Page 90 of Royal Beast
Igrip my phone tighter, pacing the pavement, glass cracking underfoot as Brody’s voice crackles in my ear.
“One of our guys embedded in the Russian faction says he saw a black SUV fitting the description from the crash. It was headed across town, to the old harbor.”
My chest tightens, and I stop in my tracks. “What the hell would they take her there for?”
“Couldn’t say for sure. It’s out of the way, quiet, and maybe easy to hide someone there.”
“Or dispose of someone,” I mutter darkly, my jaw clenching.
Brody hesitates. “I didn’t want to say it, but yeah. If they think she’s leverage, that’s where they’ll take her.”
I hang up, shoving the phone in my pocket as I head for the door.
“Where are you going?” Rory’s voice stops me cold. He’s leaning against his desk, arms crossed, watching me like he already knows.
“To get Rose,” I growl, my fists clenching.
“And what are you planning to do? Storm the shipyard alone? That’s not enough to go on yet, Kellan. What if Brody’s source is wrong?”
“I’m not waiting around to find out!” I snap. “Every second we waste, she could?—”
“She could still be safe.” Rory steps in front of me, blocking the door. “You’re no good to her dead, Kellan. Use your head. We need more than a rumor before we make a move.”
The urge to punch something—anything—is almost overwhelming. My hands shake as I rake them through my hair, trying to rein in the panic inside my chest.
“Then what do you suggest?” I demand, my voice harsh.
“First, we gather the boys,” Rory instructs me. “We prepare for a fight because make no mistake, that’s what this is coming to. Then we force the Russians’ hand. If they want to talk, we’ll give them a reason to talk.”
“Fine,” I bite out. “But I’m not waiting forever, Rory.”
“We won’t,” he promises, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll get her back, Kellan. And we’ll do it together.”
Half an hour later, we’re gathered together with the beginnings of a plan. Lucky’s checking weapons with grim efficiency, and Miles walks in moments later, his usually stoic expression taut with tension.
“You think this’ll work?” Lucky asks, not looking up from his gun.
“It has to,” I reply. “We call them, lay out the terms, and if they don’t listen…” I trail off, the unspoken threat hanging in the air.
“They’ll listen,” Rory says, his voice a low growl.
Miles leans against the wall, arms crossed. “You’re sure the girl’s still alive? That video…” He doesn’t finish the sentence, but we all know what he’s implying.
“She’s alive,” I say sharply, pulling the phone from my pocket to show them the video of Rose. I can barely look at it, but I need them to see what I’m seeing. Her face, tear-streaked but untouched, is burned into my brain.
Lucky mutters a curse under his breath. “What if they’re messing with us? They show us a video and think we’ll just take their word for it?”
“We need to act fast,” I say, feeling the pressure in my chest building. I run a hand through my hair again, trying to think clearly, but all I see is her face. “We call them now. Lay out the terms, and if they don’t cooperate, we make them regret it.”
Rory’s phone rings, cutting off the tension in the room. He looks at me before answering.
“We know you have the girl,” Rory says flatly when he picks up. “You have one chance to do the right thing. Hand her over, unharmed, or we’ll come for her. And when we do, we’ll burn everything you’ve ever touched to the ground.”
A long pause. Then Aleksey’s voice comes on the line, his tone cold. “You don’t make demands of us. If you want the girl, you’ll meet ours.”
Without another word, the line goes dead.
Rory doesn’t waste a second. He’s on his feet, eyes blazing with anger. “We need to hit them now, Kellan. You want Rose back? You show them we’re serious. Now. It’s time to put our plan into motion. We blow up Dariy, and they’ll know if they don’t return her, they’ll all go, one by one.”
