The barrel of Vincent’s gun didn't waver. The entire ballroom held its collective breath, frozen in the split second between life and death.

Before Damian could even twitch his hand toward his own holster, a small, pink-lit figure darted out from the service corridor behind the dais.

Lila.

She had slipped out of the upper suite, evading the guards in her relentless determination to find us. She ran straight onto the grand ballroom floor, her bright yellow shoes squeaking against the polished marble, holding her cloth rabbit out like a shield.

“Lila, no!” I screamed, horror tearing through my chest as I lunged forward.

Vincent sneered, instantly shifting the aim of his revolver downward toward my daughter. “Get out of my way, brat!”

Damian moved with terrifying, superhuman speed. The pain in his chest, the poison in his blood, the weakness in his limbs—all of it vanished beneath a tidal wave of protective fury. He threw his entire body forward, slamming into Vincent just as the trigger was pulled.

Bang!

The gunshot echoed like thunder off the vaulted ceilings, embedding a bullet harmlessly into the wooden paneling above the door.

Damian and Vincent crashed hard to the marble floor, rolling over in a violent, desperate struggle for the weapon. Vincent struck Damian across the temple with the butt of the gun, drawing a stream of dark blood, but Damian caught Vincent’s wrist in an iron grip, twisting it back until bone cracked with a sickening snap.

Vincent screamed in agony, the revolver clattering across the floor and sliding away into the shadows.

Heavy boots swarmed the dais as Damian’s loyal guards descended on Vincent, pinning him face-down to the floor and slapping heavy steel handcuffs onto his wrists.

Damian pushed himself up onto one knee, breathing heavily, blood trickling down the side of his forehead. He didn't look at his fallen traitor. His dark eyes scanned the room frantically until they locked onto Lila, who stood frozen a few feet away, clutching her rabbit.

Damian let out a shaky breath, extending his hand.

Lila didn't hesitate. She ran straight into his arms, burying her face against his shoulder. Damian wrapped his strong arms around her, burying his face in her uneven braids as a profound, overwhelming wave of relief washed over his features.

I fell to my knees beside them, tears spilling over my cheeks, pulling both of them into a fierce, unbreakable embrace.

The ballroom remained dead silent, the syndicate bosses watching in stunned, absolute reverence as the most feared mafia boss in Baltimore held a little deaf girl and her maid like they were the most precious treasures on earth.

Vincent was hauled away kicking and screaming into the night, his empire crumbling to dust around him.

And as the smoke cleared from the grand hall, I knew that Grayhaven House—and all of us within its walls—had finally survived the storm.