Chapter 9 - The Ambush at the Plaza
Glass shattered across the marble foyer as four masked men armed with automatic pistols burst through the grand doors.
Panic exploded instantly throughout the high-society crowd as screams filled the massive ballroom.
Guests threw themselves onto the floor, knocking over champagne towers and floral arrangements in pure terror.
"Down!" Dante roared, grabbing Sophia around the waist and pulling her forcefully behind a heavy oak pillar.
Enzo and six Moretti bodyguards drew their weapons instantly, forming a human shield around Elena's table.
Muzzle flashes illuminated the grand ballroom as gunfire shattered the crystal chandeliers overhead.
Dante pulled a sleek silver pistol from his holster, his eyes completely calm and hyper-focused amidst the chaos.
"Stay behind me, Sophia," he commanded, his voice cold and commanding as he fired three precise shots.
Two of the attackers crumpled to the floor, but the remaining shooters pushed aggressively toward the VIP section.
One of the masked men circled around the side pillar, pointing his weapon directly at Sophia’s head.
Without a second thought, Sophia grabbed a heavy silver ice bucket from a nearby table and slammed it into his face.
The gunman stumbled backward, giving Dante enough time to spin around and neutralize him instantly.
Dante looked at Sophia, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and fierce, intoxicating pride.
"Remind me never to get on your bad side in a kitchen," Dante said, a dark smile breaking across his face.
The remaining attackers fled into the night as sirens began wailing in the distance along Fifth Avenue.
Enzo rushed over, his suit jacket torn, looking frantically at Dante and Sophia.
"It was the Lucchese family, boss," Enzo reported breathlessly. "They were trying to take Mrs. Moretti."
Dante’s smile vanished instantly, replaced by a terrifying, murderous rage that chilled the air around them.
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He looked at Sophia, pulling her tight against his chest as police sirens filled the night sky outside.
"They touched my family," Dante growled softly. "Now I burn their world to the ground."
