Page 84 of Yours

“Double your surveillance on Marco,” I said finally, my tone leaving no room for argument. “I want to know what he’s doing, who he’s meeting, and where the fuck he’s going at all times.”

“Done,” Declan said, already typing.

“Seamus,” I continued, turning to him. “Put our men on high alert. I want every safe house secure, every single one of our assets protected. And I want Leena’s name whispered to every informant we’ve got. Someone out there knows where she is.”

Seamus nodded grimly. “Understood.”

The room fell silent again. My gaze swept over the men, their faces hard with determination.

“Whoever took her is going to regret it,” I said, my voice low, but sharp enough to cut. “I don’t care how far we have to go or how much blood we have to spill. We bring her back.”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the room. I looked around the room, meeting the gaze of every one of my men.

“First things first, I’m going to contact Marco,” I said, my voice cutting through the quiet like a blade.

I pulled out my phone, scrolling through my contacts until I landed on Marco’s number. My thumb hovered over the call button for a moment before I pressed it, bringing the phone to my ear. The line rang once. Twice. Three times.

No answer.

I tried again, the knot in my chest tightening with every unanswered ring. On the fourth call, I got a voicemail—his smug, smooth voice telling me to leave a message.

I ended the call without saying a word, my jaw tightening.

“Nothing?” Seamus asked.

“Nothing,” I said coldly, shoving the phone back into my pocket. “He’s dodging me. Whether that means he’s guilty or just covering his ass, I don’t care.”

Declan looked up from his laptop, his fingers still hovering over the keys. “I can try to get a message to him through back channels, but if he’s behind this, he’s going to stonewall us. He won’t admit to anything outright.”

“Try anyway,” I said abruptly. “Use every contact we’ve got. If Marco took her, I want to know what he wants.”

Declan nodded, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he pulled up Marco’s known associates. “It’s going to take time to get a response, assuming we even get one. And if he’s playing this smart, he’ll use intermediaries to cover his tracks.”

“Do it,” I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Seamus crossed his arms, his expression grim. “And if he doesn’t bite?”

“Then we escalate.”

If Marco was involved, if he’d taken Leena, this wasn’t just a kidnapping. It was a declaration of war.

I leaned forward, planting my hands on the table as I looked around at the men in the room. “We’re not waiting for him to make the next move. Start reaching out to our allies. Quietly. Let them know what’s happening, but keep it contained. If this turns into an all-out war, I want every resource we’ve got lined up and ready.”

Seamus nodded, his jaw tight. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Declan,” I continued, turning to him. “Dig deeper. If Marco’s not answering, someone else will. His men, his lieutenants—anyone in his circle. Someone knows something, and I want to know who.”

“I’m on it,” Declan said, his eyes never leaving the computer screen.

The room fell silent again. I straightened, my voice cold and firm as I addressed the room. “If Marco’s behind this, he thinks he’s in control. He’s wrong. We find out what he wants, and if he’s touched Leena…”

I didn’t finish the sentence. I didn’t have to. The men around the table knew exactly what would happen next.

I glanced around the room, my gaze sharp. “Get going. I want answers. Now.”

The men dispersed, each of them grim-faced and resolute as they filed out of the room. Seamus lingered, his expression dark.

“You sure it’s Marco?” he asked quietly.

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