“Let me go,” she gritted out, staring her father in his cold, uncaring eyes.
“You see.” He pressed his hand against her cheek. “I’m going to use you to take the Silva family down. Matias will be beside himself when he sees what I will do to get what is mine.”
Katya’s heart sped up, “What do you mean?” Fear laced her voice as she glanced between the two men.
“He took something of mine, now I’m taking something of his.” Her father’s fingers clenched her throat as he leaned in close to her face. “You are his greatest weakness now that he has fallen in love with you. When he learns I will sacrifice my own blood to get what I want, he’ll understand the power I wield. I guess you’re not as useless as I thought.”
Katya gasped, the realization dawning on her. “You would kill me to prove a point?”
“That’s exactly what I’ll do. You might have betrayed me running to the enemy, but it’s a mistake that’s proven to be of use. Take her, Igor. I’ll meet you two at the plane.”
Igor dragged Katya up the basement steps and shoved her out the front door. Her father’s car was waiting for them in the driveway.
“Plane?” Katya’s voice cracked. “Why are we going to the plane?”
“We are going back to Vegas.”
“No. Please… don’t do this, Igor,” she begged, hoping the man she had grown up around would show her some compassion.
“Shut up, little girl. You fucked up by betraying the family. You’re already dead to me.”
Hot tears spilled down her face as she resisted getting into the car. Igor drew his fist back and struck her in the head. The world tilted on its axis as her knees buckled and she collapsed. The sensation of being shoved into the backseat consumed her body.
“I’m sorry, Matias,”she whispered just before giving into the darkness.
“Wherethefuckisshe?” Matias glared at his brother, his anger bubbling on the brink of full-on eruption.
“I don’t know. From what the guys said, she told them there was an issue out back and then disappeared.” Bastian shrugged, uncertain of what to say to his brother.
“Brother,” Cristian said as he walked into the room holding a small piece of paper. “This was found on the kitchen counter.”
Matias snatched the note out of his hand and opened the crumpled paper. His eyes burned with fury as he read her words.
Matias,
I came to you expecting help and got so much more. My father is an evil man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants—even if it means using me to do it. I can’t bear the thought of losing you, and that’s what will happen if I stay. He’s made sure of it. Sacrificing myself to spare your family’s bloodshed is the only thing I can give you. Walking away from you is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I’d gladly walk into the lion’s den to protect you. I hope this letter finds you, and myfather is true to his word. My life for yours. I’m sorry, Matias.
All my love,
Katya
“He has her.” Matias fisted the note in his hand. His palm burning with the need to strike out and hurt someone.
“Who has her?” Bastian pressed his hand against Matias’ shoulder.
“Dmitri.” Cristian shook his head. “Katya has given herself over to him.”
“Why?” Bastian gasped.
“To save me,” Matias whispered into the room. “He got to her somehow and used me to lure her back into his clutches. We have to find her and kill him.”
“We need to get our hands on Jorge. That motherfucker is the root of all our problems.”
“What about the man upstairs?”
“He still hasn’t woken up. I don’t recognize him, so he isn’t a local. Question is, why did Jorge have him?”
“Sir,” a guard said, stepping into the room. “Your guest is waking up.”
