Page 142 of Ruined

But what if it wasn’t?

What if Dominic had found Alexei first and walked into whatever nightmare Alexei had planned? Dominic wasn’t stupid, but he didn’t know Alexei. He didn’t know howunhingedthe man could be.

Alexei was fucking with me, but the thought of Dominic alone, hurt…

I shoved my feet into my boots, tying the laces.

How the hell did Alexei even know?

My hands hovered over the laces. HowdidAlexei find out about Dominic and me? No one outside of Delilah and Santino knew. Not unless…

My teeth ground together. Frank. The bastard sold me out. He could’ve easily sold the information to the Russians to get back at us.

I wiped my face with a towel and forced my legs to move. I pushed open the door, the lights of the hallway blinding me. The world tilted but I braced myself against the wall and kept moving.

I didn’t care if Alexei was dangling Dominic like meat on a hook. If Dominic was out there, if there was even the smallest chance he needed me, I wasn’t going to sit in a goddamn hospital bed and wait.

Dominic wasn’t going to confront Alexei alone. I wouldn’t let him.

I limped down the hall, one hand pressed against my side. Each step burned.

I’d survive this. Dominic would survive this.

And Alexei?

He wouldn’t.

THIRTY-FOUR

DOMINIC

The warehouse was freezing, but I didn’t feel it. All I could focus on was the asshole tied to the chair in front of me—bloody, sweat-soaked, and too stupid to keep his mouth shut. The faint hum of a flickering bulb overhead matched the buzzing under my skin.

I dragged the chair closer to me with a screech, crouching so we were eye to eye. His face was swollen from the last round of my questions, but the he still had enough nerve to smirk at me through bloody teeth.

“Let’s try this again.” I reached for the crowbar leaning against the crates beside me. “Where is Alexei?”

He sniffed. “Why don’t you ask Luca? I’m sure he knows all about it.”

My grip on the crowbar tightened. “What did you just say?”

The thug chuckled. “What, you think no one knows?”

“Who told you?”

“Word spreads fast, especially when it’s this good. The Bratva’s lapdog, taking it up the ass for his boss? Come on.”

I grabbed the back of his chair and yanked it forward. He let out a choked sound as the metal screeched, but I didn’t let him catch his breath.

“Who. Told. You.”

The thug wheezed out a laugh. “Does it matter? The whole goddamn city knows. You’ve turned into a fucking punchline, Caruso. You and that pretty little?—”

My fist cracked into his jaw. He slumped forward, gasping. My fists still shook, but I dropped the crowbar with a clatter that made him flinch.

“Get out.”

The thug blinked.

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