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BECKA
Rough hands tugging my arms behind my back roused me from a fitful sleep. I blinked against the bright lights overhead trying to get my vision to sharpen. My head felt like someone ran it over— multiple times. Something dry and crusty sticking to the side of my head made my skin itch. Is that blood? I groaned, trying to get my body and mind working in tandem as memories and sensations danced an uncoordinated duo.
Before I could get my brain functioning my hands were secured tight. Meaty fingers bit into my arms and legs as I someone lifted me form the dark hole into the light. Seeing it was a car trunk I’d just been plucked from kicked my brain function into high gear.
Two big men had ahold of me. I pulled one leg free and sent my foot smashing into the man’s face. He cried out and spun away. When he dropped me the grip on my biceps increased ten-fold, making me screech through gritted teeth. I thrashed, trying to dislodge the hands, but they were strong as iron. With not many options available I raised the heel of my stiletto and drove it into the toe of his boot. The man roared, throwing me to the concrete floor with bone jarring force.
Air rushed from my lungs, body screaming in pain. I rolled back and forth on the floor wishing my arms were free so I could hold my stomach.
“Gentlemen is that anyway to treat our guest?” A fuzzy deep voice drawled.
I peered up as a figure came forward. Craning my neck to look, I caught sight of ice-blue eyes set in a middle-aged, strong, angular face that was as cold as his eyes were blue.
Someone hauled me to my feet in front of him. Even standing at my five feet, six inches— plus four inch heals— did nothing to help with the height difference as I stared up at the man. The sheer size of him cast a shadow over me as he stepped closer.
“Who are you?” I demanded, trying not to shrink from him as he entered my space.
“I am Victor Petrov.” His thick Russian accent boomed out like thunder and as dark as the hair on his head.
I blanched, despite my desperate attempt to swipe the fear from my face as it washed over me. Oh shit.This is bad. Bad on so many levels. I tried to swallow but my mouth went bone dry. My pulse spiked.
My gaze shifted around the room to take in the surroundings. We stood in an open space of a warehouse, surrounded with crates and boxes stacked high around us— other than where the car had drove in. A dozen more men occupied the space and more roamed the catwalks above. All of them dressed like soldiers in black, weighed down heavily with weapons.
The slamming of the car trunk had me focusing back on Petrov who looked down on me with hungry eyes.
Anger poked at the surface, hardening my resolve. Taking a deep breath I focused on not shivering under Petrov’s leering. He was eye fucking me up and down without a hint of self-control. Do not cower.
“What am I doing here? Where is Serena?” I’d never felt the impulse to kill someone until her. The woman was pure evil and needed to be destroyed. Maybe I should’ve felt bad about wanting to be the one to do it, but failed to find a shred of guilt.
Victor smiled happily. “Erik, show her.”
Erik opened the passenger door to the car and my eyes bulged as Serena’s lifeless body came spilling halfway out. A perfect hole rested in the middle of her forehead between her two unseeing eyes. Her black velvet dress and blood covered face looked extreme against her pale skin.
A flash of Serena’s gun connecting with the side of my head made me flush hot with anger. At Serena sure enough, but more so at myself. I should have fought back! The moment I saw the gun I should have batted it away. Cried out for help. Done anything but stand there long enough to let the choice be taken from me. Now I was in the possession of savages with no idea if Luca knew what happened or how to find me.
Doing my best to channel my fear into strength I turned back to Petrov.
“She was a good little fuck toy. But served her usefulness after tonight.”
“You used her to get to me? Why?” Why would I be so important?
Victor barked out a short laugh. “Quite the opposite. She found me, the resourceful whore. She must have fucked half my men before finally earning an audience with me. She hated you so much she was willing to betray her own family and give me information that I could use to destroy the Russo family. One man at a time. One operation at a time. Slowly. Painfully.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “You are simply the payment for her services. A useful one at that. She wanted you to suffer by handing you over to us. But after she snatched you, she became a liability.”
Serena is the rat.“What do you plan to do with me?” They were going to use me to get to Luca, I had no doubt, and the thought made my stomach churn. Because I’d let myself get taken, Luca was going to get hurt.
“Whatever I want.” He took another long perusal of my body with his eyes. A low rumble rose from his chest. “Where on earth did Luca find you?”
“None of your business,” I spat. Idiot, don’t provoke!
“I like them feisty.” Victor lifted his hand to stroke my cheek.
I pulled away from his touch. “Don’t touch me.”
He chuckled, finding it amusing.
If looks could kill, he would drop dead where he stood. I wished more than anything for the use of my hands, so I could try my best to break his nose.
After a small beat Petrov moved away to admire my gown that now sported blood spatters down the front. “That is a beautiful dress. One fit for a beautiful woman such as yourself. Although I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the back. Turn for me, I would like to see.” He crossed his arms over his chest, making his already larger-than-life size appear even bigger.
