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Glancing around at my soldiers, I glare. “Keep alert and be prepared for anything.”
Their grunts of agreement are the only response I need, and we move toward the warehouse in sync. As if I’ve had a shot of epinephrine, every nerve ending in my body sparks to life, blood pumping through my veins and pounding in my ears. It’s from that reaction alone that I know I’m close to Ocean. I can almost taste her. Smell her.
Pushing those thoughts aside, I focus on the task at hand. Trudging forward, shouting, gunfire and an explosion is our soundtrack as we move toward the building. Ignoring all the chaos around me, I listen as Matteo, a capo of mine, barks into the earpiece.
“All the guards out front are dead and the vehicles are on fire. No one will be getting out of here unless it’s on foot. That will literally be impossible, considering we have the area surrounded.”
I smirk, then turn to my team. “Let’s move inside.”
With a nod, we all move as one to the door. Pulling it open, I aim my gun, ready to take out any potential threat but it’s empty. I know one hundred percent that it’s not by chance. Vadim and his men will be ready and waiting for us, somewhere inside this shithole place.
My soldiers step inside, armed and surrounding me. Stealthily we move down the dark, dank hallway. There are a couple doors on either side, but it’s the one up ahead that calls to me. As if our souls are one, I know with everything in me that my wife is behind the dirty gray door at the end.
Quickening my strides, I shove off the hands that try to grab at me. I know they are only trying to protect me but fuck them. Ocean is behind that door.
Coming to a stop outside, I inhale, trying to steady my erratic pulse, but it’s no use. The only time my heartbeat is ever steady is when my eyes are on Ocean.
Gun in the air, and without another thought, I lift my leg, kicking the door open. I didn’t know what to expect when we came here, but whatever I imagined could not even begin to explain the gut-wrenching horror in front of me that turns my blood ice cold.
Because there sits my wife.
Guns pointed at her.
Clothes ripped.
Bloodied and bruised.
My pulse stutters, pure, raw rage heating my veins when my eyes flicker to the left of Ocean. To the manItrusted. The man my father trusted.
The man with a devilish smirk as he pulls a knife from his pants and holds it to the delicate skin of Ocean’s throat.
Giuseppe.
In one second, everything clicks into place.
He is the fucking rat.
My jaw clenches as I stare him down, but he doesn’t wither. Myconsiglierejust watches me with a satisfied grin on his ugly face. I shift my gaze to a man I don’t know, but one that I have seen in pictures.
Ocean’s father.
Sick bastard will also die tonight.
My eyes slide to Vadim beside him, then to the twenty or so guards behind them, with their guns now trained on me.
“Nice of you to join us, Nico. Drop your weapon and tell your men to do the same. It would be an unfortunate turn of events if I had to kill your wife, but I will slice her throat without blinking, if you don’t do as I say.” Giuseppe’s smug voice seeps into me, making my eye twitch. The rat bastard better make the most of today, because it will be his last one on this mortal coil.
“What the fuck are you doing, Giuseppe?” I grit out.
He tsks, his gaze shifting to the butcher knife in his hands. He runs a thumb down it, a faraway look in eyes. “You fucked up, son. I–”
“Don’t call me that. I am not your fucking son,” I hiss.
He chuckles, shaking his head. “Always so volatile. I told your papà countless times, to beat that attitude out of you, but he wouldn’t listen.” His eyes narrow. “He was too soft on you and look where it got him. Now drop your fucking weapons, otherwise I will slit her god damn throat.” The bark in his voice tells me he isn’t messing around.
My wife’s soft whimper has my eyes dropping to hers. She looks so scared; it makes my chest crack. I’ve tried to avoid looking at her too much because I knew what I would see and all the emotions on her face would cause a tornado of fury inside me. If I want to get us out of here alive, I need to keep a level head. For both of our sakes.
Breaking eye contact, I turn to my men.
