Chapter 5 - The Siege of Capitol HillAt 7:15 AM, a heavy, gray rain swept across the hills of Seattle, battering the pavement outside my quiet apartment complex in Capitol Hill.
Sitting in the rear seat of a black armored Maybach, flanked by two armed Moretti vehicles, I held a pair of tactical binoculars to my eyes, my heart hammering against my ribs.
Beside me sat Dante. He wore a dark wool coat over his medical bandages, his jaw set tight, a heavy silenced sidearm resting on his lap as he watched the live security feed streaming to his tablet.
Standing near the front entrance of my apartment building were three men wearing dark raincoats—Marcus Vance's scouts, sent to secure secondary leverage against the Moretti family.
"They don't know she's my daughter yet," Dante spoke smoothly, his voice cool, flat, and lethal. "Vance thinks you're just the ER doctor who saved my life last night. He sent his scouts to grab you for ransom."
"My neighbor Kate is inside with Mia right now," I rasped out, my hands shaking against the binoculars. "If those men break through that door—"
"They won't reach the stairs, Claire," Dante promised.
He raised his satellite phone to his ear. "Marco. Execute."
Within three seconds, four unmarked black SUVs pulled cleanly onto the quiet residential street, blocking both ends of the alleyway.
Ten Moretti operators—dressed in crisp tactical suits—stepped out into the rain, moving with terrifying, military precision. Before Vance's three scouts could even draw their sidearms, they were surrounded, disarmed, and forced onto their knees flat against the wet pavement in complete silence.
The entire operation took less than forty seconds. Zero gunshots were fired.
I let out a long, shuddering breath, dropping the binoculars onto my lap, tears of pure, weightless relief flooding my eyes.
May you like
Dante turned his head slowly, looking at me with a look of profound, quiet respect. He reached out his broad, calloused hand, taking my cold fingers into his warm palm.
"Your apartment is secure, Claire," Dante whispered softly. "Let's go meet our daughter."
