Page 117 of Savage Reign

I don’t take my eyes off the screen, my pulse hammering in my ears as the grim reality of what we’re seeing sets in.”

“She’s running… Maybe she escaped him.”

“Or maybe he’s chasing her.” Roman looks as disgusted as I feel.

“I lost her,” Vadim husks, maneuvering the drone’s camera. The screen flickers, but Sofiya is gone.

“We need to go in now. We can’t wait,” I insist, slipping in the comms earbud.

Vadim swivels in his seat. “I’ll stay here and guide you. If we all move in, we’ll tip them off. Igor and any Black Company soldiers with him will know we’re here. You three go in. Eva and the others will hold the perimeter.”

Roman, Pavel and I climb out of the Humvee and head to the rear compartment, where extra weapons and gear are stashed. I grab a tactical knife, sliding it into the holster strapped to my thigh, then take an extra magazine for my pistol and tuck it into my vest. Luckily, we had the sense to put on all-black tactical gear before we arrived here.

Pavel crosses his arms and rests a shoulder against the vehicle. “How do you want to do this?”

I lift my head and scan the surroundings. “I’ll take the west side, Roman the east, Pavel up the middle. We close in and follow Vadim’s instructions.”

Roman pulls out a compact pistol, checking the chamber before sliding it into a holster strapped to his chest. “Just like old times, huh, Zhukov?”

I didn’t expect Roman to crack a joke, but I appreciate the effort. I just wish it wasn’t Sofiya’s life in danger that keeps bringing us together.

We exchange a look, each of us silently acknowledging what’s at stake. “How about next time we just catch up over a beer?”

“You got it.” Roman clasps my arm briefly, his grip firm. “Good luck.”

I wish the other two men luck as well, but I don’t need it. Luck won’t win this fight.

What’s driving me tonight is pure vengeance, and I won’t stop until Sofiya is back in my arms.

CHAPTER

FORTY-EIGHT

SOFIYA

The containers stretch endlessly,their towering walls my only defense in this fucked up game of hide and seek. My chest heaves as I press myself into a corner, the metal cold against my bare skin. My feet are torn to shreds, and my wrists ache from pulling against the ropes, but I don’t stop. Because every time I do, I hear Igor catching up.

“Where are you, little dancer? You can’t hide from me forever,” he taunts me from the shadows.

I clamp my lips shut, muffling the sob trying to break free. I don’t know how long we’ve been out here, but I’m running out of energy. Fear gnaws at me, and exhaustion drags me down. Every step feels harder than the last.

The sound of his boots pounding closer sends my pulse racing. He’s toying with me, dragging out this game of cat and mouse, and savoring every second of my terror.

“I can’t wait to hear how sweet you sound when you scream.” His voice carries in the still night. “And trust me, Sofiya, I’ll make sure it lasts.”

I wish I could cover my ears and block out his taunts. He’s doing this to rattle me, and I won’t let him win.

I wait, counting to ten in my head, then sweep around a corner. The rough ground tears at my feet, but I force myself to keep moving, weaving between the containers.

Without my hands free I stumble, almost falling, but manage to catch my balance just in time.

A faint buzzing sound pulls my focus upward. I squint into the dark. Something hovers above me, barely visible against the night sky.

My heart stutters wondering what it could be. A bird? Something else?

“I’m going to ruin that pussy so thoroughly no one else will ever want you.”

Bile rises in my throat, but his ugly taunt only fuels my determination to keep going. I slip around another corner, but I trip over a loose pipe. My legs give out, and I slam into a container, collapsing to the ground. Before I can scramble back up, he’s there, looming over me.

---