Six nurses had quit in five weeks, and the last one fled the mansion sobbing so hard she left her coat behind. Everyone expected me to run too, but I needed the money badly enough to face Chicago’s most feared crime boss, and before my first week ended, I was about to break the one rule every nurse had been warned never to break. / Chapter 6 / 10

Chapter 6 - The SiegeThe sound of gunfire reverberated through the hollow stone halls of the mansion like thunder.

Liam instantly tried to sit up, his face draining of what little color it had left. “Marcus,” he snarled, gritting his teeth as pain lanced through his fractured leg. “The bastard brought muscle.”

“Stay down!” I hissed, slamming the bedroom door and throwing the heavy brass deadbolt. I rushed to the nightstand, grabbed the heavy glass water pitcher, and placed it within arm's reach, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs. Adrenaline flooded my system, cold and sharp. All my fear evaporated, replaced by a fierce, protective instinct.

“They’re coming for the safe,” Liam said, his voice dropping into a dangerous, calculated register. He reached under his pillow, his fingers closing around the cold steel grip of a suppressed 9mm pistol I hadn't known was there. “The safe behind the bookshelf holds the ledger and the bearer bonds. If Marcus gets those, I lose everything—and you don't get your cash.”

“My cash is in the kitchen,” I retorted, pulling open my duffel bag and tossing my medical supplies aside to check my pockets for anything useful—scissors, heavy tape, gauze. “If anyone touches my envelope, they’ll have to answer to me.”

A heavy boot slammed against the outer hallway door. Once. Twice.

The wood splintered around the lock.

Liam raised the pistol with practiced steadiness, resting his good leg against the mattress for support, aiming directly at the doorway. His icy blue eyes were locked on the entrance, completely devoid of fear, radiating the lethal authority that had made him Chicago’s most feared crime boss.

“Get behind the bed,” Liam ordered without looking at me.

“Not a chance,” I said, stepping right beside him, gripping a heavy metal IV pole like a spear. “I’m your nurse. I monitor your vitals, and right now, your blood pressure is about to skyrocket if you shoot up your own bedroom.”

A dark chuckle escaped Liam’s lips, a harsh, genuine sound amidst the chaos. “God, you’re stubborn.”

The door burst inward with a resounding crash.

Marcus stepped through the threshold, a submachine gun raised in his hands, flanked by two masked thugs in tactical gear. His face twisted into an ugly, triumphant grin as he spotted Liam in the bed.

“Well, well,” Marcus sneered, sweeping his weapon toward us. “Looks like the mighty Mercer is finally cornered. And you brought a little nurse to watch the execution. How sweet.”

Marcus’s eyes shifted to me, his smile turning predatory. “Step away from the bed, sweetheart, and nobody gets hurt.”

I didn't move an inch. Instead, I tightened my grip on the heavy metal pole, staring right back at him with icy calm. “You’re tracking mud all over my freshly sanitized floor,” I said steadily. “And it’s really annoying.”