Page 119 of Vicious Addictions

“Actually, I promised Mom I’d sleep at home tonight.”

“Alright. Just remember, you’re always welcome at my place anytime.”

“I know.” He nods with a slight gleam in his eyes.

After saying goodbye to my little brother, I don’t linger. Instead, I make a few phone calls, take a quick shower, and then slip into my suit-like armor. A few minutes later, I’m behind the wheel of my car, speeding through the city streets, the Crane penthouse being my destination.

By the time I arrive, I’m pleased to see Tony in the lobby, accompanied by seven of my men, waiting for me.

“Where to, boss?” Tony asks, looking ready for the challenge I set out for him.

“Follow me.”

We take the elevator to the Cranes’ penthouse apartment, and the minute we reach the door, I give Tony the go-ahead to knock the thing off its hinges.

“The fuck?!” I hear Rolo call out first when he sees my men charge into their living room.

“Took you long enough,” I think I hear Remus mutter under his breath, but I must have misheard him. Because when my men slam him against the wall beside his brother, guns pressed to their heads, all Remus does is curse at me in response.

I don’t waste time and grab his chin to look at me.

“Where is she?”

“Fuck you.”

“Is she upstairs?” I ask again.

“You hard of hearing or something? As my brother said, fuck you!” Rolo yells, cackling away as if it were all very amusing to him, while Remus curses me with one scathing look.

Sensing that these assholes won’t tell me her location, I leave them under Tony’s supervision.

“Don’t take your eyes off them for a second. And whatever you do, don’t underestimate them either. There may be nine of us and only two of them, but numbers mean nothing against men like them. I’ve seen them walk away from worse odds without so much as a scratch. And trust me—they don’t like leaving people they deem have wronged them alive either.”

“Aww, I’m touched. You remembered,” Rolo coos, batting his eyelashes at me mockingly.

“Just play nice, boys. All I want to do is talk to her. Then I’ll get out of your hair.”

“You got ten minutes,” Remus warns, not even pretending to struggle from his restraint.

“I need at least an hour,” I counter non-negotiably.

“Like I give a fuck what you need. You came intoourhouse, waving your guns. Wars have started for less.”

“An hour, Remus,” I repeat so he understands I won’t be intimidated.

“You got thirty minutes. After that, me and Rolo start bashing heads in.”

My men look confused at the threat, since the twins are outnumbered in menandguns. But they fail to realize that Remus and Rolo could kill each and every one of them without even breaking a sweat.

“Fine,” I grit out.

“I’m glad we understand each other. Mina is upstairs.”

The words have barely left his mouth, and I’m already moving, taking the stairs two at a time. I open door after door, finding room after room completely empty. When I get to the master suite, I find her inside. But it’showI find her that has me at a loss for words.

With her back to me, Mina is lying in a tub big enough for two. The steam is curling around her, and the water is laced with foam, the backdrop of the city skyline stretching out through the massive window at her side. I swear I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than the sight before me.

Even though she hears my approaching steps, she doesn’t turn around. She doesn’t so much as flinch at my presence.

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