Page 35 of Maximum Bet

Our group shifts toward the middle of the room while my men switch to monitor the twelfth floor.

“Now what?” Sadie asks, wringing her hands as she shuffles closer to Lucas.

“We get ready for a fight.” I shrug, retrieving my gun from my waist holster. Marco and Lucas follow suit.

Cassandra sighs, grabbing my attention as she reaches under her dress and between her legs, pulling a tiny derringer from a thigh holster. “Let’s do this.”

My mouth drops open, and my eyebrows hit my hairline before a growl escapes my throat.

“Fuck no.”

Chapter 14

Dominic

“What?” Cassandra snaps. “Do you want me to sit and wait to be abducted again?”

I look toward Marco and Leo for backup, but I get a shrug from my brother and a brow raise from my adviser.

“She’s got a point,” Leo mutters.

I lock my jaw as I glare at him. “Not happening.”

“Not your choice,” Cassandra quips. “You know I’m a great shot. I don’t even have to go fightwithyou, just let me stay here and protect the security hub.”

“We don’t have time to take the women anywhere else,” Lucas says, nodding toward the monitors.

Collectively, our attention turns to the screens. The Bratva-cartel associates are sprinting through the twelfth floor toward the east stairwell.

A growl emanates from my chest. “Fine. But you’re the last line of defense,” I tell Cassandra. “I have over a dozen men in here who will fight to protect you.” I wave my hand across the room at the guards gathered around.

A few legitimate employees watch shell-shocked as my Romano-Tariello soldiers check their weapons and wait for instructions. After this, I’ll have Leo remind the civilians they signed NDAs.

“Lucas, split the team into cells.” I point toward the men in front of me. “You seven, come with me.”

I lean down and pull my Smith and Wesson from my ankle holster. I have a smaller Glock in a pocket holster for backup.

Lucas barks orders through his earpiece, while Marco forms a game plan and quickly debriefs us. Leo fetches more earpieces and hands them to me, Marco, and a few soldiers. He gives the final one to Cassandra.

She smiles and mumbles, “Thank you,” as she turns it on.

I release a gust of air and shake my head. Stepping close and taking hold of her arm, I mutter, “I don’t like this.”

“There are four of them and an army of you. What’s the likelihood that they’ll get to me?”

Marco butts in. “As likely as it is for them to have their own army waiting outside.”

She sucks her lip between her teeth, doe eyes connecting with mine, finally understanding the gravity of the situation.

“Just stay here,” I command and turn to leave.

“Dominic, wait.” Cassandra grabs my hand and pulls me toward her. “I love you, be careful.” She grasps the base of my neck and tugs my hair as she lifts to her toes to place a searing kiss on my lips.

Every ounce of my being wants to wrap my arms around her and press into her warm, soft body. Instead, with great willpower, I break the kiss, stare deep into her eyes, and say, “I love you. I’ll be back soon.”

“Let’s go,” Marco shouts after kissing Amanda. With our soldiers following, Marco, Lucas, and I take off.

In the hallway outside the security hub, I place two guards and grab three more. Between them, the ones we left in the hub, Leo, and . . . Cassandra, the girls are covered.