Page 115 of Beautiful Revenge

Shit, shit, shit. I know for a fact that I don’t have either Aria or Elena. Which means…

No. Sal wouldn’t be that stupid to kidnap Aria right out of her own home. Maybe it was Viktor. He sent someone to…

No. He doesn’t like to hurt women if he doesn’t have to. Besides, his precious wife, Inessa and sister, Julia, would be disappointed in him if he kidnapped two women, especially one who’s pregnant.

I know Viktor is not behind this and it wasn’t Erik and it wasn’t Dante so that leaves Sal. He wants to hurt me because he’s a fucking psychopath. He has Aria. I know it in my gut.

“Tell me where she is!” Aiden shouts, his face turning red. I’ve rarely seen my brother look this frantic. This… afraid. He really does love Elena.

I resented him for it. For leaving me behind to go off with some woman.

But now that I’ve found my own woman and I know what it’s like to care for someone that you would die for them, I can’t blame how Aiden feels for Elena. I’m finally starting to get it.

The only way to make my brother listen is to show that I’m not a threat.

I slowly pull out my gun.

“Don’t!” He points his gun towards my hand. “Don’t even think about it, Finn.”

“I’m just doing this.” I set the gun on the ground and kick it away. “There. I can’t shoot you. Are you really going to shoot an unarmed man?”

“You have other weapons on you.”

“None that I can get to easily without you killing me first. I am not going to shoot you, brother. If you want to talk, let’s talk. But stop waving your gun around.”

“Please, Aiden,” Mom adds.

He looks between us before he slowly lowers his gun. “Fine.”

“Set it on the table.”

“No. I know you, Finn. You’re fast. I’m keeping my gun at my side but I’ll stop pointing it at you. Just tell me where Elena is and I’ll leave. I won’t kill you.”

“I don’t have Elena,” I say as slowly and clearly as I can.

“Bullshit.”

“I didn’t kidnap her. I didn’t kidnap Aria. I didn’t kill Elio. But I think I know who did.”

“It was you,” he growls.

“No it fucking wasn’t. I know you have no reason to believe me. I know I’ve hurt you, brother.” My own admission is shocking even myself. I never thought I was capable of these words and yet… here I am, saying them. And they feel right. “I know I deserve for you to think I’m capable of hurting your pregnant wife. I killed Ivan. I wanted to kill Elena before but thatwas years ago. I no longer want to hurt her. I just want my own wife back.”

“So you had to take mine with you?”

“No!” I suck in a breath and force myself to remain calm. This goes against all I’ve ever done in my life but this is my brother. I have to get through to him. I have to get him on my side to save Elena and Aria. “Aiden, I didn’t kidnap Elena or Aria. I didn’t kill Elio. I didnotdo this.”

He stares me for a long hard moment before he sighs. “You’re telling the truth. I can see it in your eyes.”

“Thank you. I am telling the truth. I did not do this, Aiden. But I have a sneaking suspicion about who did. Sal Alvin.”

“The hitman?”

“He kidnapped Aria once before. You know this. He’s after me. He’s fucking crazy. He tortured Aria. If anyone wanted to get her, it would be him. But I don’t know why he would take Elena.”

“She was with Aria at the time.”

“Then Sal probably saw an opportunity. I’ve tried killing him but he keeps sneaking through my fingers. I don’t know for a fact if he has them but he’s the one who makes the most sense. Viktor wouldn’t do this.”

---