Chapter 5 - Ambush in the Dark
The shock of Nora’s revelation hung in the air like a physical blow.
Dominic didn’t speak for a long, agonizing minute. His face turned an ashen, lethal shade of grey, the veins along his temples throbbing with suppressed fury.
“He knew,” Dominic whispered, the words sounding like glass grinding together. “He knew where she was all along. He kept her hidden right under my nose, waiting to see if I’d ever piece it together, or using her as a silent insurance policy.”
“Insurance against what?” Nora asked.
“Against my complete ruthlessness,” Dominic said grimly. “Rourke always knew that if he crossed me, I’d tear his throat out. But if he had my lost sister—the one ghost I spent a decade hunting—he had a leash on me he could pull whenever he needed to bend my operations.”
Before Nora could process the horrifying tactical reality of Rourke’s betrayal, a sharp, piercing sound echoed through the safehouse.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
The digital perimeter security console on the study wall flashed a frantic crimson warning.
Dominic moved with terrifying speed. He drew a silenced 9mm pistol from his shoulder holster, checking the chamber with a practiced click.
“Stay here,” he ordered, his eyes locking onto hers with absolute intensity.
“Dominic, what is it?”
“Perimeter breach,” Dominic said, tapping his comms earpiece. “Prescott? Report.”
Static hissed through the earpiece for a second before Prescott’s voice came back, clipped and urgent. “Boss, we’ve got multiple armed units hitting the north and south gates simultaneously. They aren’t local cops. They’re carrying suppressed submachine guns. It’s Rourke’s cleanup crew.”
“How did they find this location?” Dominic demanded, sliding toward the heavy oak door.
“They must have tracked the vehicle’s GPS beacon or intercepted our frequency,” Prescott replied. “There are at least twelve of them, boss. They’re moving fast.”
Nora stood up from the armchair, clutching the wool blanket around her. “They’re here for the ledger... and they’re here for me.”
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Dominic looked back at her, his jaw set in stone. “They won’t get past the foyer. Lock this study from the inside. If I don't come back in twenty minutes, open the floor safe behind the bookcase—there’s a passport, cash, and a satellite phone inside. Run.”
“I’m not running, Dominic,” Nora said, her amber-green eyes flashing with fierce, unmistakable defiance. “I’ve spent fourteen years running from men like Rourke. Tonight, we finish it.”
