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“What are you talking about? You’re the one that kidnapped him?” I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
“Sure was,” he says, letting go of my face and walking to the door. “But we can talk about that later.”
Once he’s gone and I’m alone in the room, I survey the position I’m in. My arms are restrained behind my back, my legs are tied to the chair as well. If I could position myself just right, I could break the chair.
Closing my eyes I try to remember everything that my father taught me about breaking free from this particular position. I’ve done it dozens of times. But it’s like they used the strongest wood in the world. I can’t even manage to get in the correct position to break the chair.
Despite several attempts to free myself from my restraints, they seemed to have them placed just right, so I can’t break out. Hanging my head, I glare down at the floor. Whoever this mystery abductor is, they weren’t just some amateur trying to overthrow my family.
What feels like hours pass before Viktor comes back. He has a smile on his face, but not the kind that reaches his eyes. The expression is devious and full of malicious intent. I recognize the change in his features because it’s the same smile I would have if I had just gotten permission to rough up a hostage.
“Boss man says I can have some fun. Just not too much. Don’t want to lose our bargaining chip.” Viktor walks over, grabbing the small knife once more.
I steel myself for what’s coming. My father has put me through some rigorous torture exercises in case I was ever in this position. He may be crazy, but it looks like one of his lessons is about to come in handy. I close my eyes and go to a place deep inside of me, one of tranquility. A place that houses the thought of only one person despite my years of trying to remove him from my place of peace. Not much time passed before I realized that my attempts were useless and he is my place of peace.
Viktor cuts the top of my jumpsuit at the shoulders, allowing the fabric to fall away from my body and I shiver as the cool air hits my exposed skin.
“I can see why Declan O’Connor is infatuated with you. You’re a pretty little thing.” He traces the blade of the knife around my breasts, a trail of blood following. My stomach sours at his words and I shiver at the feeling of the cool metal pressing into my skin. “Not so mouthy anymore, are we?”
Keeping my mouth shut, I fix my gaze on a leaky pipe across the room. Instead of focusing on the current situation, I silently hope that Declan got my message and will be here soon. Holding onto that hope, I don’t make a sound while Viktor inflicts wound after wound onto my skin.
After he finishes, I am in agonizing pain.The cuts vary from deep to shallow and there are burns all over from a hot iron bar. My chest heaves with each breath I take, and I’m slowly slipping in and out of consciousness. Just as I think things couldn’t get worse, Viktor walks over and injects me with yet another drug filled syringe.
“Night, night, Natalia.” He grins as the room grows dark.
Chapter thirteen
Declan
“We have searched all the warehouses within a forty-mile radius of her last known location,” Finn tells me on the other end of the line.
“They have to besomewhere, Finn. They didn’t just up and vanish.” My tone has an unintentional bite to it, but I just can’t mask my emotions right now. I look back at the map of the warehouse district. “What about the ones further away? Let’s extend the radius to sixty miles.”
Glancing up at Ivan, he gives me a nod and we climb into his car. I ditched mine a few hours ago, deciding it was a waste of time driving two cars when we were both going to the same place. We have been searching for close to ten hours and I can only imagine what Natalia has been going through. As someone who has tortured men in the most gruesome of ways, I’m trying my hardest not to let my mind wander to the dark place that already decided she’s received the worst. Instead, I remind myself how strong she is.
“I guess while we drive, I could grill you about the fact that you and Natalia have been seeing each other even though you were forbidden.” Ivan glances over at me while his head of security drives toward the next warehouse location.
“I hadn’t seen her for two years. Then Dmitri died, and I had to make sure she was okay.” I shrug and then continue. “We have been meeting regularly, and I hope you know, sir, I intend to marry your daughter.”
The tension in the air is tangible as I await his answer. His usual brazen expression didn’t falter in the slightest as he processed my words.
“Straight forward. I like that,” he says, eliciting a look of inquisition from me. I very much expected Ivan Belov to put up more of a fight. “But you know the kind of issues that will come from a Belov marrying an O’Connor.”
“I hear you, but on the flip side. What about all the good that will come of it?” I counter. He raises an eyebrow and waits for me to continue. “If we combine families, we won't be two separate powerful families. We will bethemost powerful. We will control not only the weapons, but the drugs together.”
“How am I supposed to trust that you’re not going to pull a move like your father? You expect me to just believe you’re not trying to steal everything I’ve built out from under me?” I can see the wheels in his mind spinning as he convinces himself of that revelation.
“Because, Ivan,” I say, looking out the window momentarily. “I have been in love with Natalia since I was sixteen. I will never do anything to hurt her intentionally.” I look back over at him and the incredulous look he’s had since I started speaking is still present, yet fading as he processes what I’ve just admitted.
“Boss, we’re here,” Ivan’s head of security calls over his shoulder as he puts the car in park.
Ivan glances over at me and nods as we climb out. There are other vehicles here that don’t belong to my men, nor Ivan’s. We must be in the right place. I can feel the relief running through my veins.
However, we aren’t in the clear yet. We still have to find her in this place. The warehouse itself is pretty large. With several rooms, and several men milling about, it’s clear this could take a while to get through.
We work as fast as we can through the building, taking out men as we come across them. With each man who takes his final breath, my heart rate increases at the thought of being closer to her. I cannot fail this. Coming up on the last room, Finn busts the door down and we enter the room.
Empty.
