Page 22 of Tarnished Reign

I explain to him that we have the boat, the women are freed, our brigadier’s daughter is back home, the men are dead except for Dorian, and we have addresses on most of the others, although some will have gone into hiding and will be harder to find.

“All as expected,” he says. “This sort of thing takes time. We weren’t expecting you guys to complete this in a day or so.”

“I’m calling because I’ve found a woman here, and we’ve discovered that she was going to be auctioned for a fuck-ton of money. The people who run the auction are powerful beyond belief, allegedly, and will want their investment. Now, I either give her to them, or I need information on who they are so I can fight them, because right now, I’m blind.”

“Yeah, I really don’t recommend giving her to them. I’m reporting back to the Corfu contingent on this, and unless you want Andrius, that Andrius—as in The Ghost—after you, do not sell that woman to the auctioneers.”

“I have no fucking intention of doing so, but I need help because I have no idea who these bastards are. The auction takes place in three weeks, and that’s about all we know. If I send you the information I can get from Dorian’s devices, along with the woman’s details, can you see what you can find out?”

“Of course; send everything my way. I’ll text you a secure email. Make sure you’re not on Google, for fuck’s sake, when you send it. I’ll tell you how to get it to me without leaving a great big trace.”

“Great. Thanks.”

“Speak soon.”

He hangs up without any further niceties, and I stare out at the water as the boat gently bobs. I glance over at Adriana. I don’t want to tell her about the auction yet. I will have to at some point, but the men who are expecting her to be delivered aren’t expecting her for weeks yet. I have Dorian’s phones, and the phones and tablets of all the men who were on board, and most are dead, so they won’t be contacting this mysterious auction group. Ari could call those running the auction, but really, it’s not in his interest to do so. He’s twisting in the wind, his manpower severely diminished, and his organization in tatters, with the head of it captive in my tender care. It means he’s vulnerable and liable to be shitting himself. These men will be as likely to kill him for fucking up as anything else. I’m pretty confident he’s not going to be calling them anytime soon to say he’s lost their girl.

It buys us time.

Christ, I need to get off this fucking yacht. My skin feels too tight, and the air is close, despite the breeze over the waters of the bay. I make a sudden decision.

I call Alexis over.

“I need some space. I’m going to the mainland. Come with me and pick three men to join us, fully armed. I’m taking Adriana and going back to the house to get changed, and then I’m taking her on a drive. I need to clear my head.” Alexis nods.

I turn to Yuri. “When I get back here, I want all the men still on this boat, except for five armed guards, gone. This is just going to be me, you, Alexis, and our guards. However, I want a second boat, next to us, with thirty men on board. Get it done fast. Let Jacob know what we need. We’re turning this boat into a war room. We need to find out what the fuck is going on and where we stand in all this.”

“Of course, boss. I’ll clear them all out.” Yuri waves his hand at Jinx and the others.

I left the military, but it looks like I’m heading back into battle for this woman. A woman who I barely know but am itching to spend more time with.

A woman I want in my bed with a fever I haven't felt in years.

A woman I already know I won’t let go.

When Jinx was staring at her as if he wanted to eat her alive, one primal, elemental thought was thrumming through me.

Powerful, ancient, and biological on the most basic level.

A terrifying and dangerous thought, considering all I’ve just learned.

She is mine, and I will kill anyone who stands in my way.

7

ADRIANA

I’m shocked when Dimitri tells me we’re leaving the yacht for a while. I’m over the moon, though. It’s not as if I’ve enjoyed being on this floating hellscape.

Something has happened since yesterday, but I don’t know what. There’s a change in the atmosphere. In him. He’s more serious. Quieter. I want to know but won’t ask yet. Maybe later, when things feel less tense. Nerves pinch at me. What if the tensions are about me? I’m so vulnerable, relying on these men.

Those thoughts won’t help me, so I push them away.

“Are my clothes suitable for where we’re going?” I ask.

He nods. “Of course.”

“Where are we going?”

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