Page 42 of Beautiful Enemy

Erik returns home, looking tired and sweaty.

I rush right to his side. “What happened?”

“Dante doesn’t want to make a trade.” With a sigh, he takes off his jacket, then leans against the wall, letting out a groan. “He was just toying with us. Viktor and Ivan are safe but a gunfight did happen.”

“So, Dante tricked you.”

“Well, it was Viktor who started it.”

“I didn’t know he cared that much for Nadia,” I murmur.

“I’m not sure it’s that. I think it’s more of a pride thing. Dante stole the woman he was about to marry. A lot of men wouldn’t take too kindly to that. Viktor is angry. I don’t think it’s out of love.”

“And my father? What did he do?”

Erik hesitates and averts his gaze.

“Tell me.”

“He didn’t show. Sergei never came to the meet-up.”

A heavy hand wraps itself around my heart and squeezes. I knew he hated me but I always thought he at least cared a little bit for Nadia. “Did he say why?”

“I haven’t asked him yet. I don’t know if he has a plan up his sleeve or if he just…”

Didn’t care to show. I know that’s what Erik isn’t saying to me. Maybe my own father just didn’t care to make a trade for his own daughter’s life.

“So, Nadia is still stuck with that madman.”

He nods. “I’m afraid so. We’re still looking into the video Dante sent. It hasn’t yielded any results yet. I’m not sure where she is, Anya. She’s not at any of Dante’s known spots. But he could have a ton of properties under a ton of different names that I don’t know about. He could be hiding her next door for all I know.”

My heart constricts even harder. “You can’t give up hope, Erik. You can’t. Because if you give up hope, then I…” Then I have nothing. I’ll have no hope at all of getting my sister back.

I squeeze my eyes shut to stop the tears. “This is what Dante wants,” I whisper. “This is what he’s trying to do to us. He’s trying to break us down from the inside by breaking our hearts.”

Erik doesn’t say another word as he wraps me in his arms. He knows there’s nothing to say to comfort me in this moment.

Dante

“Dante,” Elio says tightly when he opens his front door.

“You don’t sound happy to see me.” I let myself right on in. Elio is getting older and knows he won’t win in a fight against me. Wherever I want to go is wherever I will go.

“Have you finished with your nonsense yet?” he asks, following me into the living room.

“And by nonsense you mean…”

“I mean your nonsense with this kidnapping! I’m worried for Aria every day since you took that girl. Her father came after my Aria once before. What’s to stop him from doing it again?”

“Sergei Belov had the element of surprise before. Now he doesn’t. You have Aria under lock and key. He won’t get her.”

“So, why are you here then?”

“Because I wanted to ask you something. I thought it was the least I could do after everything.”

Elio eyes me with suspicion. “What?”

Footsteps run down the stairs and Aria enters the living room, breathless. “What’s going on? No one will tell me anything.”

---