Chapter 32 Come back home
CHAPTER 32
Come back home
"She nodded, fear sharpening her senses, clinging to his arm as they moved.
The estate, once a sanctuary, now pulsed with menace.
Carl and Alex, Leo's right hand men, burly ex military with unyielding loyalty stood at the French doors.
"Perimeter breach?" Alex barked, rifle slung.
"Confirming," Leo snapped.
"Take positions.
Ruby, inside—now.
"They burst into the grand hallway, marble floors echoing their boots. Dim emergency lights flickered, casting long, jagged shadows.
Leo's radio crackled "Gate camera down. Two tangos scaling the east wall armed.
"Adrenaline surged. Gunfire erupted outside sharp pops shattering the night. Ruby's stomach dropped.
"Leo—
Go!!!! He shoved her toward Carl and Alex.
"Room top floor, panic room engaged. Protect her with your lives.
"Carl grabbed her elbow, Alex covering their rear as they sprinted up the sweeping staircase. Shouts and bursts echoed glass shattering somewhere below. The maids were all running both the hallways all looking for where to hide.
Leo commanded the order guards to lock the upstairs and protect the doors.
Ruby's mind raced, This is it. The threats are catching up. Her dad's warnings flashed stay with family, Ruby, not strangers.
But Leo wasn't a stranger.
He was her future.
They barricaded themselves in the master suite, heavy door bolting with a hydraulic hiss.
Carl checked windows, Alex monitored feeds on a tablet.
"Boss is handling it," Carl said, voice steady. "He's got a backup and route.
"Downstairs, chaos reigned. Leo moved like a predator, clearing rooms with Carl's team. Two intruders masked, tactical gear breached the east hall, suppressed rifles spitting lead.
One clipped Leo's shoulder, fire blooming, but he returned fire, dropping the first with precise headshots.
"Flank left!" he roared.
The second assailant charged, knife gleaming. Leo side stepped, slamming an elbow into the throat, then a knee to the gut. The man crumpled, zip tied in seconds. Sirens wailed distantly as police was closing in. Alex's voice crackled:
"Ruby is safe, perimeter holding.
"By dawn's first light, the estate smoldered with aftermath: shattered panes, blood smeared marble, but no fatalities on their side.
The attackers hired muscle and were cuffed and hauled away.
Leo, bandaged shoulder throbbing, climbed the stairs, exhaustion carving lines into his face.The suite door hissed open. Ruby launched from the bed, throwing herself into his arms.
Carl and Alex slipped out, giving them space.
"You're hurt," she gasped, fingers tracing the gauze.
"Just the surface," he lied, pulling her close. Their heartbeats thundered against each other wild, alive. No words needed, the night's terror had stripped them bare.
Suddenly night creeps as they sleep on each other's arms.
Ruby stirred first, Leo's warmth her lifeline. The contract had bound them, but this night drinks, dreams, danger forged something unbreakable.
His bandaged shoulder rose and fell with steady breaths, the faint scent of his cologne mingling with the metallic tang of antiseptic.
Last night's chaos gunfire, shattered glass, intruders hauled away felt like a fever dream, but the bruises on his knuckles were real.
She traced them lightly, heart aching with gratitude and something fiercer: love, raw and uncharted.
Her dad's voicemails piled up on her phone, voice cracking with pleas: Come home, Ruby. You're no longer with us, she felt guilty even if she knewexactly where she belonged.
Leo stirred, hazel eyes fluttering open. "Morning, beautiful," he murmured, voice gravelly, pulling her closer.
"Morning," she whispered,
"How's the shoulder?"
He flexed it, wincing theatrically. "Battle scar. Makes me look rugged." His hand slid down her back, igniting sparks. But duty called—his phone buzzed relentlessly on the nightstand.
Reports from the team, police debriefs, and no office summons.
The attack demanded his presence at headquarters to coordinate with investigators and tighten protocols for high profile clients.
"Work?" she asked, disappointment flickering.
He nodded, pecking her forehead.
"Gotta debrief the team. Those bastards were pros—linked to your family's rivals. Can't let it slide."
Reluctance shadowed his eyes; leaving her, even guarded, felt like severing a limb.
Ruby sat up, sheets pooling around her waist. An idea sparked, playful amid the tension.
"Then let me get you ready. Like a proper send off." She slipped from bed and walked closer to the closet.
Leo watched, propped on elbows, a lazy grin softening his protector’s edge.
She emerged triumphant, arms laden crisp white button down, tailored navy suit, silk tie in deep crimson—his power colors.
"Arms up, boss." Her tone teased, but her touch was reverent. She slid the shirt over his head first, careful around the bandage, fingers grazing his chest hair, tracing abs honed by relentless training. Buttons fastened slowly, her knuckles brushing his skin, sending shivers.
"You look invincible already," she breathed, eyes locking with his—another racing heartbeat of intensity, emotions electric.
Leo stood, letting her work.
At the nightstand Ruby's phone buzzed again and Leo asked anxiously.
“That phone has been ringing since I woke up,” he said, looking in her direction.
" Not important” Ruby answered and took the phone immediately
The air thickened, tense with unspoken fears—her dad's isolation, the attack's shadow.
He leaned in, pressing a soft peck to her cheek, lips warm and lingering. Goosebumps trailed in its wake.
"Promise me something?" His voice dropped, serious now, eyes piercing.
"Don't leave the house without informing me first. Text, call—anything. After last night... I can't risk you.
"She nodded, cheek tingling from his kiss, heart swelling. "I promise.
Safer here with you." Another beat of eye contact, charged like the poolside moments, before he pulled her into a fierce hug.
His heartbeat thrummed against hers again steady, alive.
Dressed impeccably thanks to her Leo grabbed his keys and holstered sidearm. Carl and Alex waited downstairs, estate swarming with extra patrols. "Be back by dinner," he said at the door, stealing one last look from her.
She stood waving from the foyer as his SUV crunched down the drive. Alone, Ruby exhaled, the house's silence amplifying her mix of joy and unease. She padded to the kitchen, brewing coffee, replaying the morning, dressing him, that peck, his command born of love, not control.
Outside, Leo gripped the wheel, mind split, Ruby's touch lingering, the office looming. Tension coiled—investigators awaited, new threats to dissect. But her promise anchored him. Their night by the pool, futures dreamed amid snacks and rosé, had shifted everything. No attack could break those shadows and safe havens. Ruby watched Leo's SUV disappear down the winding drive, the estate's gates clanging shut behind him. The peck on her cheek still burned, a tender brand amid the morning's sharpness. She touched it absently, smiling despite the sudden emptiness of the house. Carl and Alex patrolled visibly now—rifles slung, eyes scanning horizons—reminders that safety was fragile.
The attack's echoes lingered, bullet casings swept from the marble, glaziers boarding shattered windows.
Her phone vibrated—Dad's tenth voicemail.