Fury spreads through my chest and makes me clench my fingers into the fabric of his shirt. I barely grind the words out. "You were supposed to protect her. How could you let this happen?”
"I tried," Roland spits back, pushing against my chest to get me off him. "Your guy’s dead, Sergey. Even he couldn’t stop them.”
My stomach aches, and I bite back the urge to lose my mind on him. “I know. I found him out front.” Running a frustrated hand down my face, feeling the slight tremble in it, I try to keep myself calm. I try so hard, but it’s creeping from beneath the surface.
They took her. Whoever these men are, they have to be with Yuri.
Right on time, my phone vibrates in my pocket, and I snatch it out to read the screen.
Unknown number again. Without hesitating, I accept the call and bring it to my ear. “Where is she?”
"You took your time," Yuri’s voice murmurs from the other end.
Rage bubbles up in my throat, and it takes everything in my power not to crush the phone. "Where the fuck is she?"
"She’s safe…for now. If you want to try and get her back, then you’ll come to the old meat processing plant off the highway before the night’s up. But come alone."
Fury swirls beneath my skin, hating even the mere idea of him using Kat to his advantage. “If you touch her—"
"Don’t be late," Yuri says with a note of finality before hanging up.
The line goes dead, and I clench my jaw until it aches.
I could bring my brothers. Really, I should. But something inside me says not to.
This is my fucking mess. The one I made, trying to prove myself like an attention-starved idiot, but I’m not letting them clean it up again. Not this time. I’ve heard enough of Roman’s chastising, and I just want this to end.
Just as I’m about to leave, Roland groans and slowly pulls himself up. “Sergey?”
Pausing with a touch of impatience, I hold his gaze. “What?”
He lets go of a shaky breath, seemingly trying to maintain a brave face despite the pain. The rag is soaked in blood, and it’s a wonder he’s even still conscious. “Get her back.”
I linger there for another moment, hearing the words he doesn’t need to say for me to understand. He’s trusting me with this, even if I’ve never been his number one fan. I hardly doubt he’s been mine either.
With a simple nod, I give him one last look before leaving, making the mental note to send someone out here to treat him and make sure he gets home.
Reaching the night air, bypassing the dead guard, I focus on the task ahead. The proposition Yuri has dangled in front of me.
I don’t care that it’s likely a setup. It doesn’t matter…not while he has Kat.
Still, I’m not completely reckless. At least, I’ve been working on that part.
I pull out my phone and find Roman’s contact.
"What is it?” he answers after the first ring, not hiding the irritation in his voice.
"Yuri has Kat, and he’s demanding I meet him alone. I’m going.”
Roman stays quiet for a moment, then he murmurs, “You’re going to get yourself killed."
"Then send a unit or two, but keep them back just in case,” I return, keeping that determination in my tone, not wanting it to fizzle out. “I need to go in alone.”
“For fuck sakes, Sergey,” Roman utters, forcing out a breath. “If you die, I’ll kill you again. Got it?”
That’s as close to a ‘good luck’ as I’ll get, so I’ll take it.
“Got it.”
