2aThe Mafia Boss Abandoned His Wife for His Secretary — Five Years Later, He Found Her With Twins Inside His Own Luxury Hotel

The peace lasted less than ten minutes.

"Boss," Marco said, his voice dropping into the flat, deadly pitch of an active combat alert.

Dominic didn't look up from Mia, who was now breathing normally, resting her head against his shoulder. "What is it?"

"We have four black SUVs blocking both ends of the street outside," Marco reported, his hand sliding inside his jacket, drawing a suppressed automatic pistol with mechanical efficiency. "No plates. Heavy window tint. It’s Carraro’s primary hit squad. They jammed the local cellular frequencies thirty seconds ago."

Natalie gasped, scrambling to her feet, her maternal terror instantly reigniting. "What? How did they find us?"

"Elena," Dominic growled, his entire demeanor shifting instantly from a grieving father back into an apex predator.

He gently transferred Mia into Natalie’s arms, standing up to his full height. His eyes burned with murderous, apocalyptic rage.

"Marco. What’s our exit?"

"The south courtyard leads to an underground maintenance tunnel connecting to the parish rectory," Marco said, motioning toward the four Moretti guards stationed at the side doors. "The car is out front, but it’s a kill box. If we step onto the front steps, we’ll be under sniper fire from the rooftops across the street."

*Crash!*

The high, stained-glass windows along the north transept shattered in an explosion of colored crystal and lead framing.

Tear gas canisters slammed onto the stone floor, hissing violently, spewing thick, acrid white clouds into the vaulted ceiling.

"Move!" Dominic roared.

Automatic gunfire erupted, the deafening *clack-clack-clack* of assault rifles chewing through the ancient oak doors of the cathedral. Wood splinters flew like shrapnel through the air.

Dominic grabbed Natalie by the waist with his left arm, physically shielding her and Mia with his own body, while his right hand scooped Leo off his feet, tucking the boy securely against his hip.

"Head down! Cover your eyes!" Dominic commanded over the roar of gunfire.

"Mommy!" Mia shrieked, burying her face into Natalie’s neck.

Leo didn't scream. He buried his fingers into Dominic’s lapel, his face pressed against Dominic’s chest, feeling the terrifying, thunderous beat of his father’s heart.

Two Moretti guards returned fire down the central aisle, their weapons barking with sharp, rhythmic cracks, providing covering fire as smoke began to choke the nave.

"To the rectory! Go! Go!" Marco yelled, firing two rounds through the smoke, dropping an advancing gunman dressed in tactical gear who had breached the side window.

Dominic sprinted toward the south courtyard exit, carrying Leo, his broad frame entirely blocking Natalie and Mia from the spray of bullets biting into the stone pillars behind them.

They burst through the heavy iron side door into the narrow, rain-slicked courtyard.

The cold rain hit them instantly, washing away the stinging tear gas. Across the courtyard stood the low, arched door leading to the maintenance tunnels.

"Almost there!" Dominic shouted, urging Natalie forward. "Keep running, Natalie! Do not look back!"

From the rooftop of the rectory above them, a figure leaned over the parapet.

Dario Carraro.

He held a customized tactical rifle, a sadistic grin stretching across his scarred face as he lined up his sights directly on Natalie’s back.

"Moretti!" Dario’s voice echoed over the rain and gunfire. "Say goodbye to your family!"

Dominic looked up.

Time slowed to an absolute crawl.

He saw the barrel of the rifle aligning with the center of Natalie’s spine. He saw Dario’s finger tightening on the trigger. There was no time to draw his weapon. There was no time to push them through the door.

There was only one choice.

Dominic thrust Leo into Natalie’s arms with a violent, desperate shove that propelled her, Mia, and the boy through the rectory doorway into the safety of the stone tunnel.

*Crack!*

The high-caliber rifle round screamed through the air.

Dominic twisted his body, throwing himself directly into the path of the bullet.

The impact sounded like a sledgehammer hitting wet concrete.

The bullet struck Dominic high on his left shoulder, tearing through muscle, bone, and flesh. The force of the round spun him around, his blood spraying hot and crimson across the wet courtyard flagstones.

"Dominic!" Natalie’s scream tore through the rain, raw, agonizing, and filled with a terror she hadn't known she possessed.

Dominic hit the wet stone on his knees, his vision exploding into a constellation of white, blinding agony. Blood poured down his arm, soaking through his white shirt, turning the fabric a deep, glistening red.

Up on the roof, Dario racked another round, grinning as he aimed directly for Dominic’s forehead. "End of the line, Boss—"

*BAM! BAM! BAM!*

Three heavy, thunderous shots rang out from behind Dominic.

Marco emerged from the doorway, holding a high-caliber revolver with both hands. Two rounds struck Dario Carraro square in the chest, shattering his tactical vest, while the third tore through his neck.

Dario’s eyes rolled back. His body flipped over the parapet, crashing onto the courtyard flagstones twenty feet below with a sickening crunch, lifeless and broken.

"Threat eliminated!" Marco roared, scanning the perimeter. "Tunnel is clear! Reinforcements are thirty seconds out!"

Dominic swayed on his knees, his breath coming in ragged, bloody gasps. The courtyard was spinning. His strength was bleeding out onto the cold stone.

Footsteps splashed frantically through the puddles.

Natalie was there.

She dropped to her knees in the rain and blood, her hands frantic as she pressed them against the gaping wound on his shoulder, trying desperately to stem the arterial flow.

"Dominic! Dominic, look at me!" she cried, her tears mingling with the cold rain on his pale face. "Stay awake! Do you hear me? Stay awake!"

Dominic forced his heavy eyelids open.

He looked up at her through a gray haze of pain. Even soaked in rain, her hair plastered to her cheeks, her face twisted in grief, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Slowly, with his uninjured right hand, Dominic reached up, his trembling, blood-stained fingers gently touching her wet cheek.

"The children..." Dominic gasped, blood bubbling at the corner of his lips. "Are they... safe?"

"They're safe! They're inside with Marco!" Natalie sobbed, leaning down, pressing her forehead against his, her hands soaked in his blood. "You idiot! You absolute fool! Why did you jump in front of the bullet?!"

A faint, broken smile touched Dominic’s lips.

"Because..." Dominic whispered, his vision fading to black, "you are... my family. And this time... I didn't let you fall."