Page 179 of Innocent Intentions

Some nights, I pray she’s no longer suffering.

And then I hate myself for it.

Because the only fate worse than her suffering, is a world without her in it.

If she’s gone, I won’t stay.

I can’t.

The thought of what they could be doing to her makes me physically ill.

My poor girl.

My sweet, brave girl.

I glance at the whiskey on my shelf, my fingers twitching toward the decanter. But I turn away.

If she doesn’t get to dull her pain, then I don’t get to either.

When we get her back, I don’t know how I’ll ever earn her forgiveness. I’ll spend the rest of my life on my knees, begging. Groveling. Worshipping the ground she walks on, and still, it won’t be enough.

Tomorrow is Saturday.

A full week since she vanished.

A week of madness.

A week without sleep. Without food.

Everything I eat comes right back up. I stopped trying days ago.

Roman’s been on a warpath, tearing through every Bratva member he can find. But there haven’t been any in our territory. I suspect Margot told them who she’s connect to, told them about us. And now they’re lying low.

Part of me hopes that means they’re keeping her alive. That they haven’t hurt her. But I know better than to hope.

Dom mobilized every soldier we have. When we find her, we’re sending everyone, no hesitation, no holding back.

Her rescue is the only priority. All other Syndicate activity has been frozen.

That’s never happened before.

It means something.

It means Dom finally sees her as one of us.As family.

Bash has been glued to his screens, digging into every inch of Bratva activity. We’ve uncovered a lot, but we’re ignoring anything that doesn’t lead to Margot. I don’t care what’s being smuggled. I don’t care about business.

I only care about one thing.

Margot.

RING!

The sudden blare of my phone snaps me out of my thoughts.

Sebastian.

My heart stops as I snatch the phone.

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