I should have known something was wrong. A mother's instinct should have warned me when Davian's shoulders tensed with each new arrival, when our five boys positioned themselves strategically around the ballroom instead of enjoying the gala like they usually did.
Winter twirled in her pale blue dress, oblivious to the tension, her beaded braids clacked around as the sound raided off the walls of the room. Kavish watched her from near the dessert table, while Kain hovered by the main entrance. Sylas had positioned himself near the orchestra, Declan by the side doors, and even young Adelio who was usually.
"Breathtaking, isn't she?" I murmured to Davian, watching Winter charm yet another group of hardened business associates with her innocent smile.
His hand tightened on my waist. "Too breathtaking," he replied, dark eyes scanning the room for the hundredth time. Something was off - I could feel it in the way he kept checking his phone, in the way our security detail seemed more alert than usual.
"What aren't you telling me?" I asked quietly.
"Not now, amore," he kissed my temple, but I felt the tension in his lips. "Just keep Winter close."
The evening progressed like a perfectly choreographed dance. Winter stayed within our sight, alternating between sitting with us and entertaining guests with her innocent chatter. Her beads created tiny constellations around her as she moved.
"Momma, can I have more cake?" Winter asked, her brown eyes pleading. The dessert table was only twenty feet away, within clear view of our table.
"Just one more piece, bambino," I smiled, watching her skip away. Davian's eyes followed her every move, his phone buzzing again in his hand.
It happened in seconds.
The lights went out.
Screams erupted.
Gunshots shattered crystal.
"WINTER!" Five voices joined Davian's roar, but it was too late.
When the emergency lights flickered on thirty seconds later, our daughter was gone. Kavish was bleeding from a head wound, Kain was helping Sylas up from where he'd been thrown, and Declan was already barking orders into his phone. Adelio, our youngest, stood frozen, staring at Winter's fallen ribbon.
"The Vitelli family," Davian's voice was ice cold as he spoke to his security chief. "They've been planning this. The power outage, the distraction at the south entrance - all of it."
My knees gave out. The Vitellis. Our biggest rivals, known for their cruelty. And they had our baby.
"We'll find her," Kavish promised, blood trickling down his face. "They won't get far."
