Page 84 of Stolen Seconds

“Ricardo!” Roman ran down the aged hall, opening doors to more vacant rooms.

“Over here,Don!”

We headed toward the sound of Ric’s voice, my mouth turning dry with every step until I stood inside a stained room.

As if every cell in my body came to life when she was near, my gaze landed on Irina.

My breath caught in my throat as I nearly tripped over my feet getting to her.

She was lying on the floor with one of our men crouched over her, assessing her.

“What happened?” My voice sounded hoarse to my own ears as I dropped to my knees and grabbed her unconscious body, pulling her against me. “What thefuckhappened?” I asked, louder, staring down at her.

Irina’s face was bloody, a sharp cut across one side ofher face. With trembling hands, I pushed back her matted hair hesitantly. It was short. . . choppy.

My finger fell upon her pulse, evident but slow.

“We gotta go,” Ricardo shouted. “Now!”

With my pulse racing, I wrapped my jacket around Irina, trying not to focus on the blood covering her body. I took deep breaths to calm myself down. She was my priority right now, but when I found out who did this to her, they’d be left for worse.

Cradling her body, I picked her up and finally peered around the room.

Roman was bent over Nicolai, his hands palming his face as he whispered something to him, almost like a chant.

But Nico was knocked out cold, battered and bruised, blood covering every surface of his body.

Nausea unfurled in my chest at the horrific scene in front of me.

When Ric set a hand on Roman’s shoulder, he looked up and I could see the glistening streaks of tears on his face.

“We have to go,Don.”

He nodded and together, they hauled our youngest member up.

I needed answers, and I needed them now. Whoever did this had a vendetta against Irina and Nicolai, marring and mangling their bodies until it was near unrecognizable.

The next hour went by in a blur, my head pounding from the unwanted adrenaline. I was on high alert, my body trembling in restrained rage.

When we arrived at the hospital, the doctors immediately admitted Nico and Irina to treat them. All it took was one look at their appearance and their faces had drained of color.

Threats were made and questions went unanswered. They knew better than to involve the feds.

I waited and waited, impatiently walking the halls of the clinically pristine walls for an update on their conditions.

Although my attention was solely on Irina, I was worried about Nicolai. He was hardly breathing when we brought him in, his once pale hair smeared with crimson.

Roman was worse than me, his eyes distant with fury swarming in them as he sat on a chair in the waiting room, his body tense and still.

This was bad,reallyfucking bad.

My mind tumbled until a fiery surge of emotion caught ahold of my chest, potent and persistent.

I clawed at my collar, feeling the air in my lungs cease.

If I hadn’t let Irina go, this wouldn’t have happened. She would’ve been angry, but safe. And so would have Nico.

If I hadn’t let her walk away, she wouldn’t have been tortured within an inch of her life.

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