Chapter 9 - The Fall of the Viper
The gunshot echoed like thunder in the enclosed glass room.
The bullet shattered the glass wall right where my head had been a second earlier.
Nathaniel had thrown himself across the room to shield me.
Before Marcus could fire again, Thomas rushed forward.
He tackled Marcus from the side, sending the silver gun sliding across the polished floor.
The other board members finally sprang into action, pinning Marcus down.
Sirens wailed in the distance. The police were already on their way.
Nathaniel rolled off me, his chest heaving.
“Clara,” he gasped, his hands frantically checking my arms and face. “Are you hit? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I breathed, clutching the ledger to my chest. “I’m fine.”
I looked into his eyes.
The sheer panic in his expression wasn't just a boss worrying about an employee.
It was a man terrified of losing someone he cared about.
Again.
Marcus was screaming obscenities as Thomas zip-tied his hands behind his back.
“You’ll pay for this, Nathaniel!” Marcus yelled.
Nathaniel stood up slowly. He adjusted his suit jacket, though it was now torn and covered in dust.
He walked over to Marcus and looked down at him with absolute disgust.
“No, Marcus. You are the one who is going to pay.”
Nathaniel crouched down so only Marcus could hear.
“You took Evelyn from me. You tried to take my son. And you just tried to kill the woman who saved my family.”
The elevator doors opened, and a swarm of armed SWAT officers poured into the room.
As they dragged Marcus away, Nathaniel turned back to me.
May you like
He reached down and gently pulled me to my feet.
“Let’s go get our children,” he said.
