Page 73 of Stalk Me

The threat wrapped in concern isn’t lost on me. I remain silent as he opens the door.

He pauses in the doorway, looking back with those eyes so similar to mine. “Whatever you decide, know I truly want what’s best for you and our family.”

The door closes behind him with a soft click. No lock turning this time, but it doesn’t matter. I’m just as trapped as before. Only I’m in a larger gilded cage.

I sink back onto the bed, my head spinning with revelations about my past, my father’s illness, and the weight of expectations being thrust upon me. Somewhere in Boston, Nikolai must be looking for me. The thought both comforts and terrifies me. What will happen when the unstoppable force of his will meets the immovable object of my newfound family’s demands?

27

NIKOLAI

Igrip the edge of my desk, staring at the screens where Alexi works his magic. Three days. Three fucking days without her. The emptiness in my chest grows with each passing hour.

“Anything?” I demand.

Alexi’s fingers fly across multiple keyboards. “They’re good, Kolya. Really good. Whenever I think I’ve got a lead, it’s another dead end.”

I grab the nearest object—a crystal tumbler—and hurl it against the wall. The sound of shattering glass does nothing to ease the rage burning through my veins.

“How the fuck did we miss this? How did they get past our security?”

“The Castellanos have resources we didn’t account for.” Alexi doesn’t look up. “They’ve ghosted all their usual channels. Even their known properties are showing normal activity patterns.”

I pace the length of my office, my perfectly ordered world crumbling around me. The thought of Sofia—my Sofia—in their hands makes me want to tear Boston apart brick by brick.

“Brother.” Alexi’s voice softens. “When’s the last time you slept?”

I ignore his question, focusing instead on the satellite imagery on his main screen. “What about the private airfields?”

“Checked them all. Multiple shell companies, dozens of possible flight paths.” He rubs his eyes. “I’m trying, but?—”

“Try harder!” The words explode from me. “She’s out there somewhere, probably terrified, and I can’t—” My voice breaks.I can’t protect her. Can’t hold her. Can’t even fucking find her.

The control I’ve spent decades perfecting slips through my fingers like water. Every breath without her feels wrong. Every second that passes is another moment she could be hurt or scared or...

I slam my fist into the wall, welcoming the sharp pain that shoots through my knuckles. Better than this helpless agony of not knowing.

“I need her back, Alexi.” The whispered words sound broken even to my own ears. “Whatever it takes. Whatever it costs. Find her.”

“Wait.” Alexi’s hands freeze over the keyboard, his brow furrowing. “I’ve been looking at this wrong.”

I stop my pacing. “What do you mean?”

“Instead of chasing their current movements, let me track Mario’s path from when he landed.” His fingers fly across the keys. “Here—two hours after he left the airport...”

I lean over his shoulder, my heart racing as security footage appears on the screen. “Show me.”

“Look.” He points to a grainy image. “That’s Mario entering a private terminal. And there—” He enhances another frame. My breath catches. Even with the poor quality, I recognize Sofia’s elegant silhouette.

“She was with him.” The words taste like ash in my mouth.

Alexi nods, already diving deeper into flight records. “The plane went to Florence. Private strip, minimal documentation, but the trajectory’s clear.”

Florence. Of course. The Castellano’s territory. I straighten, pulling my phone from my pocket.

“Get me everything on their holdings in Tuscany. Properties, businesses, known associates.” My fingers hover over Erik’s contact. “And Alexi?—”

“Already on it.” He doesn’t tear his eyes from the screen. “Sending building schematics and security details to your phone now.”

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