Chapter 160: The Bullet and the Debt
Third person's POV
"I don't want your debt." Dante's voice was cold. "I want her safe. Send the fucking location."
The call ended.
Julian sat in his Geneva penthouse and stared at his phone.
I just gave her to him.
But she'd be alive.
That had to be enough.
---
Lorelei woke to the taste of blood and the smell of rust.
Her head pounded. Hands zip-tied behind her back. Mouth taped shut.
She was in a van. Moving. The road had gone from smooth to rough—potholes, gravel.
In the front seat, two men talked in low voices.
"Boss says this woman is Julian Cross's weak spot."
"Once he signs the agreement, we let her go."
"And if he doesn't?"
"Then... you know."
Lorelei's mind raced. This is about Julian. They're going to kill me to get to him.
She forced herself to think past the panic. Stay calm. Buy time.
The van stopped. Engine cut out.
Metal doors screeched. She was dragged out, knees hitting concrete hard. Someone yanked her upright and shoved her forward.
Through a rusty door. Into darkness that smelled like oil and decay.
They pushed her into a metal chair. Zip-tied her ankles. Finally ripped the tape off her mouth.
She gasped, tasting blood.
"Welcome to New York, Ms. Bennett."
A middle-aged man stepped from shadows. Expensive suit, accented English.
"Who are you?" Lorelei's voice came out hoarse.
"That's not important. What's important is Julian Cross owes my employer a debt."
"How much? I can pay—"
"This isn't about money." He smiled. "Three months ago, Cross destroyed my employer's fifty-billion-dollar deal in Southeast Asia. My employer lost everything. Now it's Cross's turn to understand loss."
Lorelei felt her stomach drop. Oh god. This is revenge.
She tried to buy time. "So your boss can't beat Julian in business, so he takes it out on women? Real brave."
His face darkened. He slapped her hard enough her head snapped sideways.
"Watch your mouth."
He pulled out a knife, pressed the tip to her cheek. Not cutting. Just threatening.
"You have a pretty face. Shame to ruin it."
His hand moved to her throat. Squeezed. Not enough to kill. Just enough to make her feel death.
Lorelei couldn't breathe. Spots danced in her vision.
He let go. She gasped.
One of his men laughed. "Shame she's gotta die. Pretty thing like that."
His phone rang. He walked to the corner.
Lorelei caught fragments: "...Cross is still in Switzerland... give him thirty more minutes..."
Her mind calculated desperately. Thirty minutes. Julian's in Geneva. Eight-hour flight. He can't get here in time.
I'm going to die.
The thought arrived with strange clarity.
Twenty-seven years old. Dying in a Brooklyn warehouse because of a business deal.
At least Mom's safe.
The man came back, face hard. "Cross refuses to negotiate."
He nodded to the man with the knife. "Do it. Let Cross know the price of defiance."
The man walked toward Lorelei. Knife glinting in the weak moonlight from a broken skylight.
She closed her eyes.
I'm sorry, Mom. I'm sorry, Cynthia.
I'm sorry, Dante.
The side door exploded.
---
The shaped charge blew the warehouse's side entrance off its hinges.
Titus and his team moved through the breach with military precision. Two men through the door, two through the windows.
"DOWN! GET ON THE GROUND!"
The kidnappers scrambled for weapons.
Gunfire erupted.
And through the chaos, Dante Ashford ran.
Not toward cover.
Straight toward Lorelei.
---
The world around Lorelei exploded.
Sound. Light. Smoke choking her lungs.
She couldn't see. Couldn't hear. Just gunfire so loud it felt like her skull would crack.
Through the smoke, a figure ran toward her. Black tactical vest. Gun raised.
They're going to shoot me, she thought.
The figure dropped to his knees in front of her.
She saw his face.
Dante.
No. Impossible. How—
He was already cutting her zip ties with a tactical knife.
"You—how are you—" she stammered.
"Don't talk. Stay close."
He pulled her to her feet.
One of the kidnappers charged from the side. The one with the knife.
Dante shoved Lorelei behind him and raised his gun.
The shot was deafening.
The man dropped.
But at the same moment, another kidnapper fired from across the warehouse.
Lorelei saw it happen in slow motion.
The bullet.
Flying toward Dante.
She tried to scream a warning but it was too late.
The bullet hit his right shoulder.
Blood exploded.
He stumbled but didn't fall.
"DANTE!" she screamed.
"Move." He grabbed her hand with his left—his right arm hanging useless, blood soaking through his shirt. "Now."
They ran.
Titus and his team had the rest under control. Dante didn't stop until they were outside, until he'd pushed Lorelei into the SUV.
Then he collapsed beside her.
---
His blood was everywhere.
On the seats. On Lorelei's hands. Soaking through the pressure she was putting on his shoulder.
"Stay awake." Her voice broke. "Dante, look at me. Don't sleep."
He opened his eyes—those gray eyes—and smiled.
"Not sleeping. Just... tired."
"You're bleeding out—"
"You're safe." His left hand came up, shaking, to touch her face. His fingers were cold. "That's what matters."
"But you—"
"Worth it." His eyes started to close. "Only needed you safe."
"No no no—DANTE!" Lorelei pressed harder but the blood wouldn't stop.
"Don't you dare leave me. Don't you fucking dare—"
His hand slipped from her face.
His eyes closed.
"DANTE!" she screamed.
---
New York-Presbyterian Hospital. 12:17 AM.
The SUV screeched to a stop. Medical staff swarmed. A gurney appeared.
Lorelei tried to follow but a nurse stopped her. "Only family—"
Titus pulled out a badge and a check. "She's family."
The nurse nodded.
Lorelei sat in the waiting area, covered in Dante's blood, and shook.
Her phone rang. Julian.
"Lorelei? Are you safe?"
"I'm okay." Her voice sounded dead. "Dante saved me."
Silence. Long and heavy.
"He's in surgery. He got shot. I don't know if—" She couldn't finish.
"I'm coming. Eight hours."
Pause.
"Lorelei... I'm sorry. I should have been there."
"It's not your fault."
But her voice was hollow.
She hung up.
---
Three hours.
Lorelei sat motionless, staring at the surgical doors. A nurse offered clean clothes. She shook her head.
Titus sat beside her. Silent.
At 3:14 AM, the doors opened.
The surgeon pulled off his mask. "Surgery was successful. Bullet's out, no major vessels hit. But he lost a lot of blood. He's not awake yet."
"Can I see him?" Lorelei asked.
The surgeon hesitated.
Titus produced another check.
"Fifteen minutes."
---
The ICU was quiet except for machines.
Dante lay in the bed, pale as the sheets. Tubes and wires connected him to things that beeped and hummed.
Lorelei walked over slowly. Sat in the chair beside him.
She took his hand—cold, limp, but alive.
"I'm sorry." The words came out broken. "This is all my fault."
Tears dripped onto their joined hands.
"If I hadn't come back to New York... if I'd stayed at the hotel... you wouldn't have—"
Her voice broke.