Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“Settle down. We’ll pick this conversation up later. For now, we have a job to do.”
The secluded warehouse is grim and shadowy. There’s only one other car here—Mikhail’s. I know Nikko, Mikhail, and Lev are all waiting inside for us.
I don’t want her to see what I’m going to have to do, but I have no choice. The only way forward is through this.
She hesitates when she sees the heavy iron door and dim setting.
“What if I promise to stay here? You can lock the doors or… or something.”
I shake my head. “No. I won’t take the risk, and I need you to know what’s at stake here.” When we reach the doorway, I turn to her and place my hands on both of her shoulders. I massage them with my thumbs and hold her gaze. “These men here have information that we need to have. They will not willingly give it up. They might even be willing to die before they do. But we must have it. Your mother’s life is at stake and so is yours. We need to find out what they are planning to do. I want you to understand the gravity of this situation. You don’t want to admit it yet, but Timur Yudin is an evil man who had the intent to kill you. We don’t have him in our possession, and we’ll stop at nothing until we do.”
The door opens, creaking on its hinges, and Lydia’s breath hitches. I reach for her hand on instinct. It feels small and warm in mine, and my heart swells in my chest.
I will protect her no matter the cost. No matter the risk.
I take a moment to quickly observe what’s going on. Mikhail stands in the corner of the room, his hands on his hips. Several men, bound and gagged, sit in folding chairs, obviously bloodied and beaten. Nikko wears nothing but a tee. His hair is slicked with sweat, and his fists are covered in blood. Lev stands in front of one of the men, staring dispassionately at them. He holds a baseball bat in his thick fists.
Lydia stifles a gasp. “Holy shit,” she whispers. “Viktor.”
I squeeze her hand. “You’ll be fine. You’re a strong woman. Remember who they are. They’re pieces of shit unworthy of the bottom of your fucking shoe.”
Her eyes widen, and she stares at me. She licks her lips and finally nods.
“Alright.”
“Here. I want you to stay here. You’re going to see me do some fucked up shit, Lydia, and I won’t pretend otherwise. You’ll stay here. You’ll watch me, and you’re going to survive just fine.” She nods. I lean in closer. “You were raised by Petr Ivanov. You’ve witnessed shit no woman should ever have to see.” I know she has. I was there for some of it, only she doesn’t know that yet. “And here you are. Strong. You’re a survivor, Lydia. A fucking survivor.”
“How do you know that?”
“You’ll see.” I bend and kiss her cheek. The touch of her skin to mine lights a fire in me. Rage courses through my veins like molten fire. I’m going to fucking kill these sons of bitches, and she’s going to watch me.
I’m on deck.
I turn and lock the door from the inside, underscoring the confinement and gravity of the situation. I turn and face them.
“What have we found out?”
“Absolutely fucking nothing,” Nikko says.
“Not totally true,” Lev responds, shaking his head. He jerks his chin at the one in the middle. “This one has a thing for Lydia. I’ve got video evidence of him stalking her. I even found videos he took of the two of them—”
“Stop.” I take in a deep breath through my nose and let it out slowly. I do not need to talk about her and Timur fucking Yudin together. My breathing’s heavy, my rage at a low simmer. “Do you mean to tell me that he’s a fucking creeper?”
“Ohhh, yeah,” Lev says, his jaw tight. I can tell he wants to beat the shit out of this guy for me, but he won’t. He’ll leave it to me. “Caught him jerking off to the video.”
Motherfucking asshole.
I stand before the men, my gaze assessing each of them in turn. One of them is already breaking, tears streaking down his face, and I haven’t even laid a finger on him yet. Whatever Lev and Nikko did was only a prelude—the scolding before the storm. Their fear is palpable. They understand this is their endgame and that if they don’t cooperate, they’ll die right here.
I take a step forward. “So you’re prepared to die for your cause?” I ask, stroking my chin. “You do know that if you don’t cooperate, you’ll never see the light of day again?”
No response.
I slowly walk over to the most visibly frightened one. I lean in and whisper in his ear everything I’m going to do to him, right here, right now, if he doesn’t cooperate. He closes his eyes, and tears fall.