CHAPTER 15: THE EXTRACTION
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Elena held her breath, her eyes darting between the loading bar and the heavy oak door. The heavy thud of a shoulder slamming against the wood echoed through the room. The security guard was trying to breach the lock.
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Elena snatched the USB drive, shoving it deep into her bodice. The door hinges groaned and splintered. She had nowhere to hide. The VIP lounge had one exit—the door currently being kicked in—and a massive set of French windows leading out to a narrow balcony overlooking the black waters of the Grand Canal, three stories below.
The oak door burst open. Two massive Russian mercenaries stormed in, their hands reaching for the silenced pistols inside their tuxedo jackets.
Elena didn't hesitate. She turned and sprinted full force toward the balcony, shattering the glass of the French doors with a nearby chair.
"Stop her!" one of the mercenaries shouted.
Elena vaulted over the stone balustrade into the freezing, empty air. The wind whipped past her ears, the midnight-blue silk of her gown billowing like a parachute. She hit the dark water of the canal feet first, plunging deep into the icy depths. The shock of the cold knocked the breath from her lungs, but her survival instinct kicked in. She kicked powerfully, breaking the surface and gasping for air.
Suddenly, a sleek, matte-black Venetian water taxi roared out from beneath a nearby stone bridge, its high-performance engine echoing off the ancient walls. At the helm was Marcus, Julian’s head of security. Julian himself was leaning over the side of the boat, his tuxedo soaked with spray, his hand outstretched.
"Elena! Take my hand!" Julian roared over the engine.
She swam fiercely toward the boat. Julian grabbed her wrist, hauling her over the edge and pulling her soaking wet body against his chest.
Gunfire erupted from the balcony above. Suppressed bullets hissed through the air, shattering the wooden trim of the boat.
"Go! Go! Go!" Julian commanded.
Marcus slammed the throttle forward. The speedboat launched across the canal, weaving violently between gondolas and stone pillars as they vanished into the labyrinth of Venice's dark waterways, leaving Volkov’s men firing blindly into the night.
Inside the cabin, Julian wrapped his own tuxedo jacket around Elena’s freezing shoulders, pulling her tightly against him. He was shaking—not from the cold, but from the sheer terror of almost losing her.
"I have it," Elena gasped, shivering violently but smiling triumphantly. She reached into her dress and produced the silver USB drive. "I have everything. His bank accounts, his shipping manifests, the names of all his corrupt politicians. We own him, Julian."
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Julian looked at the drive, then at his incredible wife. He kissed her deeply, tasting the salt water on her lips. "You are the bravest woman I have ever known. Tomorrow, we burn Alexei Volkov to the ground."
The Rossi family has the ultimate weapon! But a cornered beast is the most dangerous. Read Chapter 16 for the stunning financial counter-attack!
