Page 99 of Devious Madness

“Get in.” A black SUV squeals to a stop in front of us, and the back door is thrown open. I’m shoved inside, and I hurry to the opposite side thinking to climb out the other side, but I’m grabbed by the back of my hair and pulled back.

“Where are you going?”

I’m shoved to the floorboard of the back seat, and a dirty boot presses against my neck. “Get us out of here!”

The car takes off. Trying to shove the boot off me isn’t working, and I can’t twist enough to get a look at who belongs to it.

“She’s a wild one.” My captor laughs, digging his foot into my neck.

“Let me up!” I swing at him and make contact with ashin, but also the seat and maybe a thigh? I’m getting nowhere with my fist, so I start screaming.

I scream until my throat feels like it’s going to split open wide, and then I swallow and start all over again.

“Shut her up!”

“I’m going to kill—” A sharp prick hits my neck; a little burn follows, and then everything is too heavy and too dark…and then there’s nothing.

Rolling my neck to the side, I try to rub away the knot as I step into the elevator. It’s been a long day, but it’s all about to get better. In twenty seconds, I’ll be in the penthouse with Mira. The tracker on Mira’s phone tells me she’s already arrived.

The tension eases from my shoulders as the numbers illuminate on the elevator. She’s going to love the restaurant I’m taking her to tonight. I’m less confident about the opera tickets, but we’ll be in a private box. If she gets bored, I’m sure I can come up with a few ways to entertain her.

My phone buzzes. Sergei’s number pops up on the screen just as the elevator dings, signaling I’m home. Mira will be just on the other side of the doors.

They slide open, revealing Sergei facing the elevator with his phone pressed to his ear. He drops his hand to his side when he sees me. His breath is heavy, like’s been running. Blood covers his shirt, but it’s not his. He’s not injured.

I step out, cold already running through my veins.

“Where’s Mira?” I take a step toward him.

“She’s gone.” He swallows. “I’ve already mobilized a team.”

“What do you mean she’s gone!” I lunge at him, grabbing him by the collar and twisting the material until it’s choking him.

“She was taken! Max was with her, they shot him, then they took her.” He doesn’t fight me; he knows better. “They’re looking for her. They’ll find her!”

Mira was his responsibility. Anything happening to her is on his head.

“How long ago?” How long have I been blissfully fantasizing about my evening with her while she’s been fighting for her life with my enemies?

“Five minutes at most. I dropped them in front of the building, when they weren’t up here, I went to check. Five minutes, Rurik. They couldn’t have gotten far.”

Five minutes ago, I was sitting in my car in the garage returning text messages so I could put Mira front and center all night. And while I was finishing work, she was being kidnapped in front of my own building.

“Rurik! I have the feed pulled up here.” Kier, another of my men, rushes into the foyer, carrying a laptop. “I have it. Here.”

I shove Sergei away and watch the black and white footage as Mira gets out of my car. Sergei pulls away, and Max approaches her with a fist full of shopping bags. While they’re talking a man covered in black from head to toe comes up behind Max and shoots him in the back and he falls forward, onto Mira.

She’s dragged out from beneath him and then into a car that speeds off with her inside.

“Who the fuck was that?” Rage fills my chest. I take a deep breath. Think.

“I sent the footage to Sasha; he’s tracing the license plate on the car that showed up,” Kier explains.

“I dropped them at the curb,” Sergei says. “There was no one around the entrance. Just a few people walking by, there was nothing?—”

I cut him off with a swipe of my hand.

“I saw the footage.”

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