Page 7 of Cruel Redemption

“Dusha moya,” I whispered.

She swallowed.

“Give me the other one,” I commanded.

“But it’s fine.”

“Kotyonok.”

She offered her foot in the air and I gripped her heel. I took my time, wiping the grime from the streets and sidewalks from her skin until it was as clean as the first one.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“I need to get you out of here. Nik will be here any moment. Then we’ll move you somewhere safe while he finds Enzo.”

She nodded. I stood, tall and strong over her. I bent, scooping her into my arms. Her arms wrapped around my neck. I pressed my forehead against hers.

“No one will ever touch you again,” I swore.

She shook her head. “You can’t make that promise.”

“I just did,” I growled.

“Luka, we live in a dangerous world. And once the families know about us…” her words trailed off as my lips crushed hers.

I meant to be soft and tender, but as soon as my mouth grazed hers, I wanted to inhale her. Taste her. Breathe her in. She nipped at my bottom lip, eager and hungry for me. My tongue lashed against hers. The frenzy building. I heard the elevator shaft begin to groan and croak. We needed to get downstairs to meet Nikoli.

“I swear to you, Amara I will find whoever did this.”

I meant to keep my fucking promise this time. She was mine.

Five

Amara

I knew Luka would be protective when I returned. What I didn’t expect was the way it would feel when his arms became a fortress around my body. It was as if steel walls had wrapped around me. We descended to the lobby. He tucked me tighter and closer to him.

My foot ached slightly, but he had been gentle when he cleaned and bandaged the rough cut. I would have rather walked on my own to meet the men who served him, but given my injury I knew he would never allow it and I was in position to argue with him. Besides, I didn’t want to leave the safety of his arms.

When he stepped off the elevator with me in his arms I blinked at the line of men standing in front of me. I tried to remain calm, but they were menacing. Fierce. Knives and guns were tucked inside jackets and fitted pants. They were one of the lethal Bratva teams I knew about but had never come face to face with. Until now.

“Pahkan.” A tall man in a dark leather jacket nodded at Luka. He had black hair and a chiseled jaw. I caught the tip of a flame tattoo peeking under the collar of his shirt.

“Nikoli, this is Amara Amato.”

“Hi.” I tried to offer a smile, but there was nothing joyful about the meeting.

Nikoli’s brow furrowed. “She’s not missing?”

Luka shook his head. “No, she was able to escape before she was taken, but I’m hoping she can tell us where we can begin our search for Enzo Barone.”

Nikoli folded his hands in front of his waist. The men flanking him seemed to relax. I noticed how they kept glancing at me, but didn’t want to stare at me directly. The power Luka held over them was palatable. It washed off him in waves.

“The assistant?”

“Yes,” I answered. “He’s my right-hand. He’s very important to me. We need to find him immediately.”

As Luka began to walk toward the seating area the men stepped back to make a path for him. Their reverence and respect for him was in sync with his every move. They seemed to know how to anticipate what he would do and what he would need. I was in awe.

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