I never meant to fail her, but I did.
And this young woman is a cold reminder of that.
Shifting my grip on the pistol, I try to school my expression, but I know Vito sees it. He sees the crack in my resolve before I can shake it.
Undeserved relief washes over his features, far too smug.
“That’s right…you take her,” he says, nodding desperately as if it’s the best idea for both of us. “You can disappear again, and she’ll fetch you a fortune…or whatever you want. Just let me go. You have everything you need, right?”
Staring him down, I want to pull the trigger so badly that my finger twitches. I want to watch him fall, to watch the blood drain from his body until I know there’s no coming back for him. I want to submerge myself in his fear and revel in my victory.
But as I look at the woman again, I know she can’t be much older than Lily when I lost her.
And the thought of leaving her here as something to be traded like currency by men who couldn’t give less of a damn about her sours in my gut.
No. I can’t let that happen. Not when it would just mean another payday for Vito, regardless of who ends up giving him the higher sum.
I lower the gun a fraction, just enough to make him exhale.
“She’s mine.”
Vito nods quickly, holding onto the moment like it’s his saving grace. “Good, good. Take her and go. Go before they—”
“Don’t get any of this twisted,” I growl out, butting the gun up against him again in warning. “I might be sparing you tonight, but only for her sake. The next time I see you, this bullet will be right here. This isn’t over.”
Vito flinches as I tap the cold metal against his skin again, but I pull away, not sparing him another glance.
He thinks he survived and that this woman has given him his life back. Maybe that’s true, but it won’t be for long.
When I look at her, catching the blue in her eyes, I’m well aware of thethingmoving in my chest. Something unwelcome, yet familiar.
A kind of protectiveness I haven’t felt since Lily.
Chapter 2 - Elena
My head still spins when the cold air hits my face, sending a chill running up my spine.
It feels surreal how quickly everything shifted, and how a typical night went completely sideways.
I’ve hosted hundreds of events, from galas and charity auctions to exclusive evenings for high-profile guests. I curate, I organise, and I manage the chaos gladly. I do it all while my brothers handle their business with the city’s elite.
Nothing catches me off guard in my territory. But tonight, that fact changed thanks to the man who grabbed me.
Everything happened too fast for me to make any sense of it. There was no warning, no intuitive prickle at the back of my neck, and no way for me to claw my way out.
One moment, I was greeting a few familiar faces near the back of the club, preparing to sneak away for air. Next, a hand clamped over my mouth, and an arm locked around my waist. I was dragged through a back hallway, and the entire world narrowed to those flashing lights and the muffled music.
I didn’t even have the chance to scream, and I certainly couldn’t reach for my phone. I couldn’t call my brothers, who are going to lose their minds once they realize I’m gone.
A cold front moves through me at the thought. They have no idea what happened to me. No idea that I’ve been here…tied up, gagged, and shoved onto a grimy chair in a place I don’t know.
The more I think about it, the harder my stomach twists as rage and fear curl together, acrid and too heavy for my liking.
At first, seeing that man come in made me think I was being rescued. That maybe my brothers did know, and they had sent someone to get me as soon as possible.
But as the conversation went on, that thought dissolved, along with the hope that clawed in my chest.
And now, I’m digging my heels into the pavement outside, stumbling along the way. His hand is around my arm, hauling me toward a black car parked behind the warehouse.
