Chapter 50 Chapter Fifty
Nikolai's POV
The firefight lasted minutes that felt like hours. Moretti’s men finally overwhelmed the attackers and pushed them back. Dead bodies lay across the marble floor, blood seeping into the white tiles. Father cursed under his breath, wiping blood from his sleeve.
When the last gunman fell, I immediately went back for Elena, Shannon, and Carson. “Open the door,” I called lowly. The lock clicked, and Elena swung it open. Her eyes found mine instantly, relief, fear, and something deeper flickering in them. She was happy that I was safe. I lowered my gaze; I didn’t let myself linger. “Come out. It’s clear.”
"Are you sure?" Carson asked, and I nodded. The young man is scared; yet another spoiled adult that Don Valkor Moretti had trained.
"Yes, it's safe."
"Fine, go on, I will just use the restroom," Carson said.
"Don't stay too long?" Elena said while Shannon stepped out, but as soon as she did she yelped. I saw it in an instant. A broken shard of glass on the floor, her foot had landed right on it. “Shannon!” Elena cried.
Shannon looked down, big mistake. Blood was pouring from her foot. Her face went pale, too pale, and my gaze went to her, then it clicked. In their conversation, Elena said she was scared of blood. She is hemophobic, "don't look," Elena screamed, but it was too late, she already did.
“Oh no,” she whispered faintly before swaying. She passed out instantly. Before she hit the floor, Don Valkor lunged forward, catching her in his arms with surprising gentleness for a man who had just shot three men in the chest minutes ago, not talking about those his bullet had hit.
“Shannon!” he barked, shaking her slightly, worry ripping across his features.
Carson rushed toward them at full speed. “What happened?”
Don Alessandro, my father stepped in, guiding them toward the mansion’s inner sitting room. “Bring her inside. Quickly.” Then he turned to one of the maids, "Get the first aid kit."
Moretti carried Shannon like she weighed nothing, lowering her onto a couch. He cupped her cheek, tapping gently. “Shannon, tesoro, wake up. Come on. Wake up.” His voice held panic. My eyes snapped to Matteo, who looked surprised at the nickname. Amara didn’t miss it, like the rest of us.
She stood at the side, arms crossed, eyes dark with jealousy. Her glare was fixed wholly on Shannon, not her injury. Useless woman, she couldn't even feel a little empathy for the injured girl. “Dad!” Elena said desperately, “Make the blood stop!”
Moretti pulled off his jacket, using it to apply pressure to Shannon’s foot. “I will, baby, but she needs to wake up first.”
Oh yeah! This man seems to know how to tame this little one. Carson grabbed a nearby glass of water and splashed it on Shannon’s face. Her eyes flew open instantly. “Ahhh!” she screamed as the pain struck her.
Moretti held her shoulders down gently. “Easy, tesoro. Easy.”
Carson knelt beside her, stroking her arm, and hair soothingly. “Hey, hey, breathe. I’m here.”
Moretti’s jaw clenched at the sight of his younger brother touching Shannon so intimately. But he didn’t say a word. Didn’t push him away. Didn’t object.
Interesting! These two brothers are falling for the same girl. His eyes were burning though, he didn't say a word. Shannon whimpered. “It hurts. It really hurt! ahh!”
Moretti examined the wound and cursed sharply. “The glass is lodged deep. I need to remove it.”
“No, no, no!” Shannon cried, trying to pull away, but Carson held her still, murmuring to her softly.
“Shh, Shannon, it’s okay. I’m here. You will be okay.” I could feel Moretti's emotions; he hated the way his brother was doting on her. I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his nostrils flared. But he swallowed whatever he wanted to say and focused on her foot.
He took a breath and pulled the shard out. Shannon screamed again, and Elena covered her mouth, flinching. Moretti immediately pressed cloth to the wound to stop the bleeding. Then he bandaged it tightly, his touch surprisingly gentle for such a brutal man. When he finished, he leaned back, breathing heavily. “It’s done.”
Shannon’s chest rose and fell in shaky breaths. Carson still held her hand, thumb stroking lightly. Pecking her forehead to calm her, he said, "I told you, you would be fine." He whispered, and Elena ran her hand through Shannon's hair.
"Does it still hurt?" Shannon shakes her head at Elena. Everyone was so focused on Shannon that they didn’t notice Amara's expression, even though Don Moretti didn't say anything. I know, he was dying to ask this question; his daughter and brother were asking.
That finally pushed Amara over the edge. Her voice cut through the room, sharp and venomous. “How clumsy can one girl be? Only Shannon can turn a party into a medical emergency. Isn't it bad enough that those masked gunmen attack us, and now, this drama?”
Elena stepped forward instantly, fire in her eyes. “She stepped on broken glass! It was an accident.”
Amara’s lips curled. “Accident or incompetence, aren't they the same thing?”
“Shut up,” Elena snapped. My eyes bulge surprise written all over my face. Did she just ask her father's girlfriend to keep quiet?
Amara arched a brow. “Elena, did you just ask me to keep quiet?"
"You were speaking nonsense, you know you should, just keep quiet if you have nothing useful to say," Elena repeated the same words.
"Valkor!" Amara snapped, Moretti run his hand on his temple.
"Why are you calling father? You want him to support you for doing something wrong? Shannon hurt her feet, the least you could do was show concern, or keep quiet if you can't.""
"Oh? Defending the nanny now? How noble.”
Elena moved closer, fists clenched. “You have no right to speak to her like that...""
“Enough.” Moretti’s voice cracked like a whip. Both women froze. “No more arguing,” he said, eyes hard. “Not now.” Amara huffed but stayed quiet, lips pressed tight. I would’ve focused on Moretti’s expression, on Carson’s protective behavior, or on Shannon still trembling but I felt it.
Someone was staring at me; it wasn't someone, it was Elena. I tilted my gaze, and then I saw her. She was watching intently, and having that worried expression. My brows furrow, wondering what is wrong. Her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to speak, but no sound came out, Her eyes glistened with something raw, but before she could say a word, Moretti's voice came up.
"Go pack your bags we are leaving."