THE MAFIA BOSS WALKED IN EARLY AND FOUND HIS FIANCÉE HURTING HIS BABY—THEN THE NANNY’S TESTIMONY EXPOSED EVERYTHING

Julian and Maria swept back into the skyscraper, moving with lethal purpose. The building was eerily empty; Julian had ordered an evacuation under the guise of a gas leak.

They stepped into the glass-walled elevator. As they ascended past the 40th floor, Maria’s instincts flared. She shoved Julian to the ground just as a heavy-caliber sniper round shattered the reinforced glass.

CRACK!

Glass rained down on them as the bullet buried itself into the elevator's steel paneling.

"Sniper! On the adjacent rooftop!" Maria yelled, drawing her weapon and shielding Julian.

The elevator lurched, grinding to a halt between the 50th and 51st floors. The emergency lights flickered on, bathing them in crimson.

"Alexander isn't waiting for us in Switzerland," Julian growled, pulling his own weapon. "He sent a welcoming committee to finish us here."

Suddenly, the roof of the elevator cab groaned. Heavy boots landed on top of the car. Someone was prying the emergency hatch open.

Julian aimed his gun upwards. "Cover your ears."

He fired three times through the ceiling. A heavy thud was followed by blood dripping through the perforated steel. But before they could catch their breath, the elevator cables violently snapped with the screech of tearing metal.

The car plummeted.

Maria slammed her hand onto the emergency brake override panel, ripping off the cover and crossing the wires in a shower of sparks. The brakes engaged with a bone-jarring slam, stopping the car on the 32nd floor.

"Move!" Julian shouted, kicking the doors open. They tumbled out onto the marble floor just as a second sniper round tore through the shaft, severing the remaining cables. The elevator plummeted to the basement, exploding in a fireball of dust and debris.