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His eyes widen and his nose flares. A slight snarl bounces off the car’s inside.
“Nyet. You will be coming with me.” He breaks eye contact and moves to stare out the window as the three cars pull out of the gravel lot.
“What? This is kidnapping. You can’t do this. My mom will report me missing. My car will be found abandoned. Please, just let me go.”
His eyes flit back to mine. “Your car is no longer an issue.”
I still.
“What—where is my car?”
He looks at me dead in the eye and huffs. “Scrap metal.”
* * *
The rideback into the city is silent. Luka spends most of the ride on his phone and I stare at the world as I pass it by, wondering if he will eventually make me disappear too. My only hope is that I’ve been reported missing and people are searching for me.
Every couple of minutes, I’m drawn to Luka, watching him from the corner of my eye. My pulse races each time I think he may meet my gaze. The thrill of his power, his position, pulling out a darker part of me and luring me in. It’s wrong—he is wrong.
I’m engrossed in my thoughts and I don’t realize we’ve stopped until Luka opens his door and steps out. I tilt my head and glance out the window.
We’re outside my apartment?Thank god.Maybe he is letting me go after all.
Another man in a suit walks around and opens my door. I contemplate making a swift escape, but he is blocking my exit. He flashes his weapon and jerks my hands out. All three SUVs have stopped, and several men in suits are positioned around Luka. I’m escorted over to him, but he doesn’t touch me.
“Sir,” one of the men calls out, “we have cleared the building and men are in position. You have ten minutes.”
“Let’s go,” Luka orders, and the men move toward the entrance.
When we reach my apartment door, one of the men opens it and Luka pulls me in. “You have eight minutes to grab any clothes or items you want to keep with you.”
He stands tall and proud against the door, his brief perusal of the place dismissing. Embarrassment heats my face. The stark contrast between Luka’s well-dressed presence and my little run-down studio is pathetic. That is quickly replaced by a flare of indignation.
“My stuff? Why? This is my home; I’m staying here. You leave.” I lift my hands, trying to motion toward the door.
“Seven minutes, Kate.” My breath catches at the sound of my name coming from his mouth and my eyes flick there. His mouth is frowning but alluring all the same—like a fish to a baited hook. “You are not coming back here anytime soon. Get what you need, or we will leave without it.”
“Wow. My kidnapper is such a gentleman.” I deadpan, glaring at him.
Luka checks his watch. “Six minutes.”
It took me exactly that to grab several outfits, the box under my bed, and some toiletries. I guess not having much means I can abide by my kidnapper’s timeframe to erase me.
My bag lands with a thud in front of Luka. “I want to get my mail,” I say, seething at this point. This is my life, one I worked hard to achieve with independence after my father lost his own and my mother gave up hers. He’s ripping it away from me. I have spent all my tears and now all that remains is my raging anger.
“I owe rent on this place. I can’t walk away. This is where I live,” I hiss through my teeth, adding a grating, “Please.” The irony that I’m begging for my dilapidated home is not lost on me, but it’smyhome.
“Not anymore.” Luka bends down and lifts my bag while opening the door. He hands off my bag to another guard and placates my request. “Ms. Castile would like her mail. Igor, grab it on the way out.”
I’m directed back to the SUV. On the way out, I pan my eyes around looking for someone—anyone that would see me and stop what was going on—but I wince because there is no one. I wrestle for anything that I can hold on to—anger, grit, hope—I need hope. Surrounded by a sea of men, I’m alone and vulnerable. I’m out of control with nothing to anchor me—no tether.
Through my blurry vision, I glimpse back at my apartment, my heartbeat getting louder and louder in my chest, drowning out the city. I hate the sound.
Chapter18
Luka
Kate is quiet for the remainder of the ride. I’ve never been one to explain myself. Yet, a sensation low in my gut is telling me I should try to explain my reasons to her. Unfortunately, I don’t even know what the hell I’m doing. Kate is on Antonio’s radar, and while I don’t want her on mine, she is. The most advantageous plan is to keep her and take her off the board for Antonio. Right now, I don’t care what she wants.
