Page 59 of Crown of Hate

I snatch the listening device from him, rage overriding any form of common sense left in me. “You’ve threatened everyone I care about, Akim. Mark my words—I’ll be the one to end you.”

“What a terrifying threat,” he sarcastically taunts.

“That’s not a threat,” I sneer. “It’s a promise.”

18

MIKHAIL

“What the hell do you mean she’s missing?” My voice explodes through the phone.

It’s almost evening, hours since Alya and her guards left for the shelter. I’d rushed home early, hoping to cozy up with my wife for our movie night, but now Dimitri just called to drop this bomb.

“I’m sorry, chief,” Dimitri’s voice crackles through the line. “We’ve been combing the streets non-stop, but it’s like she vanished into thin air. No trace, nothing.”

“Well, you better find her, or I’ll skin you both alive. First day on the job and you’ve already fucked up.” I end the call and slam the phone down on the table, my fingers twitching with the urge to crush it.

In a flash, my fist connects with the wall. Pain shoots through my hand, but it’s nothing compared to the ache in my heart. Fuck, Alya. Where are you?

“Easy, man. We’ll find her,” Alexei tries to soothe, but his calm tone only grates on my nerves.

I level him with a glare so frigid it could freeze hellfire. “How the hell am I supposed to take iteasywhen my wife is god knowswhere?? What if some bastard’s got her tied up in a basement somewhere?”

Alexei holds up his hands in a placating gesture. “We’ll find her. Wherever she is.”

“Damn right we will.” I’ll tear this whole fucking continent apart brick by brick just to find her, and if I don’t, God knows the havoc I’ll wreck on this planet.

Snatching up my phone, I dial Alya’s number, praying she’ll pick up. It bleeps before it goes straight to voicemail. My frustration builds in my throat as I try two more times, met with the same maddening result. Where are you, Alya? Why aren’t you answering? Fuck.

Turning to Semyon, I bark, “Get the car ready and round up the boys. We’re going to the shelter.”

Semyon nods and leaves. I pace the living room, my mind racing. No matter how I think of it, there’s only one son of a bitch who’d dare take Alya—Akim. The thought of his hands on her makes my blood boil.

The second Semyon returns, I grab the keys and bolt. My bodyguards scramble to keep up as I tear out of the house.

As we speed through the city, their radios crackle with updates on the search for Alya.

Despite their efforts, panic is seeping deeper into my veins with every passing moment. This isn't how tonight was supposed to go. I should be cuddled up with my wife on the couch right now, lost in a movie and each other’s arms. Instead, I'm hurtling through the streets like a man possessed man, my heart splintering as the minutes slip away.

The shelter’s an hour away from my mansion, but I make it there in twenty, tires screeching as I slam to a halt.

Sophia, Alya’s best friend, is pacing outside, biting her nails. The moment she sees me, she rushes over with tears welling in her eyes. “Mr. Zirkhov. I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault.”

“It’s not your fault. Now I need you to calm down and tell me exactly what happened.”

She sniffles and wipes her face with the back of her hand. “There were two men here. It isn’t the first time I’ve seen them. One of them bumped into Alya, and after they left, she found a note in her pocket.”

My breath catches in my throat. Shit. I know exactly where this is leading. “What did the note say?”

She shakes her head, eyes filling with fresh tears. “She wouldn’t let me see it, just rushed out after reading it. At first, I thought she was going to the bathroom, but she never came back. That’s when I knew something was wrong. I checked, and she was gone.”

“Do you have any CCTV footage?”

She nods. “I do. Inside. You can come see for yourself.”

We’re about to enter when my phone buzzes. Alya’s name flashes on my screen, and my heart damn near stops.

I hold my breath, my hands trembling as I swipe to answer. “Alya?”

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