I’ve done everything he’s said. But so did Mom, and it didn’t turn out so well for her…
“Have you been eating?” I ask, pulling back slightly. “Have you been taking your meds?”
“Nene, I told you I would,” she says softly, the beginnings of a smile forming. “Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself. I heard you got hurt. That Fedorov?—”
“Shhh. What happens to me isn’t important.” I glance around out of paranoia, doublechecking we’re alone. “Focus on yourself, Evie. You need to stay in good health.”
The door pops open and the twins walk in. Two icy, identical blonds who instantly make my stomach drop.
I already know what’s about to happen.
“Time is up,” one says simply.
“We just got here,” I say in protest. “Can’t we have a few more minutes—NO!”
The blond on the left grabs Eva by the arm and yanks her away. I scream her name and move to stop him when the second one steps up and shoves me to the ground.
I land with a hard thump as Eva’s escorted off and disappears from view. The last time I’ll see her for much longer than I even realize…
“—Irish are here.”
The announcement pulls me back to the present.
One of Rurik’s henchmen has stepped forward to let him know. He gives a satisfied nod as I blink a few times and realize it was in my head.
I was thinking about the last time I saw Eva. So much time has passed, if not for those flashbacks, I’d almost forget what she looks like.
Gunfire erupts from outside the building.
Rurik’s men draw their weapons while the Bratva boss remains stoic and unfazed. He listens to the sounds of his men and the Irish go at it as if it’s mundane. He’s not threatened in the slightest.
As two of his soldiers break away to go defend them in the battle going on outside, Rurik holds up a hand.
“Not now,” he grunts. “Not yet. We will move forward as planned. Give them what they want.”
The soldiers bow their heads and instead move toward the back of the facility. Only the blond remains at Rurik’s side.
“And the girl?” he asks.
“She stays. We have already gotten what we needed. They will soon realize the same.”
I watch with a racing heartbeat as Rurik turns and strides off. He and the blond disappear through the rear emergency exit, and suddenly, I’m alone.
It’s just me and the rope tethering me to the metal hook. I don’t have a chance to consider how best to free myself.
Only a couple seconds pass before there’s a stampede of footsteps filling my ears. The main doors explode inward.
Killian appears amid a cloud of dust with his gun drawnand his face twisted in rage. He’s backed by at least ten other men from the clan, including Ronan and Sean.
They must’ve rushed from Barclays the moment they found out where I was.
“JHENE!” Killian barks. He crosses the dark, dusty space in a single long stride and draws a knife to slice through the rope binding me.
The gag is removed next. I drag a fresh breath into my lungs and work my jaw open and shut, grateful to no longer be chewing on the dirty fabric.
Killian engulfs me in his arms to stop me from stumbling.
It’s not just my mouth that’s sore but the rest of my body too. Even though I haven’t been tied up for long, it was long enough that my limbs ache and feel difficult to move.
