He sighs heavily. “Besides, just because I figured she’d do something, doesn’t mean I knew what she was going to do. Or when for that matter.”
The words hit their mark because they’re true.
I have been becoming a monster.
The kind of man who tortures prisoners without remorse. Who kills without hesitation.
Who values revenge over the people he claims to love.
True, those traits have served me as a Pakhan, but I’ve got a wife to protect now.
A woman who has come to mean more to me than my own life.
“I have to find her.” My voice cracks on the words.
“Then find her.” Tony grips my shoulder with his good hand. “But when you do, you better be the man she fell in love with. Not this hollow shell you’ve been wearing.”
I nod, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.
Then I’m moving again, heading for the garage where my men are already gathering.
That’s when my phone buzzes.
Unknown number.
My blood turns to ice as I open the message.
It’s a video.
My hands shake so badly I almost drop the phone as I press play.
The image is grainy, shot in low light, but I’d recognize that face anywhere.
Sophia.
She’s chained to a pipe in what looks like a warehouse.
The same warehouse where I first brought her.
Where this nightmare began.
Her wrists are raw from the metal cuffs, and there’s a bruise blooming on her cheek.
But her blue eyes are clear, defiant, as they stare directly at the camera.
“Mikhail.” Her voice is steady. “Don’t come. Please. This is my choice. My decision. Don’t let him use me against you.”
The camera shifts, and Lorenzo’s face fills the screen. His blue eyes are cold, calculating, and his smile makes my stomach turn.
“Hello, nephew.” His voice is almost cheerful. “I believe I have something that belongs to you. Or should I saysomeone?”
The camera pans back to Sophia, and Lorenzo moves into the frame beside her.
His hand tangles in her black hair, yanking her head back. She gasps but doesn’t cry out.
“She came to me, you know. Walked right into my trap like the naive little girl she is. Thought she could negotiate. Thought she could save you from yourself.”
He releases her hair and moves closer to the camera. “Here’s how this works. You come alone to the warehouse. The same one where you first claimed her. Poetic, don’t you think? You come alone, unarmed, and maybe I’ll let her live. Maybe.”
