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“Pull up his most recent messages,” I order.
What I see makes my stomach flip.
VS: Bring the girl tonight.
Ben: That’ll be difficult. Pyotr’s been keeping her close.
VS: I don’t care. Drug her and bring her here.
[Location Pin.]
Ben: You have my money?
VS: Yes.
Ben: I want half now, half after I’ve delivered her to you.
VS: No. If you want to get paid, you’ll bring my daughter to me.
Don’t keep me waiting. The jet’s ready to leave.
My jaw ticks. VS—Violetta Salkov.
That manipulative bitch. What game is she playing here? What reason could she possibly have to take her daughter back after forcing her to marry me in the first place? What was the point if—
It hits me like a runaway train.
Violetta never intended for this union to be permanent, which means she was buying herself time. Time for what exactly…
“Call Mikhail,” I tell Luka as I start the door. “Tell him to prepare his men and be on guard. The Salkovs are going to attack, and soon. It’s going to get bloody.”
* * *
I drive like a madman to Ben’s last known location: a private landing strip that’s closed to the public. If Luka’s sleuthing is correct, Ben should still be in the area. His phone hasn’t moved in almost thirty minutes, which means he either ditched the device to throw me off his trail, or he’s stuck around.
I stomp on the brakes and immediately get out of my car, running toward him. Ben is lying on the cold, hard pavement, nothing but the headlights of my vehicle to illuminate his pained face. He’s pale and barely breathing, a pool of his own blood under his inert body. I kneel at his side and apply pressure to his wound. He’s in rough shape. I’m not sure if he’s going to make it.
“Just… leave me,” he croaks, choking on a mouthful of blood.
I don’t say anything, moving instead to pull out my phone and call 911.
“Am I going to die?” Ben whimpers.
“Probably,” I snap bluntly. I’m not exactly known for my bedside manner, and even if I was, I don’t feel like sparing this traitor a lick of my sympathy.
“I’m sorry,” Ben rasps. “She offered me so much money.”
I almost roll my eyes. What a fucking disappointment. Men used to have honor and unshakeable loyalty. Now everyone and everything can be bought for a high enough price.
“I didn’t… mean for this to happen. You d-don’t think… Do you think she’ll hurt her?”
At this moment, Ben looks so much like a little boy. Afraid and guilty and ashamed. I offer him no comfort. He’snota little boy. These are the consequences of his actions.
“Violetta abused Alina all her life,” I say flatly. “And you gave Alina back for nothing more than your greed. If anything happens to her, it’syourfault.”
“I didn’t think—”
“Yes, that’s abundantly clear.”
