I BARGE into Alexander’s office, my temper about to boil over. The secretary runs after me, telling me he has a meeting and all that blah blah blah, but I’m not hearing her.
The way here was a fucking blur. I drove like a madman and thankfully didn’t get myself or anyone else killed.
I can’t erase the way Reina looked as she went with them. That vulnerability she hides so well was visible in the slight tremors in her hands and how she tried to leave me as fast as she could.
But she’ll never leave.
Now that I know what Ari did, I’ll never let Reina out of my sight. Even before knowing Ari’s plans, I was already figuring out a way to keep Reina.
I meant it—I can’t stay away.
Ari, my baby sister Ari…she was more messed up than I could’ve predicted, and it hurt like a motherfucker to hear her say those words.
On the flip side, it gave me some closure.
There’ll always be pain whenever I think of my only sibling, the one I lived for at one point. There’ll be days where I’ll stop and ask myself if I could’ve done better, understood her better, but that day won’t be now.
Alexander pauses mid-speech as I stride to the center of the conference room. When he figures out I’m here to stay, he addresses his audience. “That’ll be all for today. Email me the first draft.”
Just like that, the hotshot lawyers who were sitting around the table scatter.
The secretary apologizes, telling him she couldn’t stop me, but he dismisses her too. As the door hisses closed behind her, he leans over. “To what do I owe this visit?”
“Reina has been arrested by that fucking detective.”
“What?” He straightens, nonchalant mood disappearing.
“He had an arrest warrant.”
“He can’t have an arrest warrant—there was no body.”
“Well, do something.” My temper flares, nearly getting the better of me.
“I won’t have you order me around, Asher.”
I charge toward him until I’m standing toe to toe with him. We’re the same height, but I’m wider than him. The only reason I’m not punching him is because Reina needs his skills. “You were never a father to Ari and me, but you were always someone she could lean on. Don’t fail her, too.”
“I don’t need you to tell me that.” He retrieves his phone from his pocket and dials a number. After a few seconds, he says, “Alexander Carson speaking. My client Reina Ellis has been arrested by Detective Daniels, and I would like to know the details.”
He listens for a few seconds then his brows furrow.
Fuck. That’s not a good sign.
“Where is the detective?”
After listening, he hangs up with a curse.
“What is it?” I ask even though I don’t want to hear the answer.
“They’re not at the station.”
“But it’s been more than half an hour since they left.”
“They don’t know the detective’s whereabouts.” He slams his fist on the table. It’s the first time I’ve seen him this agitated.
“What do you mean they don’t know his whereabouts? There were officers and…” I trail off. “Do you think—”
My words are cut off when his phone rings. He puts a hand up. “This is my guy.”
I remain silent as he speaks.
“Alexander Carson…yes…what do you mean she’s with them? … How about Rai? Where is she?” He remains motionless then lets the hand holding the phone fall to his side. “Fucking hell.”
The tendons in my neck bulge. “What now?”
“The Russian Mafia has her. She’s with Ivan Sokolov.”
My head spins and my worst nightmares start to materialize in front of me.
Reina hurt.
Reina tortured.
Reina—
I shake my head. I won’t let that happen, not now after all the distance we crossed. Besides, I promised to find her.
I fucking promised.
“What are we going to do now?” My voice is calm considering the disorder in my brain.
“My guy said he and Rai are out of this situation. It’s too risky.”
“We can’t just do nothing.”
He releases a breath. “I’m thinking.”
I pace the length of the room, my head filling with the scenarios Reina could find herself in.
Each one is more terrible than the previous.
She might have lived on the run in the past, but that was a long time ago. She knows nothing about mafia life now.
Reina is as clueless as your next normal citizen.
My phone vibrates and I retrieve it, about to silence it. The unknown number makes me stop in my tracks.
I answer, “Who is this?”
The voice on the other end is the last one I expected to hear. “Hello, Asher.”
