“He hurt Mila.”
A growl erupted from deep within me. “How?”
My pace quickened through the woods. Branches slapped my face and brambles tore into my clothes as Dima told me how Brian had lured Mila to his estate with a false name and on the pretense of having a large art collection to sell. Since she managed our family gallery, she’d willingly gone to Dublin. Enraged by Annika being alleged “damaged goods”, he planned to marry Mila.
“But first, he…”
At Dima’s anguished cry, I skidded to a stop where the clearing of the woods bled into the field just below the house. Pinching my eyes shut, Mila’s terrified face flashed before my eyes. “I will make him b-bleed with you,b-brat.”
“He had her naked and tied to the bed–”
The clearing spun around me in a dizzying flurry. “Stop. I can’t hear anymore or I’ll kill some innocent p-person.”
“He was stopped before he could rape her.”
Although a relieved breath rushed from my lips, I said, “He will still b-bleed.”
“Da, he will. But first I have to take care of Kellan.”
As I started across the field, I asked, “D-Did he help his cousin hurt Mila?”
“No. The fucker saved her.”
My steps faltered as I tried processing what Dima had said. “Kellan Kavanaugh saved Mila?”
“Yes, he got her out of the house and to a safe location in Dublin. They’re landing in twenty minutes.”
I frowned. If Kavanaugh was bringing her back safe, why the fuck would Dima need to take care of him? “Is he asking for a ransom?”
“No.”
“He saved her from b-being raped. He saved her life,” I repeated.
“Da,” Dima hissed.
“Then why the fuck are you going to t-take care of him?” I demanded.
“Father has ordered it.”
“Fuck him.”
“Maksim–”
“It makes no sense.”
“There’s a history there.”
“What?”
Dima sighed. “When she was sent in to seduce Kellan, somehow they managed to fall for each other.”
“D-Does Father know?”
“Yes.”
As rage rocketed through me, the control over my speech slipped, “He’s d-doing t-this to p-punish her.”
“Of course he is. He’s been punishing her for the last thirteen years for trying to stab him the night he murdered our mother!”
