Would I need bullets?
“There’s a panic room off the office. I chose this building because of its structural integrity. It’s not going to fall no matter how many explosives they plant.”
A panic room?
“There’s been a panic room this whole time?” I shouted at him, reminiscing on my near-death experience with two assailants a few weeks ago.
“I had it installed after the incident. They just completed it within the last week.”
“I didn’t notice anyone,” I remarked.
“I didn’t let them on the premises while you were here,” he scoffed coolly. “You think I would trust unknown men in this house with you? They were only permitted to come while we were out working.”
I exhaled a long breath. “Okay, we need to get Callum first. My gun is on the dresser in there,” I said, moving toward the doorway.
His hand wrapped around my wrist and pulled me back. His eyes were hard as he shook his head. “You’re not going first. We don’t know if anyone’s gotten into the apartment.”
“If they had, your guards would have alerted you.” But as soon as I said it, I wasn’t so sure. “Callum—”
“Stay close,” he demanded, barging through his office door. Another explosion came from below, followed by a series of rapid gunshots. All semblance of ecstasy faded away as I realized how severe this threat could be.
Something wasn’t adding up. Why hadn’t Matteo been getting calls and texts from his guards after the first explosion?
“We need to call for backup,” I whispered from behind him.
“I texted Anthony. They should be on the way.”
I thought about the way he’d tucked his phone into his pocket after typing out a quick message after getting dressed. It would have to do. Backup couldn’t be far. Not when there was likely already a call from one of the guards to alert them. There were too many people patrolling the area for this coup to work. Too many variables that Vlad and Aelita could never control. We were in the heart of Matteo’s territory.
Realistically, we should have heard word of the attack before feeling the explosions.
We should have gotten word by now that something was happening.
I grabbed the back of Matteo’s shirt and pulled him to a stop. We needed to get Callum, but we needed to know what kind of threat we were dealing with first.
And I had a really good idea of what was happening.
“Did you get any messages about the attack?” I asked. Matteo shook his head. “Did you make sure your message to Anthony went through?”
He pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced over the screen. His brows drew down, and his jaw clenched. “It didn’t.”
“Frequency jammers,” I told him. “My father used to use them every time he infiltrated a building. It ensured that no backup would be called.”
Matteo shoved his phone away and narrowed his eyes as he looked at the end of the hallway.
“Then they’re already here,” he growled, glancing back at me. “We clear the main room and block off the exits. You go and get Callum and take him to the panic room. It’s the only other door in the office.” He paused as if considering. “But my fingerprints are the only ones that will open the door.”
“I can hold them off while you get Callum,” I assured him.
“I can’t leave you alone,” he said, pursing his lips. A crash came from the main room, and I straightened. “Fuck, we don’t have time.”
Matteo and I moved in sync, rushing toward the main room and assessing the damages. The front door had been slammed open, and half a dozen men with guns had rushed inside. Matteo ducked behind the couch as they all aimed their firepower at him. I rushed past the main room and straight for the kitchen, taking another vantage as I began firing from the side.
I didn’t focus on hitting one specific man. I emptied the gun into the crowd of six men and watched them fall. Only one of them fired back, likely in an attempt to preserve his life.
They wanted me alive, and five of the six men had planned on following that order.
“Are you good?” I shouted at Matteo.