Chapter 11

The blaring sirens of the estate’s security system instantly shattered the quiet intimacy of the sitting room. Anna did not freeze in panic. She had spent the last several weeks anticipating the day the violent reality of Alexander’s world would breach their sanctuary. Moving with decisive speed, she sprinted down the hallway toward the nursery, her bare feet silent on the thick Persian carpet.

She burst into Emily’s room. The three-year-old was sitting up in bed, rubbing her eyes, confused and frightened by the distant wailing alarms.

“Anna?” Emily whimpered, her tiny voice trembling. “What is that noise?”

“It’s just a fire drill, sweetie,” Anna lied smoothly, scooping the little girl into her arms and holding her tightly against her chest. “But we have to play a hiding game now, okay? We have to go to the special room.”

Anna carried Emily to the far wall of the nursery, sliding aside a massive, heavy bookshelf to reveal a reinforced steel door. Alexander had shown her the biometric keypad on her first day as guardian. She pressed her thumb to the scanner. The heavy door hissed open, revealing a fully stocked, windowless panic room.

She stepped inside, pulling the steel door shut. The heavy deadbolts locked with a resounding, metallic clink. The sirens outside were instantly muted to a dull, distant hum.

Anna set Emily down on the plush sofa, wrapping a blanket around her. She sat beside the child, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. She was terrified, not for herself, but for the little girl clinging to her, and for the man currently walking into a war zone downstairs.

“Is Daddy playing the game too?” Emily asked innocently.

“Yes, baby,” Anna whispered, kissing the top of her head. “Daddy is playing the game too. He’s making sure we win.”

 

>>Chapter 12