Page 23 of Bluff

“He can’t help me,” Johnny spits bitterly before turning to look at me. “Look what you made me do, bitch.” His mind is fracturing apart, and I’m watching it happen.

He swings the crowbar at me, and I turn away, trying to get as far as I can, but it slams into my hip. I cry out as I fall to the floor. Pain bursts through my already tortured body, but I don’t scream. I won’t give him the pleasure.

“Where is my father?” He looms over me.

“I don’t know,” I say, barely managing to get the words out.

The bar comes down on my leg. This time, I can’t hold back the scream. The sick grin on his face confirms he’s enjoying this.

“Tell me so I can make your death swift.” He swings the bar again, and I let the pain take me under.

Mikhail

As soon as my phone rings, I know it’s bad. But when my office door flies open and Damir steps in holding his arm, blood smeared across him, I’m out of my chair and advancing on him.

“Where is my wife?” I yell, praying none of the blood is Ainsley’s.

“He took her. He killed both of the other guards and then tried to kill me. I followed them as best as I could. He was heading southwest toward Southern Highlands. I don’t know who he is.”

“Get to the medic. I’ll take care of it.” My phone rings again, and I look down at the unknown number. “Da,” I answer.

“I don’t know where she is, but I know who has her. My brother Johnny has lost his mind and took her,” JJ Duncan says into the phone. As he’s Paddy’s underboss, I’ve spoken to him several times. He’s also Jimmy Duncan’s oldest son and Ainsley and Lyric’s half brother. “Paddy and I will meet you at the location when you have it. I know you have a tracker on my sister.”

“I’ll kill him if he hurt her,” I bite out the words.

“You’ll have to beat me to it. She is my little sister.”

“She’s my wife. My beloved wife,” I growl into the phone as Andrei and Dmitri step into my office.

I turn my back on them and walk over to the laptop. I open the app for the tracker in the slave cuff bracelets I gave her as a wedding gift. As soon as I have the location, I dial JJ back.

“She’s at a warehouse on Ninety-Fourth.”

“I know which one. We’re on our way.”

“Be prepared. You’ll be lucky if I don’t kill him. He’s the one who shot me and took a shot at her, isn’t he?”

“Yes.” JJ pauses, and I hear a shuffling as we move downstairs to the alley exit.

“Sokolov.” Paddy MacElvoy’s deep voice comes across the line. “He’s mine to take care of. He’s gone against my direct orders. I don’t hurt family, and you know that. She’s my cousin too,” he says. “I don’t put up with insubordination amongst my men. When I give an order, my men listen, or they die.”

“Doesn’t seem like he listened.”

“Two spies, you will let me handle my man.”

“I can’t guarantee that,” I say, done arguing with him. I know not to disrespect him by hanging up on him, so I give the phone to Andrei before turning to Dmitri. “Did Osbourne deliver the latest shipment?”

“Yeah. He included your gift.”

I point toward the back of the SUV. “In there?”

“Already loaded and waiting.”

I pop open the back of the SUV and unlock the secure box inside. A small grin tugs at my lips at the sight of the brand-new SIG MPX Copperhead. The compact 9mm submachine gun is low-profile, powerful, and fits my holster better than anything else. I slide it under my jacket, grab the extra mags, then shut the back and head for the driver’s seat.

“Paddy, we’ll see you there,” Andrei says, then hands my phone back.

We take off, heading for the warehouse. I say a silent prayer that he isn’t hurting her, but I know it’s going to be bad. Something in my gut clenches, fearing I’m going to lose her, and it will be my fault for allowing her into my heart.

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