Victor shouted, ‘Zara, what’s going on? What’s fucking happened?’

A sudden whirring sound could be heard as the back wall, which was her father’s genius of an idea, began to move across and open up part of the room to the rear of the building. The secret hidden room. No one could imagine what the hell was going on except Zara; she knew every footstep, every move, because she was the co-mastermind behind it. Instantly, the lights came on, almost blinding everyone with their brightness. She stood behind the steel girder, hoping her plan of having her men hidden behind the secret wall would fall into place with no one getting hurt. Sure enough, after scuffles and the sound of guns being cocked, there was silence. She stepped away from the pillar, content that the Governor was secured.

All eyes were on her as she stood there confidently as the woman behind the firms. There was an uneasy quietness in the building as her captives – now in shock – tried to take it all in. Mike, Staffie, and Willie stood like stone statues, their guns aimed at their adversaries. Tonight was all about closure: the so-called Governor was to be terminated, once and for all.

Mike looked across at Zara for direction. He tried not to be distracted by her presence. It was as if she had stepped off the cover of Vogue magazine. With her hair pulled back from her face, her long, sleek neck holding her head high, and her lips coated in a subtle shade of pink lipstick, she grinned wickedly.

She was really enjoying this, the earlier nerves now a thing of the past. Her lips turned into a self-assured smirk, as she said, ‘Let me introduce myself. I am the fucking Governor.’

Mike couldn’t take his eyes off her. She was everything he’d ever wanted in a woman, and now there she was putting them all to shame – a feisty, clever lady, who no one should ever have underestimated. His mother’s words went through his head: ‘She is stronger than you think.’ She was right, although he would never have believed it. Standing there with her feet apart, facing them like the Devil’s daughter, there was not even a flicker of fear in her eyes. He watched as Joshua moved by her side, sliding his hand around her shoulders. He planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. Mike would have given anything to swap places with that man, just to smell her skin, but it was too late. He knew he’d fucked up. It was over.