Page 56 of Twisted Thorns

"Give it up, boys," a gruff voice growls, frustration seeping through his words. "She's long gone."

"Boss won't be happy," another mutters, the sound of their retreat gradually fading away.

I allow myself a single shaky breath, relief washing over me in waves. But as I prepare to emerge from my hiding place, a vice-like grip seizes my arm, wrenching me into the open.

"Thought you could get away from us, did you?" the crony snarls, his face twisted into a cruel grin. "We're not done with you yet."

The world around me blurs as panic consumes my senses, distorting them into a tapestry of blurry shapes and colors. Desperately, I fight against his iron grip, my fingers clawing at his skin in a futile attempt to break free.

"Let me go!" I scream, my voice raw and desperate, lungs empty from my race through the shadows. "You'll never get away with this!"

"Looks like we already have, sweetheart," he taunts, a wicked smile plastered across his face.

As the darkness of despair threatens to swallow me whole, I make one last desperate plea: "Kieran, help me"–but my voice was little more than a whisper, lost in the chilly night air.

Chapter 29

Kieran

The door slams open with a resounding thud, causing the walls to shudder. I let out a curse at the intruder, but unease catches the words in my throat as Cassandra hurries over to my desk, hair disheveled and sweaty, like she ran here.

"It's Avalina." she gasps. "He got her. Sean."

"What?" I bark, a demand more than a question.

Cass's chest heaves with exhaustion, and she bends over as she rasps out, "They ambushed her, outside of the nightclub she and Claire were at. Claire got worried when Avalina went outside to get some air and didn't return. It was clearly Sean's men on the security footage who cornered her in the alley before tossing her in the back of their SUV."

The chair under me groans beneath my hands, my fury barely leashed. "They weren't hiding."

"No, they weren't." Cass replies.

"Why go after her now? I broke it off."

"Kieran," Cass begins, hesitating for a split second before continuing, "we both know it's a trap. Sean wants to kill you for messing with his business. If you go after Avalina, you might both end up dead."

"But if I don't go," I growl, "then she will most definitely end up dead and I rather not live if that's the case."

Learning forward, I brace my arms against the cold wood of my desk, pressing my forehead against my fists as I try to steady my racing heart. The image of Avalina's vulnerable gaze haunts me like a specter I can't shake off. With every beat of my heart, the urgency of her safety becomes more palpable.

"Fuck," the curse hissed between my teeth, forcing myself to breathe in deeply. The scent of aged leather and dark mahogany fills my nostrils, grounding me momentarily. I have never been one to waver, but now my affection for Avalina is threatening to unravel me entirely.

"Kieran," Cass's voice breaks through my thoughts, her concern etched across her face. "You know this could tear everything apart."

I clench my fists, feeling the weight of responsibility and loyalty bearing down on me like a crushing force. The only way out is to kill Sean, but that may cause more turmoil in the end.

"Damn it, I know!" I growl, frustration seeping into every word. "But what choice do I have? She's in danger because of us — because of me."

I pace the room, the woven carpet beneath my dress shoes quickly bowing under the weight of my anger rolling off me in waves.

The door creaks open to reveal Liam, and he and Cass whisper back and forth with frantic gazes in my direction.

"Listen to me, brother," Liam urges, gripping my shoulder with a strength that belied his worry. "I understand your love for her, but you are risking everything we've built. Our power, our legacy, our family's very survival."

"Her life is worth more than all of that," I insist, the conviction in my words ringing true. I know that by choosing her safety over my loyalty to my family, I am potentially sacrificing everything I hold dear. But how can I live with myself if I let her die?

"No," I say firmly, my resolve unwavering. "I love her, and I will protect her at any cost."

"Even if it means destroying our hold, erasing everything we've worked for?" he asks, his voice heavy.

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