Chapter 14 - Chaos in Crystal
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“Marcus!” Sophia yelled into her hidden earpiece as the deafening crack of automatic gunfire echoed down the hotel corridor.
“I hear it! The Russo men jumped the gun! They’re breaching the ballroom!” Marcus’s voice roared through the static. “Sophia, get out of the VIP hallway! Move to the service elevators now!”
Panic erupted like a shockwave. Elite socialites, politicians, and mafia lieutenants scrambled over each other, screaming in terror as masked gunmen opened fire into the vaulted ceiling, showering the crowd in razor-sharp crystal from the shattered chandeliers.
Sophia kicked off her high heels, abandoning them on the plush carpet. Running barefoot in a silk gown, she sprinted toward the back service corridor.
Behind her, the doors to the VIP lounge flew open.
Adrian burst into the hallway, his pistol raised, frantically searching the chaos for her crimson dress.
“Sophia!” Adrian bellowed over the screams.
She didn't stop. She didn't look back. She rounded the corner, pushing through a panicked group of catering staff, and threw open the heavy metal door to the service stairwell.
She plunged into the dim, concrete stairwell, taking the steps two at a time. The sound of gunfire was muffled here, replaced by the frantic echoing of her own breath and the slapping of her bare feet on the cold stairs.
“I’m in the east stairwell, heading down!” Sophia yelled into the earpiece.
“I’m pulling the SUV to the loading dock,” Marcus replied. “Keep moving. Do not stop until you see my headlights.”
She reached the third-floor landing when the door above her burst open with a violent crash. Heavy combat boots pounded down the stairs.
“There she is! The girl in the red dress!” a rough voice shouted in Russian.
Dante hadn't just brought his own men; he had hired mercenaries to ensure there were no witnesses.
Sophia’s blood ran cold. She pushed her burning legs faster, vaulting over the last few steps of each flight. The heavy footsteps behind her were gaining ground.
She reached the ground floor, slamming her body against the crash bar of the exit door.
She tumbled out into the cavernous, dimly lit underground parking garage. The air smelled of exhaust and damp concrete.
“Marcus, I’m in the garage!” Sophia gasped, scrambling behind a concrete pillar just as the stairwell door burst open behind her.
Two mercenaries stepped into the garage, raising their assault rifles, scanning the shadows.
“Flush her out,” one of them ordered.
Sophia pressed her back against the cold concrete, clutching her useless silk clutch to her chest, squeezing her eyes shut. She had outsmarted Adrian. She had negotiated with Valentina. But you couldn't outsmart a bullet.
A sleek black SUV suddenly roared around the corner, its headlights blinding the mercenaries.
Marcus didn't hit the brakes. He accelerated, the heavy armored vehicle slamming directly into the two gunmen with a sickening crunch. The mercenaries were thrown across the garage, incapacitated instantly.
Marcus slammed on the brakes, throwing the passenger door open.
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“Get in!” he roared.
Sophia broke cover and dove into the SUV. Before she could even close the door, Marcus slammed his foot on the gas, tires screeching as the heavy vehicle tore out of the parking garage and launched into the chaotic Manhattan night.
