Page 71 of Caught By the Bratva Boss

He swallowed so hard I heard it. My heart twisted. “I see.” Nodding my head once I saw the realization hit him a second before my man stepped to the side, and I pulled the trigger. He didn’t have time to react before he hit the floor, a perfectly round circle between his eyes.

More shots rang out from the club, and the sound of screaming. But honestly, they were all music to my ears. Every single person who had known she was here, whether they had hurt her or not, deserved a bullet.

Ignoring the dead man at my feet, I turned on my heels and walked down the long hallway, heading towards the back where I was hoping I’d find the door to the cellar. That’s where she was.

The door was locked and bolted with a sign that told me to stay out. I shot the padlock out, slowly going down the worn steps into the shadowy basement.

A single uncovered lightbulb hung from the ceiling, revealing the depravity of it all. But the place was empty. The stench of human feces and despair hit my nostrils, and I lifted a hand to cover my mouth as I looked around. Empty.

Just rotten, stained mattresses pushed up against the wall, each one a stark reminder that other women had been here who no one had saved. I wondered what had happened to them, but I didn’t dwell on it for too long.

I was here for one woman and one woman only. Lily. But it didnt look like she was here. The place looked deserted.

I’d turned to head back up the stairs when I’d heard the softest, quietest sound. It sounded like my name. My head snapped back and forth, but I couldn’t see her.

“Daniil?”

There was no mistake. Lily.

Rushing forward, I found her chained to the wall. A thick collar around her throat, she lay naked on the hard concrete floor, with her arms around her knees and her eyes staring sightless ahead.

“Lily?” I whispered.

I expected her to lift her eyes to me. But she just closed them tightly. Screwing up her face.

“Boss.” The man who had followed me down stood behind my shoulder and thrust his arm out, his thick winter overcoat held in his arms. “We need to get her out of here. She needs medical attention.”

It was like I was seeing her properly for the first time. She had lost weight. Her ribs were clearly visible through the multicoloured bruises that covered her naked body. All those bruises were at different stages of healing, which meant they had been beating her continuously.

Her left arm looked swollen. Like someone had broken it. The horror of it hit me like a sledgehammer in the gut, almost doubling me over. Taking his coat, I crouched down and smoothed my hand over her tangled, matted hair.

She cried out, half in pain and half in protest.

“Please,” she begged. “Please don’t.”

My heart broke into a million sharp little pieces, which I was going to use to cut every single person who had hurt her.

“Lily,” I whispered. “Lily, my love, it’s me. It’s Daniil.”

Again, I reached for her hair, and this time, she didn’t pull away or cry out. Her eyes opened with an effort that made me feel sick. One was almost completely swollen shut.

“Daniil?” She croaked through split and cracked lips.

“I’m here.” Taking the overcoat, I covered her body.

“You came for me!”

Smiling, I took my place next to her head. Gently caressing her hair and any part of her face that didn’t look beaten.

“Of course, I came for you. I’ll always come for you.”

My voice broke. And I had to keep reminding myself that she was alive. Her body would heal. I wasn’t going to lose her like I did Claudia. I’d gotten to her in time.

“Just rest now, and then I’m going to take you home.”

She blinked her agreement and closed her eyes. Glancing behind me, I barked out an order. “Find the keys to this neck cuff. I don’t care who you have to kill to get it. Just get it.”

“Yes, boss.” He rushed off.