Page 151 of Bound By Revenge

“I would’ve helped you, Dmitri,” I say, my voice sharper than I intend. “I would’ve done whatever I could—because we were friends. Or at least I thought we were, before you decided to kidnap me after I let you into my home.”

“I’m sorry, Kat,” he says, his voice soft but strained. “More than I can ever sat. If there were any other way, I’d take it. I wish I could promise to make this up to you, but that would bea lie. I won't have time.” His eyes flick around, unfocused, his desperation practically radiating off him.

“Funny you should say that, Dmitri—because I doubt I’ll have time, either,” I shoot back. “You know your father’s going to kill me as soon as he gets his hands on me. You’re sending me to my death.”

His shoulders sag, and his jaw tightens. “I’m sorry,” he whispers, barely audible. “You don’t deserve this. I wish there was another way, but I’m out of time. My father will release her in exchange for you. And if Nik catches us before I can make the trade, you’ll be my only leverage. He’ll do anything to get you back.”

His words about Nik land like a blow, and I grip the edge of my seat, forcing myself to stay composed.

I’ll never see him again.

Worse, the last moment we’ll ever share is filled with hurt and regret. If only I had known then…

I get it now. My obsession with controlling the uncontrollable ruined everything. I thought holding on to it would protect me, but all it did was keep me from the one thing I truly wanted—happiness. Nik.

Ironically, Dmitri was right—none of us can truly take life for granted. You could go to sleep and never wake up, or step outside and get hit by a car. Yes, Nik’s life may be full of danger, but does that mean a life without him is worth living? That feels like a fate worse than death.

Everything I’ve ever wanted was on the other side of my fears, and I made the wrong choice. I held on to what needed to be let go, and now it’s too late.

Dmitri’s constant glancing at his phone pulls me out of my spiral. His hands twitch on the wheel, and his eyes keep darting to the phone sitting harmlessly on the console. Over and overagain. He’s already distracted and driving like a maniac. At this rate, we’re not making it out of this car alive.

“Expecting a call?” I ask, the sarcasm heavy in my voice. “If you untie me, I could check it for you.”

His eyes flick to my bound wrists, the zip tie digging into my skin, before snapping back to the road. “No. I’m just… debating something.”

“Debating what?” I push. “Whether this plan of yours is a total disaster? Because, spoiler alert, it is. Why don’t we pull over at that gas station and rethink this whole thing?”

He shakes his head, jaw locking. “No. I’m debating whether to keep or toss the phone. Nik can track it. If he suspects I’ve taken you, he’ll find us in no time.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Then why not just toss it?”

His grip tightens on the wheel, and he clenches his teeth. “Because I need it to find her. It’s the only way I can track her right now. I don’t have time to figure something else out before your friend tells our friend who I really am.”

The way he sayshertwists something sharp and painful in my chest. His obsession with this woman—whoever she is—is driving all of this madness. I want to hate her. I want to hate him. But right now, I can’t decide who I hate more—thestronzoor myself.

“Why are you telling me all this?” I ask, my voice sharp with suspicion.

Dmitri shrugs, keeping his eyes on the road. “Just thinking out loud, I guess. But, believe it or not, I still think of you as a friend. Not that I expect you to feel the same right now. And, honestly? In the end, it doesn’t really matter if you know any of this.”

“Because I’m as good as dead, right,friend?” I snap, yanking at the zip tie cutting into my wrists. The sharp pain makes me wince, but I don’t care. “Real friendly of you.”

Dmitri doesn’t respond or even glance my way. His jaw sets, his eyes locked straight ahead, and that quiet, unshakable focus tells me everything I need to know. My fate’s already sealed.

The silence that follows is thick and suffocating as he drives. The minutes crawl by like hours, and the tension between us grows heavier with each passing second.

Finally, Dmitri slows down, the crunch of gravel under the tires breaking the stillness. I glance out the window as he pulls up in front of a massive, rundown warehouse.

The place is huge—easily big enough to cover an entire block—and at least five stories tall. Its once-bright blue paint has faded into a washed-out gray, and the facade is riddled with bare patches where the color has been stripped away, replaced by streaks of rust.

I glance around the massive lot, searching for signs of life, but there’s nothing. No movement, no people, no noise. Just this crumbling building in the middle of nowhere.

“We need to make a quick stop,” Dmitri says, unbuckling our seatbelts. “We won’t be long.”

Before I can respond, he’s out of the car, opening my door. He grabs me and hauls me out like I weigh nothing.

My feet instinctively drag along the ground as I dig my heels in—not that it does any good. He doesn’t even blink, let alone notice.

Dmitri doesn’t say a word, and neither do I. The silence between us stretches as he pulls me toward the warehouse.

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