Page 114 of No Promises, No Lies

“No can do, Princess,” Alexei says, trying his best to soothe me by running his hand down my hair. “He’d kill us.”

I pull out of his grasp, staring up at him with red-rimmed eyes. “He can’t kill you if he’s dead.”

“Oh, he’d find a way,” Liam grumbles, dismissing me as a threat and plopping down in a heap on the sectional. “He’d come back from the dead just to flay my ass.”

I roll my eyes before cracking a little smile, knowing Aidan would do just that. And then the hurt sets in again. I shove out of Alexei’s arms.

I storm back down the hall I came from. “Leave me alone,” I warn over my shoulder when I sense Alexei following me, my tone cold but broken.

Once out of their line of sight, I double over, hyperventilating and trying to pull myself back under control. After what takes embarrassingly too long, I finally catch my breath. Finding myself outside of Reagan’s door, I straighten, twisting the knob, and slipping inside.

Reagan’s room is neat and tidy, decorated with warm wood, creams and golds.And cold.

Seriously, it’s freezing in here.

I rub my hands over my arms, feeling a cool chill against my skin. Following the draft leads me to the window.The open window.

No way.I peer out and see a winding fire escape that twists and turns all the way to the ground.

Immediately, I turn, eyes scanning over the room.No signs of a struggle—no one heard anything…The made bed, the dresser, the desk…

I make my way toward the closed bathroom door when something on the light pine desk catches my attention.

Lifting the note with delicate fingers—as if it might disintegrate—my eyes scan over the words, heart pounding with greater intensity the further down I go. Cold trails up my spine when the realization sets in.

Cole DeLuca never had Reagan.

Because Reagan ran away. Climbed right out her own window. Tired of suffocating to death in her brick tower. Which means… Aidan is about to sacrifice himself for nothing…

Cole lied.

Frantically, I tear into my pocket, fumbling for my cell, and dial Aidan’s number. My hand covers my mouth when it goes straight to voicemail.

All this time andnobodythought to check her room.Fucking men.

Clutching the letter tight in my hand, I storm back out of the bedroom only to freeze at the chaotic scene I find taking place in the living room.

Armed men, dressed in black, fill the previously quiet space. Broken glass from the shattered windows glints up against the fading sunlight, spread all over the hardwood, crunching under the men’s boots.

I linger under the archway. They haven’t seen me yet. My eyes scan the scene, spotting Liam and Alexei, both bloody and on their knees, hands bound behind their backs. A large blonde Russian has Alexei’s shirt tight in his hold, the muzzle of his gun digging into his skull.

“I swear to God, if you don’t tell me where my fucking sister is, you’re going to experience pain beyond your worst nightmare. You thought we hurt you before,” he laughs, the sound dark, “that’s nothing compared to what I’ll do to you this time. And when I finally allow you to die, it will be the sweetest relief you’ve ever known.”

“Niko,” I breathe out. My voice is a sharp mix of shock and reprimand.

My brother’s head shoots up, his icy eyes locking onto me. He looks me over from head to toe before dropping Alexei roughly to the ground. With his hands bound behind him, he lands painfully, on his face and I wince.

“Sestrichka!Little sister.” Niko rushes forward, embracing me. He pushes me back again until I’m at arm’s length, checking me over for any sign of injury, any hair out of place. He cups my face, and I’m all too aware of the gun he still holds in his other hand.

“Brother,” I reply to him in Russian, “what are you doing here?” My gaze trails over Liam and Alexei. One of Niko’s men shoves Alexei’s shoulder after Alexei spits near his shoe. Liam’s eyes are on me.

“Rescuing you,” Niko replies, his eyebrows rising at my perfect Russian. A half a breath later, he seems to remember where he is, stalking back over to the Irish, and without warning, pistol whipping Liam.

I shout out in protest, hurrying over to intervene. Niko’s jaw is tight with rage as a blue fire blazes in his eyes. “The fuck are you looking at, mick? You don’t look at her.”

“Niko! Stop!” I worm my way between Niko and Liam protectively. Niko’s men step forward, guns raised but hesitating, eyes flickering to their boss before touching me.

My brother’s furious eyes shift off of Liam and onto me.

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