Stella

Seventy-nine

blood and champagne

The room erupted into a chaotic cauldron of confused and panicking people. Some looked around for an escape, but the room was sealed. Guards lined the walls, blocking the doors, weapons pointed at the innocent partygoers.

People with weapons began to fight, while those capable used their fists and the rest scampered to hide away.

Casper took the chance to grab hold of his gun and gave orders to Ruben while he and Robert tried to take down every man that got in their way. He fought to get to where Stella was fighting Andrea, but he was being attacked and under fire. Robert tried to take cover, shoot those who were aiming at his sister and father, but there were too many people in the way.

He didn't know in what form help was going to come, but he knew they had to bide their time and wait. Killing Andrea would turn the room into a free-for-all. Andrea seemed to have some control over the Ricci brothers, and everyone was following her lead. She seemed happy to play with them before finishing the entire room. No doubt, she envisioned this night to end in a sea of blood and death.

A fist landed on Stella's jaw. A grunt escaped her lips. Curling her fingers, she landed a blow on the woman's sternum. She scrambled for the gun in Andrea's faltering grip. Her nails scratched and hands punched. She was doing anything to hurt the woman beneath her. But Andrea wasn't someone to underestimate.

After all her time spent at the stables, she couldn't be considered weak, but Andrea was much stronger than she was. That was only proven when the woman got leverage to flip them around. Stella's head smacked into the wood flooring. A short cry came from her lips. The excited gleam in Andrea's eyes was startling, and had fear settling into her gut.

"Give up little girl," Andrea breathed out a chuckle. She caught her hands and pinned them down as she leaned in. "I'm going to kill your entire family," she whispered.

"And I'm going to kill you," Stella growled.

Andrea's brows raised before she laughed. "Such courage, little lion."

Stella gritted her teeth and began to struggle, trying to push her off or gain leverage of some kind. She wanted to free her hands to reach for the gun, but Andrea's grip was unrelenting. Nails were ripping into the tender skin on her wrist. The weight of the woman was crushing her abdomen. Her muscles were crying in pain as she writhed and her body was growing weary.

Finally, help came in the form of Andrea being ripped off. Before Stella knew what was happening, her body was covered by a much larger one. He shielded her form as he fired a few bullets at those targeting them. The bangs rang far to close to her ear, sending her ears ringing. 

Stella opened her eyes and caught her breath. Her hands felt around beside her for Andrea's gun. Her hand felt the hard object and her fingers curled around it. Once his assailant was down, Stella was pulled up.

"Are you alright?" Christian asked.

"I'm fine." She glanced at his shoulder and her eyes widened at the blood staining his navy suit. "You've been hit!" 

He glanced at his shoulder as he fired at another guard. "It just nicked me, I'm fine. Find cover!" 

Stella gripped her weapon. She spotted Andrea who just threw a man to the ground. Stella swallowed at the sight. She was obviously toying with her when they fought. It made her fear what Andrea had planned for her.

"Stop!" Stella called as she pointed the weapon at the blonde. The woman flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder. A smile appeared and a laugh escaped her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," she sang and looked up at Antonio holding a gun to her dearest brother.

Stella paled. Her sweaty hands tightened on the grip.

Robert's eyes were hard and cold. He glared at Stella. "Shoot her," he gritted out. "Finish her, Stella and get out of here!"

Stella swallowed. Her fingers trembled.

"Honey, you shoot me, you're killing him."

A bang ricocheted around the room and Antonio dropped to the floor. Stella's gaze snapped to Christian tossing a gun to Robert. A roar escaped Adamo, giving Richard the opportunity to get finally get him in a head lock.

Andrea used the distractions to grab another gun and aimed it at Casper. "That bullet won't hit me before I fire at your darling."

Stella gritted her teeth and glanced at Casper.

Everything seemed to pause before the doors burst open and an eruption of bullets and fists went flying into the air. Everyone scrambled to take cover. Bullets crashed through the windows and glass doors. Andrea's men dropped to the ground. Glass shattered to a million pieces. Wood splintered and the fine upholstery was soaked with champagne and blood.

Stella dove for Casper who threw her behind him as he tackled a man heading for her. She looked to her side to see Adele a shivering mess with mascara down her cheeks and gripping onto a chair leg. She moved the tablecloth to cover her more before gripping the weighty handgun and shifting her attention to the offenders.

Andrea huffed as she watched the carnage. Men fell all around her, blood pooled at her feet. She looked more irritated at her men's incompetence than anything else. That was until she saw the figure that stepped into the room.

"You didn't think back up would come now, did ya?" The Irish brogue was filled with laughter.

Daniel Lin sauntered in from behind Madigan. His dark eyes darted around trying to assess the damage as he held a phone to his ear with a bloodstained hand and a gun in the other. Behind them, in the halls of the Palmer's estate, bodies littered the floor and blood painted the walls.

"Madigan?" Andrea sneered. 

Her eyes darted around. Her fists clenched. Their plans never included the arrival of Madigan. If anyone were to arrive, she was to be notified. Foolishly, she never considered they would be able to seek help. She had been so smart and cunning up until this point. It was all going to be destroyed by a simple mistake.

Fear not, she would get what she wanted.

She raised her gun at Richard who dropped the unconscious Adamo. A pained look sat on his face. His arm was weeping blood and throbbing with pain. It was a through-and-through, with no obvious damage aside from the gaping hole. 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Madigan chuckled. He didn't look at all panicked unlike everyone else who was there. "You're all alone, now, Ricci." He glanced at the injured and dead bodies. Adamo was knocked out, Antonio was bleeding out on the mezzanine. He snorted. What fearsome men! 

Her face twisted. Her eyes were calling for the blood of Callahan as she raised her weapon. "Then I'll die and bring him along with me."