Page 156 of Bound By Revenge

“You’re not losing me,” he says, kissing my temple. “Not now. Not ever. I’m yours, Kat. Until the end of time.”

I sob against his chest, my tears soaking his shirt. “Nik?—”

“Time to go,” he says, cutting me off, his tone firm again. “A.J.’s waiting for you outside. Don’t look back, okay?” He pauses, his gaze softening before he leans in. “Now come here and give me a kiss.”

Tears streak down my face as I rise onto my toes, pressing my lips to his. My arms wrap tightly around his neck, holding him close, unwilling to let him go. I kiss him with everything inside me—the agony, the words I’ll never get to say, and every emotion he’s stirred in me since the moment we met.

As our lips meet with urgency, I breathe him in, branding this moment into my memory. The sound of his shaky gasp, the familiar, intoxicating scent of him, the warmth of his skin under my hands, the softness of his hair against my fingertips, or the roughness of his scruff against my skin.

It ends too soon.

Too soon, he pulls back, untangling our limbs with an unbearable gentleness and stepping away. The space between us feels unbearable, cold and empty.

His eyes lock on mine, steady but full of emotion. “It’s time, Kat. Go now.”

I shake my head, my hands twitching, desperate to reach for him again. But one last look, and he turns away from me to face Dmitri. My heart clenches painfully as Dmitri steps forward, his hands already moving to restrain Nik.

I can’t watch.

Spinning on my heel, I bolt from the warehouse, the cool night air hitting my face like a slap. The sharp contrast of the quiet, indifferent world outside feels unbearably cruel, a harsh reminder that the universe doesn’t care my life is falling apart.

Nik’s car comes into view, parked under a flickering streetlamp. A.J. is inside, her blonde head visible through the window. I don’t even remember how I get there, but suddenly I’m behind the wheel, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles ache.

“What the hell happened in there?” A.J. demands, turning to me with wide, worried eyes. “Where’s Nik? Are you okay?”

I swallow hard, trying to shove the lump in my throat back down, and somehow, I manage to get the words out, explaining everything—the deal Nik made, Dmitri taking him. My voice sounds flat, mechanical, like I’m talking about someone else’s life. Every word feels like it’s slicing into me, but I force them out.

A.J. listens, her lips pressed into a thin line. When I finish, she exhales sharply, leaning back against her seat. “Well,” she says after a long pause, her voice unusually subdued, “let’s call this Vladimir guy then. Do you have his number? No? That's okay. I’ll find it. Hand me my laptop—it’s in the bag in the backseat.”

Her calm practicality jars me. I turn to her, my decision already made. “No.”

She frowns. “No?”

“No,” I repeat, firmer this time, my hands trembling as I reach for the laptop. “We’re not calling Vladimir. Not yet. I need you to do something else first. Can you track Nik’s phone?”

Her jaw drops, and she stares at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Track his phone?”

“Yes,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady, but the tremble gives me away.

She shakes her head, blinking hard. “Why would you want me to do that?" she asks, her voice rising. “You’re not actually thinking of going after him, are you?”

“A.J.—” I start, but she cuts me off, throwing her hands up.

“Because that would be suicide!” she snaps, crossing her arms. “And you’re too smart for that. Right? Please tell me you’re not about to throw your life away for some guy, no matter how hot or sweet or ‘devastatingly in love with you’ he is. You’re too smart to be this dumb.”

“I have to save him.”

Her mouth falls open in disbelief. “Let me get this straight. We just got everything we’ve been working toward for the last year. We’re finally free of thestronzoand all the other mob bullshit we’ve been dragged into, and now you want to throw it all away? For a man?” Her voice pitches higher. “Am I missing something here?”

I shrug. “Nope. I'd say that pretty much sums it up.”

“Are you out of your goddamn mind?” she yells, her voice echoing harshly in the enclosed car. I wince, my grip on the steering wheel tightening.

I sigh. “I might be. But it doesn’t matter. I have to try, A.J. If I don’t, Nik dies. And if he dies…” My voice cracks. “I’ll never be happy again.”

She stares at me, wide-eyed. “Who even are you right now? You’re really going to storm into a fucking mob summit with no plan, no backup, no nothing? Just—what? Wing it?”

“Yes,” I say simply. “Now, can you please track his phone?”

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