Chapter 7 - Unmasked
Adrian stared at Claire, his eyes widening in rare, genuine shock.
"Claire?" he breathed, his voice barely audible over the roaring gunfire echoing outside in the gardens.
"Duck!" Claire barked.
Adrian instantly dropped beneath the edge of the mahogany desk as another burst of automatic fire tore through the drywall above his head. Claire rolled smoothly across the carpet, picked up an assault rifle dropped by a fallen guard, and fired a controlled three-round burst through the shattered window, taking down two advancing mercenaries.
"You're not a maid," Adrian said, coming up beside her, his weapon leveled at the patio doorway.
"And you're not a very good judge of domestic help," Claire fired back smoothly, ejecting a spent magazine and slamming a fresh one into her rifle. "Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Agent Bennett."
Adrian let out a dark, breathless laugh despite the bullets tearing his office apart. "The federal government sent a killer to sweep my floors?"
"I was sent to secure your ledger, Moretti," Claire said, pointing toward the leather book sitting precariously on the edge of the blood-splattered desk. "Which I am taking into federal custody as soon as we survive this."
"If we survive this," Adrian corrected, ducking as glass sprayed over them. "Carlisle brought a full strike team. They've shut down the main power grid."
"I know," Claire said calmly. "They cut the west corridor cameras at midnight. They think they have you cornered. But your perimeter guard line is compromised from the inside. Vanessa gave them the security codes."
Adrian's dark eyes hardened into pure ice. The betrayal hit him, but there was no time for grief—only survival.
"The basement service tunnel leads straight to the boathouse," Adrian said, sliding across the floor to grab the leather ledger. He tossed it through the air.
Claire caught the ledger cleanly against her chest.
"Why are you giving this to me?" she asked, surprised.
"Because if Victor's men get their hands on it, three hundred innocent people in this county die," Adrian said, stepping in front of her to cover her retreat as more mercenaries pressed into the hallway. "Get out of here, Agent Bennett. Go fulfill your duty."
Claire looked at the ruthless crime boss who was currently putting his life on the line to cover a federal agent's escape.
"I don't leave people behind, Moretti," Claire said firmly. "Even criminals."
"I'm not asking for your help, sweetheart," Adrian growled, firing three quick shots down the corridor, dropping an advancing shooter. "I'm telling you to run!"
"Too bad," Claire said, pulling a flashbang grenade from her tactical vest. "I don't take orders from you anymore."
May you like
She pulled the pin, tossed the grenade into the hallway, and grabbed Adrian by the collar of his shirt.
"Cover your eyes!" she yelled.
