In the glitzy world of high-stakes hospitality, Holden Sterling, the revered CEO of Sterling Grand Hotels, finds himself ensnared in a web of intrigue when he meets Eriola Coleman, an architect with a shadowy past. Haunted by demons from her turbule...
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Jonathan's POV
Out of nowhere, the car suddenly jolts to a halt. Dave's expression turns ashen as he looks at me. "Sir, we have a problem... there's an SUV blocking the gate, and it appears to be occupied by armed individuals."
I glance up and sure enough, there is an SUV parked right in front of my gate with several men holding weapons inside. Without hesitating, I reach for my phone and urgently call my team, barking orders for them to come immediately.
"Dave, reverse this motherfucker and block the front door," I command through gritted teeth. He does as he's told, maneuvering the car in reverse at full speed, expertly pulling in front of the front door. I crouch down and retrieve my emergency kit from under the car seat. I quickly put on my bulletproof vest and take out my trusty 9mm gun.
"Dave, provide cover for me. I need to go into the house and get my wife and daughter to safety."
Without waiting for a response, I jump out of the car and sprint toward the garage door. Bullets fly past me, but I remain focused on my target. I hear Dave laying down suppressive fire, providing me with the cover I need. As I reach the garage door, I input my code, and it starts to open. I dive inside, rounds whizzing past me. My heart is pounding in my chest as I rush inside my home, grabbing my wife and daughter by the hand. "Stay low and move!" I scream.
We run back to the garage as bullets continue to rain down on us. I fire back, trying to provide some cover for my family. I see Dave reloading his weapon and yell for him to join us. He jumps inside just as I slam the garage door shut.
The rest of my guards have arrived and are taking down the armed intruders. Who could have sent these attackers? "We need to find a different escape route!" I exclaimed. I open the garage door that leads to the backyard, and we run out, zigzagging through the bushes. My guards provide cover fire while we sprint to a hidden panic room in my backyard.
My wife and daughter's terrified screams filled the air, but I couldn't bring myself to comfort them. As we rushed inside, I quickly hit the button to close the door and activate the security measures. "We'll be safe in here," I said, trying to sound reassuring despite my own fear evident in my trembling voice. "Help is coming."
I dialed my emergency contact, and as I waited for an answer, I looked into my family's eyes, promising them with my own that we will get through this alive.The panic room was equipped with food, water, and communication devices. It would take the attackers quite a long time to breach this room. I grabbed the walkie-talkie and instructed my guards to fall back and regroup at our secondary location. They acknowledged my order and retreated, laying down suppressive fire to cover their retreat.
My cell phone suddenly rang, and I quickly answered it. "Who the hell is this and what do you want?" I shouted into the receiver.
"Jonathan, is that any way to speak to an old friend? Are you finally taking my warnings seriously? How did you like my hired men? Were they frightening enough? Now, I want $4 million for all the pain and suffering you caused me when I worked for you. If not, my next warning will be even more deadly. So, Jonathan, what's your decision?" The voice on the other end cackled with a wicked laugh that sent shivers down my spine.
