Page 20 of Roxanne

I’m not outside long when I hear screeching tires and a loud ass engine. I turn to see my best friend arrive, along with three of his father’s men.

“Show me,” he says, walking around me and heading inside.

I follow him up to Roxy’s apartment. There are no signs of forced entry. Either she knew the person responsible for her disappearing, she was easily fooled, or she left on her own and just decided not to take her phone.

“So, she left it?” he asks, holding his hand out as he looks around the room. I hand him the phone. After he’s done checking it, he turns to me. “How long have you been fucking my sister, Storm?” His question catches me off guard, but I can’t hold in my smirk.

“Technically it’s been about twelve hours,” I say, and I can’t help but tense, waiting for him to take a swing at me. He doesn’t. Thankfully. Instead, he just tilts his head, studying me.

“We need to find her. Our uncle Eli is still alive and has escaped my father,” he says casually as fuck, and my blood boils.

“What the fuck did you just say?” I ask, taking a step toward him.

“Given your reaction, I believe you heard me. Let's call it even. I won’t kill you for defiling my little sister, and you don’t kill my father for keeping Eli alive,” he offers it with a straight face, but before I can tell him to shove it up his ass, he goes on. “If it’s any consolation, my father has spent the last several years torturing Eli in some of the most horrific ways possible. Including, but not limited to, feeding him his own severed penis.” Will sniffs, looking around like this conversation is about the weather.

“That's horrifying and the least he deserved,” I say, thinking… I guess we don’t have to worry about him trying to rape anyone…at least. Not with his cock, anyway. “Fine, but I’m not going to stop pursuing Roxy…”

“I suspected you’d say that.” Will meets my eyes, studying me. “Fine, but if my father finds out, there’s a chance he’ll kill you.”

“He’d send you to do it. You gonna be able to pull that trigger, Will?” I ask, crossing my arms, and lifting a brow.

“To kill any other person on this planet? Absolutely. Without hesitation. I find the thought of shooting you appalling, much to my surprise.” Will adjusts his wrist cuffs because of course the freak is wearing a suit.

“Thanks, buddy, I love you too,” I tease him, winking. I turn away from him, and head for Roxy’s door. If she’s not here, we need to find her. Now.

His phone rings, and he turns away from me to answer it as I glance over my shoulder at him.

“What?” he asks, pausing before turning back to me. He pulls the phone away from his ear, hits a button, and waits. I frown as a distorted voice speaks.

“I have your sister. If you want to see her alive, I suggest you do exactly as you’re told,” the voice on the call instructs.

“Eli, if you harm my sister, the next thing you’ll lose will be your eyes,” Will warns, clearly assuming the caller is Eli. There’s a long pause on the other line. Either it’s Eli, and he’s surprised we knew it was him, or it’s someone else. I shake my head. This kind of threat doesn’t make sense for Eli.

Why would he hold her for ransom? He has no shot at surviving like this. If he did come for Roxy, then he’s out for revenge. Only one of two paths makes sense for Eli. This isn’t one of them.

I catch my best friend's eye, gesture to the phone, and then make a cutting motion across my neck and shake my head. Will has always been so observant. Sure, he’s reckless, but he would never be reckless when it comes to his sister's life.

He curses silently, the first sign that he even feels emotions crosses his face as his skin turns slightly red. He’s fucking furious.

“Bring six million to the address I just sent you in three hours, or we start sending you body parts,” the voice warns, and Will sneers.

“Harm her, and you all die slowly,” Will says before the line goes dead.

“They’re going to die either way,” I point out, and Will shrugs.

“They don’t know that.”

* * *

Storm

Two hours later, Will, myself, and two of his best men are in full tactical gear. We used the first hour to assemble, the second for recon, and now, we move.

“My father wants one kept alive for questioning, however, the main priority is Roxanne. We get her out safely, there is no other option,” Will says, meeting each of our eyes. And then we head out.

We realized this wasn’t Eli because of the number of men on site. Whoever we’re dealing with is capable of the most basic of kidnappings, but is a fucking idiot. We assume it’s a low-level gang who thought they could take on the Ivanov criminal empire. We couldn’t find any direct link to Eli during our recon. Tracking Roxy to the warehouse they are hiding out in was pretty easy, though.

So, either someone put them up to it, or they’re really fucking stupid. Or both.

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