Page 90 of Yours

“A lot,” he admitted. “They’re not taking any chances. You need to think about this.”

“I don’t need to think,” I said coldly. “I need to move.”

Victor scowled. “Look, I get it. But you know what happens if shit goes sideways. We can’t have a war spilling out into the city—or the rest of the state, for that matter. Let me have law enforcement take care of this. They’ll get her back.”

I leaned forward, my fists clenched, glaring at him. “You want me to wait for law enforcement to handle it? Fuck, no. I’m not leaving my sister’s life in their hands.”

Victor sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You don’t think I know how this looks, O’Malley? But you charging in there like a goddamn wrecking ball is going to cause problems—for both of us.”

“Your problems don’t matter to me,” I snapped, my voice cold and sharp. “Not when Leena’s life is on the line.”

“Do you even hear yourself? I’m trying to help you keep this under control,” he said, his voice rising slightly, his frustration breaking through his usual calm.

“No,” I said. “You’re trying to cover your ass.”

Victor’s eyes were level with mine as he leaned forward, his hands braced on the desk. “Do you think you’re the only one with skin in this game? If this blows up, I’m the one who hasto answer for it—to the media, to the people, to everyone who thinks this city is still standing on law and order.”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “You and I both know that’s bullshit. This city doesn’t stand on law and order. It stands on power. Yours, mine, theirs. And if you think I’m going to let the Ivanovich family hold my sister like she’s some goddamn kind of leverage, you’re out of your fucking mind.”

Victor’s jaw tightened, his gaze hard. “You’re not listening, Ronan. If you go in there and make this messy, you’re not just starting a fight with them—you’re giving them a reason to escalate. And I don’t have the resources to keep the entire city from falling apart if that happens.”

“I don’t care about your resources,” I said. “All I care about is Leena.”

Victor stared at me for a long moment, his frustration evident, but then his shoulders slumped slightly, and he exhaled heavily.

“Fine,” he said, his voice quieter now. “Do what you have to do. But you make it clean. No bodies in the streets, no explosions that end up on the front page of theTimes. Handle it. Make it clean.”

I nodded quickly, turning toward the door, but Victor’s voice stopped me.

“Ronan,” he said, his tone softer, but still edged with warning.

I paused, glancing back at him.

“You think this is just about your sister,” he said. “But it’s bigger than that. The Ivanovich family didn’t just take her to get to you. They’re testing everyone—me, you, the Benedettis, all of us. They want to see who blinks first.”

I stepped closer to the door, my hand resting on the handle. “Then I’ll make sure they never get the chance to blink again.” I turned toward the door and glanced back at him one last time. “You just make sure your people stay out of my way. This is between me and the Ivanovich family now.”

Victor’s gaze didn’t waver. “Just remember what I said, O’Malley. It’s not just your blood on the line. It’s all of ours.”

I didn’t respond. I just pushed the door open and stepped out into the hallway.

The Ivanovich family thought they could play me. Thought they could use my sister to pull my strings and set my world on fire.

They were about to find out how wrong they were.

CHAPTER 33

Kiera

I paced back and forth across the sleek hardwood floors of Ronan’s penthouse, my thoughts a tangled mess of fear and frustration. The usually calming view of the city skyline—sprawling and glittering through the floor-to-ceiling windows—felt suffocating tonight, like it was mocking me with its indifference.

Leena was out there. Somewhere. And I didn’t know if she was scared, hurt, or worse.

My hands trembled as I tried to steady my breathing. Ronan’s men were out looking for her, and Ronan himself was off doing whatever it was he did—making calls, pulling strings, making sure the city bent to his will. But none of it felt like enough.

I couldn’t just sit here. Not anymore.

I stopped pacing and pressed my palms against the cool glass of the window, my forehead resting on the surface. The city buzzed with life below, oblivious to the chaos tearing me apart inside.

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