Page 114 of Savage Reign

For a second, the room is deathly silent, and then I drive my fist into the wall, the crack of impact breaking the quiet. Pain shoots up my arm, but I welcome it. My bleeding knuckles are the only thing anchoring me, keeping me from completely losing my grip.

All this time, Igor was playing me. How long had he been plotting against me? How long was I just a puppet in his carefully planned endgame—one I was too blind to see? Shame burns hot under my collar. He told me Sofiya would betray me, but it was him all along. The real snake. I draw in a ragged breath. I owe Sofiya so many apologies. Failing to see Igor and Emil for the traitors they are is something I’ll never forgive myself for.

Vadim clamps a firm hand on the back of my neck, his grip steady. “Breathe,” he says. “We’ll figure this out, but now’s not the time to lose it.”

Across the room, Roman sinks into a chair, his head in his hands. Pavel stays silent, his face a mask of hard lines and tension.

“This shouldn’t be possible,” Roman mutters, his voice taut with frustration. “The Black Company was wiped out. We made sure of it.”

“Obviously, we didn’t.” Pavel drags a hand through his hair. “We failed… I failed.” I don’t know what that means, but the two men exchange a heavy look.

The door creaks open, and Eva steps in cautiously. Her gaze sweeps the room, landing on me. “What’s going on?”

“Igor sent a video. He’s got Sofiya, and he’s working with the Black Company Triad. They want everything—territory, money, the casino deal—and we have 24 hours to comply.”

My phone dings, with a link to an encrypted server.

Roman looks up, his eyes shadowed. “We can’t just give them what they want. Even if we do, they’ll just come back for more. They’re playing us, they want to take us down.”

“And if we don’t?” I snap, my voice breaking. “What then? Do you think Igor’s bluffing?”

Eva straightens from where she’s leaning against the wall. “Let’s not waste any more time. We have a possible location, thanks to the ankle monitor. Our men are geared up and ready. If we move now, we might have a shot at getting her back before the 24 hour deadline.”

Pavel pushes off his chair, his expression grim. “What if the Black Company’s soldiers are guarding the place? If we go in blind, we could be walking into an ambush.”

Vadim drums his fingers on the desk. “I can get a drone above the location. It’ll give us eyes on the ground so we know what we’re walking into.”

“That’s our best option for now,” I agree. “Let’s fucking do this. I don’t want to wait another minute.”

The room bursts into motion, everyone filing out. I stay rooted in place, watching as Roman lingers by the door. He rubs his temples, exhaustion written in every line of his face.

I clear my throat. “Do you want to call Liza? Let her know what’s going on?”

He drops his hands, shaking his head slowly. “No. There’s no point in stressing her out until we know more. She’s been through enough already. But I’ll let Maxim Belov know what’s happening. He needs to be looped in.” Roman’s eyes meet mine. “I can see how much this is costing you. How much you care for her.”

“I fucking love her, and I’ll stop at nothing to bring her home safely. And then I’ll hunt them down, one by one, and make sure they suffer for this. It’s going to be a bloody night in St. Petersburg.”

Roman’s lips twitch. “Alright, then. I’ve got your back every step of the way.”

I exhale, steadying myself, before walking out the door and hope like hell I’m bringing my wife home tonight.

CHAPTER

FORTY-SIX

SOFIYA

My head feelslike it’s splitting in two, the pounding behind my eyes making me groan. I blink, my vision clearing enough to see that I’m still tied to the chair, the horror still painfully real.

The ropes burn against my wrists as I flex them, my muscles stiff from hours of immobility. My mouth is dry, and my thoughts are sluggish. They must’ve drugged me. It’s the only explanation for why I would’ve passed out sitting here.

After they filmed the video, I nearly had a panic attack, terrified of what Igor threatened. He’s a twisted man, and I have no doubt he’ll follow through on his threats.

I couldn’t have slept for long because it’s still night. Through the darkness, I see Emil sitting across from me, his chair tipped slightly back, one hand resting on the armrest, the other gripping a gun. His face is blank, his eyes cold as he watches me. Whatever Niko did to him, this can’t be worth it—aligning with a psychopath.

My heart sinks as I imagine Niko and Roman watching that video. It must have destroyed them both—though Roman might not even understand what it means.

I scan the room, confirming Igor isn’t here. A ripple of hope stirs in me. If he’s gone, I might still have a chance to reason with Emil.

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