Page 51 of Cruel Redemption

“You didn’t report to the police.” Kyle’s voice trembled.

“No.” I shook my head. “It was an in-house matter,” I explained. “And I know that brings you no comfort right now. But I swear to you, I am trying to find him. I am responsible for his disappearance. He is my right-hand. My person. And I want to bring my person back.”

“In house?” Rebecca choked. “What does that mean.”

“Exactly what we thought, honey.” Kyle turned to her. “She’s exactly what we thought.”

I didn’t know if Kyle was trying to shame me. The guilt was broad enough to swallow up everything else I felt. I wasn’t going to take on more emotions.

“They tried to take you too. I’m so sorry, Amara. And after what happened to you?—”

I shook my head at Katya. “Don’t. I’m fine. And I have a lot of work to do.” I stood, alerting Barbara it was time to get back to my office.

“Mr. and Mrs. Barone stay as long as you like. I think Katya could use the company.”

I smiled at the three of them as I walked out of the parlor. Barbara was quick to follow. She locked my office door.

“Are you okay?” She scanned my face.

“No.” I shook my head, and she pulled me into a hug. It was the first time I let myself fall apart.

Twenty-Eight

Luka

The tunnels were as confusing as they were rumored to be. I hadn’t been in them in years and it was five years since I had seen the schematics for them. I tried to mark the turns in my head but following behind the giant and without control of the flashlight it wasn’t easy to commit the path to memory. Fuck, if I’d ever be able to get out of here and back to the cargo lift.

Nikoli and the Bratva had lights. Scouring the tunnels reminded us of the cellars deep beneath the soil in Epernay. It was an unspoken memory between us.

Ciro held up his fist and I stopped. He pointed ahead. His flashlight went dark, and I realized he had spotted something or someone. Nik and the others cut their lights immediately.

I readied my gun. The flashlight turned back on. I groaned. False alarm. My shoulders relaxed and then I heard shouting.

Ciro yelled at me to get back. He pointed the flashlight like a spotlight as someone charged toward us. The man ran at a full sprint, tackling Ciro to the ground. They both groaned and started pounding on the other. I couldn’t see who had the advantage. I’d always put my money on Ciro’s training and his size.

“Get the light!” Ciro screamed. “He’s here.” I retrieved it and pointed it ahead.

“Shit.” I saw a man’s legs tied together. I ran toward him, praying he was alive. On the other side of a black tarp, Enzo was tied to a stake in the floor of the tunnel. There was a gag in his mouth.

I dropped to my knees and wrested it from his mouth. The corners of his lips were cracked. I wondered when the last time he drank anything was.

“Luka?” He was weak. His face was beaten. The collar of his shirt was soaked in blood. He had cut above his eye and one of his ears had been sliced.

“I’m getting you out of here, man. You don’t know how many people are looking for you.” He had no fucking idea how happy I was to see him.

Ciro struggled on the ground with the man guarding Enzo. The guard wasn’t the only one. I heard another round of fighting begin. Nik grunted taking a swing at another man in the dark. The Bratva were caught up in multiple fights.

I worked to untie the knots at his ankles and wrists. I wedged the flashlight between my teeth, pointing the beam on the rope.

I tossed them on the ground and put an arm under Enzo’s shoulder to lift him. He was dead weight. I struggled to get him to support himself.

“Can you walk out of here?” I asked.

“Hell yeah.” He could barely stand. It was only adrenaline that got him to his feet. I wasn’t completely sure his foot wasn’t broken the way he stood. It was twisted at an odd angle.

“Niko!” I screamed. “Let’s go.” He didn’t answer, he was still in the fight. “Ciro!” I was willing to accept help from anyone at this point.

My eyes whipped to the part of the tunnel where we had emerged. “Fuck,” I whispered. There were two more sets of lights running toward us. These guys wasn’t the only ones down here. From the lights headed for us, I couldn’t do a head count. I had a feeling we were outnumbered.

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