered into a thousand pieces.
Deafening gunfire erupted.
Julian flipped the heavy diner table with a massive surge of strength, creating a steel-legged barricade for Clara. He drew a suppressed Glock from his holster and returned fire with terrifying, mechanical precision.
Two of the attackers dropped instantly, clutching their chests. The remaining two scrambled behind the counter, screaming in a foreign language.
"Victor!" Julian roared into a comms device on his wrist. "Front door! Now!"
Tires screeched outside. The Maybach slammed into the front of the diner, crushing the entrance. Victor and another guard poured out, tactical rifles raised, laying down heavy suppression fire. The remaining two attackers fled through the back kitchen door, shattering dishes as they ran.
Silence fell over the diner, save for the hiss of the espresso machine and the ringing in Clara’s ears.
Julian knelt beside her, his large hands gripping her shoulders. His eyes rapidly scanned her body for blood. "Are you hit? Clara, look at me. Are you hit?"
"I'm... I'm fine," Clara stammered, her whole body trembling as she looked at the shattered glass raining down around them.
Julian pulled her tight against his chest, shielding her with his body as he stood up. "They weren't here for me," he growled to Victor, his eyes blazing with a demonic fury. "They were tracking the car. They saw her."
May you like
"The Romanos?" Victor asked grimly.
"Yes," Julian snarled, tightening his grip on Clara. "Which means they know I brought her here. She’s a target now." He looked down at Clara, his jaw set in stone. "You don't have a choice anymore, Clara. You belong to me until this is over."
