The attack came at 2:13 in the morning.
I remember the exact time because Lily had just fallen asleep against my chest.
The house was silent.
Rain tapped against the windows.
Jude, Matteo, and Gabriel were sleeping in bassinets positioned near my bed because Roman’s medical team wanted them observed overnight.
For the first time in days, the world felt calm.
Then every light went out.
Not dimmed.
Gone.
The emergency system should have activated instantly.
It didn’t.
I sat upright.
“Roman?”
No answer.
Then somewhere downstairs, glass shattered.
A gunshot followed.
My blood turned cold.
Another shot.
Then shouting.
The nursery door opened.
I almost screamed.
Roman stepped inside.
Black shirt.
No shoes.
Gun in one hand.
“Get up.”
I clutched Lily.
“What’s happening?”
“Security breach.”
My stomach dropped.
“How?”
“Someone cut the backup power.”
He moved toward the bassinets.
“We have to go.”
Another burst of gunfire echoed from downstairs.
The babies woke.
All three began crying.
Roman lifted Jude and Matteo.
I grabbed Gabriel with my free arm while holding Lily against the other side of my body.
Four babies.
Two adults.
Gunmen inside the house.
Roman pushed open a hidden panel behind the nursery bookshelf.
A narrow passage appeared.
“Go.”
I stared.
“You have secret tunnels?”
“Claire.”
“Right.”
I entered.
Roman followed and sealed the panel.
The passage was dark except for red emergency lights.
The babies screamed.
Lily began crying too.
Roman’s face tightened.
“Where does this go?” I asked.
“Old service tunnel beneath the estate.”
“To where?”
“Garage two.”
“Is that safe?”
“No.”
At least he was honest.
We moved quickly.
The tunnel smelled like concrete and dust.
My bare feet hurt.
Gabriel’s crying became frantic.
I wanted to stop and comfort him.
Roman wouldn’t let me.
“Keep moving.”
A radio attached to his waistband crackled.
Salvatore’s voice.
“North entrance compromised.”
Roman pressed the transmitter.
“Status?”
“Six intruders confirmed. Maybe more.”
“Kincaid?”
“We don’t know.”
“Mother Bennett?”
“Secure with medical staff in the lower room.”
I breathed again.
Roman looked at me.
“She’s safe.”
“For now.”
“Yes.”
We reached a steel door.
Roman entered a code.
Nothing happened.
“Damn it.”
“What?”
“Electronic lock is dead.”
He handed me Jude.
Suddenly I had Lily against my shoulder and two newborns in my arms while Gabriel cried beside me in a carrier.
Roman pulled a metal tool from a wall box.
“You keep crowbars in your secret tunnels?”
“Emergency pry bar.”
“That’s a crowbar.”
Roman almost smiled despite everything.
Then bullets struck the other side of the tunnel.
Concrete dust exploded behind us.
Roman turned instantly and covered us with his body.
“Down!”
I dropped to my knees.
The babies screamed.
Roman fired twice into the darkness.
Someone shouted.
Then silence.
Roman turned back to the door and forced the pry bar into the frame.
“Come on.”
The metal groaned.
I looked down at the babies.
“Roman.”
He strained harder.
“Roman.”
“What?”
“Jude stopped crying.”
He froze.
I pulled Jude closer.
His face looked pale.
Too pale.
Roman dropped the bar.
“No.”
He took Jude from me.
The baby’s eyes were closed.
His breathing was shallow.
Roman’s expression became pure terror.
“Jude.”
He tapped the baby’s cheek.
“Son.”
Nothing.
“Roman, give him to me.”
He did.
I checked Jude’s mouth.
No obstruction.
Breathing present.
Weak.
“Stress,” I whispered.
“Is he—”
“He’s breathing.”
Roman looked almost sick.
“We need to move.”
The steel door finally gave.
We entered a underground garage.
A black SUV waited.
The driver door opened.
Salvatore.
“Get in!”
Roman loaded us into the rear seat.
“Where’s Claire’s mother?”
“Second vehicle.”
“Medical team?”
“With her.”
The garage door began opening.
Then headlights appeared outside.
A vehicle blocked the exit.
Salvatore swore.
Roman looked at me.
“Stay down.”
He stepped out.
“No!”
He looked back.
“Claire.”
“You said you wouldn’t leave them.”
“I’m not.”
“Then don’t go out there!”
Before he could answer, a voice came through the garage.
“Roman!”
A man stood behind the headlights.
Tall.
Gray coat.
Umbrella despite the rain.
Silas Kincaid.
I recognized him from Elena’s photograph.
Roman became completely still.
“Silas.”
Kincaid smiled.
“You always were difficult to visit.”
Roman moved slightly, blocking the SUV.
“What do you want?”
“The drive.”
“You’re not getting it.”
“Then I want the children.”
My heart stopped.
Roman’s voice dropped.
“You say that again, and you die here.”
Kincaid laughed.
“Your house is compromised. Half your guards are down. And you still think you control the room.”
Roman lifted his gun.
So did several men around Kincaid.
I clutched the babies.
This was impossible.
One wrong movement and everyone would die.
Then Kincaid looked toward the SUV.
“Is that her?”
Roman’s body stiffened.
“The wet nurse?”
Rage flashed across Roman’s face.
Kincaid smiled wider.
“You really are predictable. Elena dies, and within days you replace her.”
“Shut your mouth.”
“Oh, I touched something.”
Kincaid’s gaze shifted toward me.
“You should leave him while you can, Claire.”
Hearing my name from his mouth made my skin crawl.
“He destroys everyone he loves.”
Roman raised the gun.
“Enough.”
“Ask him how Elena died.”
Silence.
Roman’s face changed.
Kincaid saw it.
“You didn’t tell her?”
My heart pounded.
“Tell me what?”
Roman didn’t move.
Kincaid continued.
“Elena’s complications weren’t random.”
Roman looked as if he had been struck.
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying someone interfered with her medication.”
The garage went silent.
Roman’s voice became almost inaudible.
“You killed her.”
Kincaid tilted his head.
“I said someone.”
Roman lunged.
Salvatore caught him.
“Roman!”
Gunfire exploded.
Not from Roman.
From behind Kincaid.
One of Kincaid’s men collapsed.
Then another.
Security forces poured into the outer driveway.
Kincaid spun.
Roman shouted, “Move!”
Salvatore jumped into the SUV.
Roman climbed in.
We accelerated through the opening while gunfire erupted behind us.
I covered Lily’s head.
Roman pressed himself over Jude, Matteo, and Gabriel.
The vehicle tore through the rain.
For several miles, nobody spoke.
Then Roman said, “He killed Elena.”
I looked at him.
“You don’t know that yet.”
“He knew.”
“That’s not proof.”
“He knew.”
Roman’s eyes were empty.
I reached across the babies and touched his wrist.
“Roman.”
He looked at my hand.
Then at me.
“Don’t become what he wants you to become.”
“What does that mean?”
“He wants you angry.”
“I am angry.”
“He wants you reckless.”
Roman looked away.
The SUV crossed into Virginia.
Jude stirred.
A tiny cry escaped him.
Roman immediately looked down.
Alive.
Safe.
For now.
We reached another property just before dawn.
Smaller.
Hidden behind trees.
Roman carried Jude inside.
I followed.
Doctors examined the babies.
Jude had suffered exhaustion and mild dehydration, but his heart and lungs were stable.
Roman sat beside his crib for hours.
He never moved.
At sunrise, I brought him coffee.
He didn’t touch it.
“Roman.”
No response.
I sat beside him.
“Kincaid wanted you to hear that.”
“I know.”
“He wants you to blame yourself.”
“I should.”
“No.”
“I knew Elena had enemies.”
“You didn’t know this.”
“I should have.”
“You cannot protect someone from a danger they never tell you about.”
Roman looked at me.
His eyes were red.
“What if I had been different?”
“You mean if she hadn’t been afraid you’d start a war?”
He flinched.
I continued carefully.
“Then be different now.”
He stared at Jude.
“Different how?”
“Give Elena what she asked for.”
He looked confused.
“Protect the boys.”
“I am.”
“Not your empire.”
The words hurt him.
I saw it.
But he listened.
“You have a choice,” I said. “You can fight Kincaid the way he expects.”
Roman looked at me.
“Or?”
“Or you can destroy him without becoming him.”
A long silence.
Then Roman asked, “How?”
I glanced toward Elena’s encrypted drive sitting on the table.
“With the truth.”
And for the first time, Roman Vale began planning a war that did not require a single bullet.
---