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Alessandro’s face is grim. "She followed Martin out of the building. They left together in his car, and then the signal for the CCTVs disappeared. We're searching the area, but there are too many side roads."
I swear under my breath, panic and pain mingling. I’m not entirely convinced that Martin can keep her safe. I have to get out there myself. I can't fail her and our baby.
"We'll find her," Alessandro repeats. "You know our reach is long. But you must keep your strength up." His gaze holds a warning.
I nod, resignation settling in my gut. He's right, as always. I need to trust my men. They will bring her back to me.
They have to. I take another IV drip, then get back up on my feet.
I enter the control room an hour later, my arm throbbing with every step. My men glance up, relief on their faces.
"Boss." Enzo nods at me. "We were worried."
"I'm fine." I scan the wall of screens, each showing footage from traffic and security cameras across the city and countryside. "Tell me you have something."
Everyone hesitates. "We tracked them for a while, but the car disappeared into a heavily wooded area with no cameras. We're searching the area now."
The tension in the control room is palpable. Beads of sweat dot brows, a testament to the pressure bearing down on all of us. Failure is not an option. Not when Tatiana's life is at stake.
I stand in the center of the room, arms crossed over my chest. My injured arm throbs in time with my heartbeat, a steady pulse of pain that does little to improve my mood. The clock is ticking, each second slipping through my fingers like grains of sand.
How long will it take them to find something? Anything?
A low growl rumbles in my chest, barely contained fury and a hint of desperation. I want to throttle the nearest tech, to shake answers from them through violence alone. Rage and fear twist inside me. I clench my hands into fists, nails biting into my palms.
No. I will not give in to savagery. I must remain in control.
I take a breath, steadying my voice. "He'll want to hide her, keep her safe, but he doesn't know what he's gotten himself into—foolish man. We have to find them. Check abandoned buildings and remote farms. Leave no stone unturned."
My men nod, fingers flying over keyboards. I lean against the wall, watching footage flicker across the screens. Somewhere in that maze, Tatiana is trapped with an incompetent man—regret and helplessness war within me.
I failed to protect her, failed in my duty as her mate, and if any harm befalls our child… I clench my fists against the urge to slam them into the wall.
"Boss." Matteo gestures to a screen. "We found the car. It’s abandoned."
"So they're on foot. Where could they have gone?" I study the dense forest surrounding the car. "He'll go to ground somewhere nearby. Expand the search radius. He couldn't have gotten far with her."
"On it." Matteo’s fingers dance across the keyboard. The screens change, displaying maps, then more forest and dirt roads.
A muscle in my jaw twitches. I yearn to wrap Tatiana in my arms and erase the memory of this night. I should have never left her side, should have held her closer.
More time slips through my fingers as I resume my pacing, watching the screens from the corner of my eye.
"There." I point at an old abandoned farmhouse in disrepair, tucked in a hollow halfway up a hill. "That looks promising."
Matteo pulls up the footage, the farmhouse barely visible behind an overgrown brush. "It's been abandoned for years, according to records. No power or water connected. Perfect hiding spot."
"Send in a team to scout the location. But have them hold back until we're sure she's there." If he hears the wind of people following her, he disappears into the night, taking her with him.
"Sending the team in now," Matteo adds.
"We're following," I command.
Alessandro strides out to oversee the preparations, checking weapons and tactical gear to ensure everything is in working order. My men move with ruthless efficiency, hardened killers steeled by years of brutal training.
But I know that beneath the veneer of violence lies unyielding loyalty—to me and the Family.
We move to the garage, scanning the vehicles lined up for our convoy. Eight black SUVs, heavily armored and loaded with my most experienced men. All armed to the teeth, prepared for confrontation.
