The gunshots were heard behind her. But thankfully, Javier ran towards her on time and made her slip on the ground under the dining table. Her entire body was in shock and stiffened at the scene that happened. 

Jennifer’s brain wasn’t able to proceed with what happened in the situation, because the bullet from behind broke the vase that was on the kitchen counter. If not for Javier, the bullet that broke the vase would have been in her stomach and she might be lying on the floor in the sea of blood. 

Hair on the back of her shoulders was raised due to the fear when her wide eyes averted to Javier when they were still under the table. “W..What is… H..h..happening here?”

“We are surely under attack! That is what Ellen must have tried to warn me by the call.” Under attack? Does that mean Lucas has found their location already? She can’t believe it. It has already been a few days since she made a call. If Lucas had traced them via call, he would have already attacked them before this.

So late? She can’t digest the news so easily. “So..What shall we do now?” 

“We s-” his words weren’t even finished when they heard the series of shots being fired from outside the villa, and all the materialistic things of their house falling one by one. Glasses were already broken, photographs down on the floor and their frames too clashed with the sound of fires, scaring Jennifer a lot. 

“Shh…” Javier hugged Jennifer with a tight grip, though his own face was all of the worries and stressed. From under the table, he saw how his whole villa was attacked. If they get out at this time, he knows these killers will probably aim for their life as well. 

‘But we have to get out of here as well. We won’t survive if we continue to hide..’ he looked at the tender person in his embrace, who was continuously shivering but if he didn’t take the risk at this point, he knew the entire game would be finished.

The sudden attack was already one blow, he won’t be able to handle another danger anymore. 

“Jenifer, look into my eyes.” he gently cupped her face into his hands and lifted it to make direct eye contact into her fearful and anxious eyes. “Nothing is going to happen. Have faith in me… I will bring you away from this island safely, I promise.” 

His words don’t affect much but somehow, Jennifer found herself getting closer to his figure, to feel the warmth and the place of security in his arms.

Javier let her dig closer and deeper into his embrace and held her head and shoulders tightly, near his heart. He knew that this must be something totally new for her to experience.

As a Johnson, he has been through everything but for her, this was extremely dangerous. When he was trying to evaluate the whole site, his eyes kept on moving from place to place to predict exactly from where the shots were being fired.

After two more minutes, the entire village was in prompt silence. Things were broken, rolling on the grounds but no fires anymore. People outside stopped because they felt that no one was inside but the reality was completely different.

Javier looked at Jennifer with deepness, when he told her, “We have to go to the same basement room where I kept your earlier.” 

“There? Why? we should rather go out of th-” her words weren’t completed d because Javier cut her off at the main point, “If we go outside barely, they will probably see us and we have no weapon to use. How are we going to safeguard ourselves from them? The beach is open and there is no shelter to take the bullets from.”

She bites her lower lip at the little bit of understanding of the situation. Her eyes were glittering at his expertise to evaluate the situation in just a few minutes. “Alright. But how? Are the fires really stopped or are they waiting for us to get out…”

“Waiting for us to get out. We will have to make a run at the stairs and enter the basement room somehow.” His eyes were fixed on the staircase where they would have to reach first.

The residence was under deep surveillance. Moreover, he was pretty much sure that if they stand up, they will come into the picture of the killers outside.

Within a few more minutes he told her the way to get to the stairs and she timidly nodded her head. It was way more difficult to execute rather than just describing but at least that will help them to get out of this place.

But before they were going to come out, Javier looked at Jennifer with his longing gaze, “I will protect you, Jennifer. As I promised before.” 

She heard his voice and turned to look at his face which was utterly calm in comparison to her yet there was winter mist which was hard to define. “I trust you and I’m certain that you will keep your promise well.”

With that, they both stared at each other’s face for a few mere seconds before Javier tore his eyes back to the location. At first, Jennifer got out of the table but was still on the ground. She took the cover through the dining table’s chairs. 

Jennifer never stood on her legs. Instead, she came in the crawling position on her knees to reach behind the sofa, to take another shelter

Her eyes averted to the window, the large sliding window which was entirely open giving a view out of the sunny beach but it was the deadliest place.

“Movie Jennifer. Crawl back to the couch.” He told her from the back in a whisper and she just shook her head in agreement.

With that, Jennifer took few crawling steps, with utmost care. Her face was filled with dread and uneasiness. At the same time, she felt her heart beating too loudly in her chest, still, there was no way she could look back at this moment and only go ahead to safeguard her and his life.

‘C’mon Jennifer.. the couch isn’t that far also..’