We climb slowly, step by creaky step, hearts in our throats. At the top: a door, metal, no window.
I press my ear to it.
The techno pounds, relentless, but in a brief break between tracks—a thug's voice: "...the so-called Pakhan still not talking."
Viktor.
Joy and terror crash through me. I fumble for my phone to text Alexander.
But... no bars. There’s zero signal down here.
"Shit," I whisper.
Robbie checks his. "Nothing. We need to get out, find a signal."
But Viktor's right there. Behind that door. I can't leave. I just can’t.
Stay or go? The dilemma tears at me. Risk everything to save him now? Or follow the plan, get help?
Robbie tugs my arm. "Eddie—wehaveto go. I’m not freakin’ kidding."
I hesitate, my ear still pressed to the door. Music starts again.
What would Viktor want? He’d want me to make the pragmatic play, the one that keeps me safe.
But he's my Daddy.
Only this is one time that he doesn’t get to tell me what to do…
Chapter 24
Viktor
“Do it,” I growl, even hinting at a smile in the corner of my mouth. “Your hand will break before my spirit does.”
The next punch lands square on my jaw, snapping my head to the side with a crack that echoes through the whitewashed room. Blood fills my mouth again… warm, metallic, mixing with the sweat dripping from my brow. I spit it out, a red glob hitting the tile floor with a wet splat.
The thug in front of me—big, bald, tattoos snaking up his neck like out of control vines—grins, shaking out his fist. His knuckles are split, but he doesn't care.
The only problem?
Neither do I.
I remain stoic, eyes locked on his, giving him nothing. No grunt. No flinch. No sign that the pain is anything more than an annoyance.
They've been at this for hours—fists to the face, boots to the ribs, the occasional knee to the gut. The techno music pounds on, arelentless hammer to match their blows, designed to break the spirit as much as the body.
But I won't break.
Not for these low-rent mercenaries.
And especially not for Caulfield.
It would be easy to give in. Sign the papers he's dangling, hand over the properties, the empire I've built brick by bloody brick. Accept the "deal" and get a quick bullet to the head.
End the pain. Free myself of the struggle.
Fuck no.
