My skin itches with the need to break something.
Something metallic glints beneath Daria’s twisted body.I step over, nudge her aside with my foot.A phone.
“Teo.”I don’t even look at him.
He’s already calling a gloved tech over.“Bag it.I want it stripped down, recovered, decrypted.Now.”
A thought grips me.Lily’s phone.I call her.It rings, faintly, from inside the room.
No.
Teo’s head snaps toward the sound and he follows it to a pale pink purse lying beneath a chair.He retrieves her phone and bags it without a word.
“She doesn’t have it with her,” I rasp.My jaw clenches until pain radiates through my skull.
Luc steps up beside me.“We also found Chiara’s phone on the coffee table.They left them both.”
They’d planned for that.Planned to leave no trace.Planned to take her from me.
My gut twists painfully.My heart is a wild drumbeat now, thunder in my ears.
I close my eyes for just one second.And in that second, I see her face.
Lily, smiling at me.Lily, asleep in my bed.Lily, her eyes full of trust and light.
And now…she’s gone.
“D,” Luc says in a gentle tone, his hand settling on my shoulder.“Let’s move.Teo’s team will work on the phones.If there’s a lead, it’ll come from there.”
I nod, the movement stiff.My body obeys, but my mind, my heart, are already elsewhere.In the dark, in some cold room where she might be scared.
Alone.
Where are you, little flower?I swear to God, I will burn the world down to bring you back.
* * * *
We are back in Teo’s office again.The air feels thinner here.My lungs ache like I’m inhaling fire with every breath, the suffocating weight of déjà vu pressing down on me.I stand motionless, barely hearing the hum of equipment or the low murmur of my men.
“D, look at this.”Teo’s voice slices through my haze.I move behind his desk, and when I see the screen, everything inside me stills.My blood freezes.
“What the fuck,” I rasp.“Is that…?”
“It’s from Daria’s phone, the one we found under her body,” he confirms grimly.“A text exchange with an unregistered burner.Completely off-grid.Number’s already dead.”
We scroll through the thread in silence, each line carving a deeper hole in my chest.
Daria: It’s set up, she will be here at noon.What time for the pickup?
Unknown Number: What do you suggest?
Daria: At teatime will be easiest.I will give her special tea.
Unknown Number: Team will be ready.How many guards?
Daria: Don’t know yet, will let you know.
Unknown Number: Keep them outside and my men will take care of the problem.
