Page 86 of Tarnished Reign

“Stop firing,” I scream at the men. “Put your fucking weapons down.”

They all stop, and there’s nothing but the sound of the motor and then dreadful silence as it fades into the distance.

“Fuck, boss, I’m so sorry.” Yuri is ashen.

I don’t even reply to him but storm down to the kitchen, with Alexis right behind me.

I push open the doors and halt at the threshold. Fuck no. Some of the staff are bleeding. A young woman, I think her name is Jamie, is sobbing, and she has a huge gash on her thigh. Others have been hit with bullets.

“Call nine-one-one,” I order Alexis.

This is a nightmare. I’m going to end up in the cells explaining this when I need to be going after whoever took Adriana. I’ll be fine; the police won’t hold me for long, but initially? Until Jacob can pull the strings he needs to, I will be held up.

“Boss, go.” Alexis holds his phone, finger hovered over the screen. “I’ll take the heat. Take Yuri and go find her.”

“I can’t ask that of you.”

“You didn’t ask; I offered.”

“Thank you.”

“They took her,” Jamie says, sobbing. “She was just making a cheese sandwich, and they took her and dragged her out of here. Are they gong to kill her?”

Her face crumples, and then she turns to the side and vomits.

A woman rushes to help her.

“Fucking go, Dimitri. I’ve got this.” Alexis gives me a hard stare.

“Make sure the family pay for all the medical bills. Anything, cost is no issue.”

“Of course. Go. Bring her back. I like her. Don’t let those fuckers sell her, Dimitri.”

I walk out of that kitchen, my heart heavy and my soul tired. This is my fault. I let her down. I panicked. She said she wanted to bring Cade to stay with her, and I freaked out. Shut down. Said no before I heard her out. She never asked me to be his father, or to marry her; she simply didn’t want to leave him behind. I don’t think she’ll be able to keep him, but if I’d treated her like an adult and let her try to get the system to see things her way, she wouldn't have been angry with me. I wouldn’t have been the enemy. The system would.

We argued again on deck, and she was pissed at me when she stormed off.

If I hadn’t argued with her, she wouldn’t have been in that fucking kitchen making a cheese sandwich to force her emotions down; she’d have been with me. I could have protected her or died trying.

Now, she’s right back where she started. About to be sold at auction.

I’ll bring her back. I’ll do whatever it takes. I will burn this entire fucking world to the ground to bring my Littleblue home.

When I get her back, I won’t fail her again.

22

ADRIANA

The boat bounces on the waves while tears stream down my cheeks. One of the men pushes me roughly.

“Sit down, bitch.”

“Hey,” another one snaps. “The boss said not to be rough with her. If there are any marks on her, woe betide who put them there.”

“Are you taking me to Dorian?” My voice shakes. Then I recall he’s not free anymore.

“Who?” The man I assume is the leader, the one who told the rough one off, frowns.

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