Page 20 of Ruthless Bonds

“I’ve just gotten word.” Gavriil stood and grabbed his tablet. “We need to go back to the city.”

“For?” I raised my eyebrow.

“The person responsible for the explosion on Maple Avenue.” He smirked and handed me my coat.

Sasha whined, and I reached down and stroked her head. “Be a good girl while Papa is gone.”

Gavriil raised his eyebrows, not trying to hidehis grin. “You know, for a ruthless killer who heads a thousand-man army, you’ve got a pretty big soft spot for that beast.”

“And you may be my best friend, but insult my dog one more time and I’ll cut your tongue out.”

He chuckled and reached down to pet Sasha, who rightfully nipped at his hand. I didn’t miss the “little monster” he muttered under his breath.

Once we were on the road, Gavriil pulled out his tablet and showed me what he’d found. He’d hacked into a home security cam a few blocks from the safe house. On the screen, there was a black Buick parked, two people getting out all dressed in black. He fast-forwarded the footage, and they were seen again running back to the car with a large duffel bag.

“They stopped at a gas station for gas. Looks like blood on the driver’s jacket. Car’s registered in Kings County. The passenger has a record. Larceny, petty theft. Fraud. He’s spent a few months in county jail. He’s part of Whistler’s motorcycle crew.”

“And the driver?”

“Clean as a whistle. No record. Not even a parking ticket. Stepsiblings, apparently.”

“You’ve got them both?” I asked as we drove toward an industrial area.

“Just the driver.”

“Where are you keeping him?”

“Her, actually.” He swiped across his tablet, then handed it to me. A photo appeared on the screen.

Every muscle in my body tensed. I gripped the tablet and stared into eyes as green as emeralds. Eyes I’d thought I’d never see again. Eyes that belonged to a ghost from my past.

“Alora Wolfe. Feisty little thing,” he said, but I barely heard him as time seemed to slow down.

Alora Wolfe.

My little liar.

The one who got away.

I had let her go because she was an innocent and didn’t belong in my world.

I’d seen what this life had done to my mother, a woman kidnapped by my father because he couldn’t control his obsession. She hated him and her children because of it.

And for once in my life, I hadn’t wanted to ruin something as perfect as Alora Wolfe.

Of course, that night she’d called herself by another name.

Ally.

She had called me a god as she worshipped my body.

Now I had her within reach again.

But this time, I wasn’t going to let her go.

I gripped the tablet so hard my knuckles turned white. “If anyone lays a finger on her, I will rip their fucking heart out.”

Gavriil snapped his head in my direction at my tone. “My orders were to pick them up and hold them until you could speak with them. No one will touch her.” He narrowed his eyes. “What’s going on, K?”

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