Page 93 of Ruthless Serenade

"Sir," the guard continues, "she says it’s an emergency. About Sharon."

My carefully constructed walls crumble in an instant. Rachel Anderson’s threats echo in my head. Does this have something to do with her? If so, then I’m a bigger idiot than I had imagined.

"Why didn’t you lead with that,mudak?" I snap.

"I apologize, sir."

"Send her to my office," I order, sternly.

I roughly towel off and stalk toward my office, trying to fortify myself against what’s coming. But it’s a fool’s errand – I’m always fucked when it comes to Mindy, weak as a newborn wolf pup despite all my power. And after what Pavel told me last night…fuck, I just hope I can keep my shit together.

But when she stumbles through the door, the sight of her almost stops my heart dead. She’s a wreck - hair wild like she’s been clawing at it, mascara bleeding down her cheeks in black rivers. Her eyes are raw and haunted, aged a decade since I last saw her. Her hands tremble violently around her phone like she’s fighting hypothermia.

"Maron." My name scrapes from her throat. "It’s Sharon."

The air vanishes from my lungs. "What about her?"

She sways like a tree in a storm, and my body moves before I can stop it, ready to catch her. But she stays standing, her eyes finally locking onto mine with such naked terror that my gut turns to ice.

"Mindy. What about Sharon?" Each word feels like shards of glass in my throat.

"She... I..." Her voice fractures. "Sharon was taken from the hospital. Someone... someone pretending to be me picked her up."

"What?" The word explodes from me as Rachel Anderson’s threat slithers through my mind once again. The bitch! Rage begins to build as the pieces click into place. I grab Mindy’s shoulders, fingers digging in. "What are you saying?"

"They took her, Maron." Her words come out between strangled breaths. "Then a woman called. The one who has Sharon. She left a message for you."

My fingers tighten involuntarily. "What message?"

"She said..." Mindy’s voice cracks like thin ice. "If you don’t comply with her demands... she’ll make Sharon suffer."

Yebat’!

Ublyudok!

My blood runs cold quicker than a bullet leaving the chamber. As if on cue, my phone rings. It’s the secure line, the one only family and my closest allies know. I feel the color drain from my face as I stare at the phone. Only one person would be calling now.

"Speak." The word comes out like a death sentence as I grip the phone to my ear.

"Got my message, Mr. Korolev?" Rachel Anderson’s voice slithers through the speaker.

"Where. Is. My. Daughter?" Each word burns like acid in my throat. My free hand clenches into a fist. When I find thissuka, I’ll make her pray for a quick death.

"Money first."

"Fuck you!" The roar rips from my chest before I can stop it.

"I’d watch that language if I were you, Mr. Korolev." Her voice is icy. "Unless you’d like your daughter’s fingers delivered to your doorstep."

"What the fuck is your deal, Anderson?" My voice explodes through the office like a thunderclap, making Mindy flinch back. The sight of her fear as she stares at me with teary eyes only feeds the inferno of rage in my chest.

"I told you. I want my money. Now."

"I want to see Sharon first." I force the words through gritted teeth, tasting blood where I’ve bitten my cheek.

"Fine." her voice is as hard as steel. "I’ll send you a picture with the account details."

The next moment, the line goes dead. It doesn’t take five seconds for my phone to buzz again.

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