PART 3: THE DUCA AMBUSH
The narrow alleyway behind Beacon Hill was choked with falling snow and ice. Dominic sprinted through the dark, his arm locked securely around Meline’s waist as his leather dress shoes slipped against the cobblestones. Behind them, three men in dark tactical gear stepped out of the broken basement door, their weapons raised.
Dominic reached into his waistband, pulled a sleek black semi-automatic pistol, and fired three precise shots without stopping his stride. Two of the figures collapsed into the snow; the third scrambled behind a brick dumpster.
"Carlo betrayed us," Dominic muttered, his voice tight as he shoved Meline into the back seat of a waiting black armored sedan that had roared around the corner, its tires screeching against the ice.
His security chief, Silas, was at the wheel, his face pale as he punched the accelerator. "Boss! The Duca family locked down the Logan Airport private terminals. Carlo gave them our secondary safehouse locations. They knew you were coming to Boston before we even landed."
Dominic climbed into the back, slamming the reinforced door just as a volley of bullets peppered the bulletproof glass, leaving white, spiderweb fractures but failing to penetrate.
Meline clutched her stomach, her heart hammering violently against her ribs. "The baby... Dominic, something’s wrong. It hurts."
Dominic’s entire demeanor shifted. The cold, ruthless mafia boss vanished, replaced by a man filled with pure, unmitigated terror. He dropped to his knees on the floor of the speeding car, his hands hovering over her stomach, shaking.
"Silas! Drive to St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center! Call our private surgical team now!" Dominic roared.
He turned back to Meline, pulling her head onto his lap, his fingers tangling in her dark hair. "Look at me, Meline. Stay with me. I didn't tear this country apart for twelve weeks just to lose you tonight. Focus on my voice."
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"You lied to me," she whispered, her vision beginning to blur as the stress of the ambush took its toll.
"I lied to protect the world from finding out you are my only weakness," Dominic said, his voice cracking as he pressed his forehead against hers. "I will burn New York to ashes before the sun rises, Meline. Just hold on."
