Page 46 of Forced Pregnant Bride

“Boss….”

I arched a brow, more suspiciously concerned when Ivan fell to his knees on the new carpet, bowing his head. Arlo almost never called me boss, not since years ago, or except when he had a joke brewing. But the firm line on his lips and murderous gloominess hanging over his entire countenance was enough tohint that the only thing brewing was news that I wasn’t going to fucking like.

“What is it?”

Arlo stepped aside, giving more room for Ivan’s profile to be on view. “Serena’s missing. He lost her.”

It took a minute before Arlo’s words sank deep, and when they did, that urge to put a bullet in something tripled in an immense amount; it was almost blinding. I had to grip the arm of the chair for support.

“What?”

“After an appointment at the hospital. The people there said she’d chased after a car. That was the last that was seen of her.”

I was on my feet in seconds, marching over to Ivan with the whole of my body vibrating like an engine about to explode. “Get the fuck up.”

He obeyed, and I didn’t hesitate when he rose to eye level.

I curled my fingers and swung my fist across his jaw. Ivan toppled, swaying on his feet, almost falling on his back. But I didn’t stop. Stepping forward, I struck my fist under his chin, then over his nose….

Not pausing even when the blood spread, smeared over the black ink on my knuckles, and dotted my dress shirt. Not pausing when something white and pearly flew out of his mouth.

Rage blinded me, and an uncomfortable squeeze in my chest suffocated me. The only way I felt I could breathe was if I saw her again. I wanted to hold her, to see her smile, to hear her laugh, to fit perfectly with her while she clung to me like I mattered more to her than life itself.

A satisfying snap of bones cracking made me stop, reeling me back to the present. With a step back, I kicked his folded body, which had collapsed to the floor.

Chest heaving, with my jaw clenched, I pointed my bloodied fingers at Arlo, who looked at me like he would at a raving madman.

“Get me her current location right fucking now. I don’t care what you have to do or who you have to fucking kill to get it. You have thirty fucking minutes to find my wife!”

Chapter 19 – Serena

When I opened my eyes, Jayden and Matteo were not the only ones I saw, and we were no longer in an empty parking lot. Wherever we were, it was cold and partially dark, with buzzing fluorescent lights on the ceiling, shining over the center of the room, where I sat, loosely tied to a chair. I didn’t even want to know where it was; I just wanted to go home.

Weeks ago, when thoughts of that same word came to mind, I only wished I was close to Jayden and back to our former life. But now, when I wished for home, it meant Timur. I yearned to see him again.

Standing before me was the girl from the night of the escape, Leonara Colombo, Matteo’s sister, and an older man. They all dressed expensive and dangerous, except my brother. The older man and Matteo shared more striking similarities than I’d ever seen between two people, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what their relationship was.

“You’re finally awake. I was beginning to think we’d given you an overdose.”

It was the girl, Leonara, who spoke up. Looking at her now, with her dark eyes, short hair, and bad girl outfit, I couldn’t believe I’d once been envious of her.

I glared at her. “And that’s supposed to be funny?”

“Do you see anyone laughing here? Well, I don’t.”

“Let me go. I want to go back. I need to leave this place.”

“You can’t,” her brother’s voice echoed. He didn’t even bother giving me a glance; his head was buried in his phone. “You’re here for your own good.”

“He’s right,” the man, who I assumed to be their father, stepped into the light. I didn’t need an introduction; the coldness in Matteo’s eyes, that sharp jawline, and tanned skinhad definitely come from somewhere. “Mm-hmm, you’re quite the catch. What do you know? That bastard Timur has good taste. My name is Enzo Colombo, pretty one, and I am the father of Leonara and Matteo.”

I shook my head. “I really don’t care who you are; I need to leave this place and go back to my husband.”

“Husband?” Jay shoved his head into the light, and I had never before seen him that livid. “Have you forgotten everything already? That man is no husband, Serena. He was willing to use me for his evil biddings.”

“And this man is not evil?” I motioned toward the older man, and Enzo scoffed, pushing a hand into the pocket of his pants. “If we’re riding on honesty, then let’s admit that they’re no different, Jay.”

Jayden dropped to his haunches, staring at eye level. “At least none of them threatened you to substitute your life for mine.”

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