Page 117 of Beneath Scarred Vows
My chest constricts again, that feeling of suffocation. Every second without her feels like drowning, like the air is too thin.
"I need to find her," I say.
"We will." He says it with such certainty that for a moment, I believe him. "But you need to be smarter than this."
I slam my fist onto the desk, making the bottle jump. "I've been all over this fucking city! Five buildings, three warehouses. Nothing. She could be anywhere?—"
"Not anywhere," Theo interrupts, stepping closer. "Somewhere that matters to Makris. To the Athenian Warriors. Somewhere he feels safe, where he has control."
I stop, considering his words. Sebastian Makris. What do we really know about him? Smuggles weapons and fake knockoffs. Likes to think he's more important than he is. Thinks he's bigger and more dangerous than he really is. Again, someone has to be backing this asshole.
"His home?" I suggest, but even as I say it, I'm shaking my head. "Too obvious."
"And too risky," Theo agrees. "He wouldn't bring her somewhere so easily traced back to him. Plus, we've got men there and they haven't seen him."
I close my eyes, forcing myself to think past the red haze of rage and fear. "He used to run a legitimate business. Ouzo distilleries."
"Most of which we now control," Theo says, nodding slowly. "But there are a few left that he abandoned when he moved into more profitable ventures."
Something clicks into place. "Get men to those abandoned locations. See if?—"
Theo is already pulling out his phone, texting coordinates. "I'm on it," he says.
I check my weapon, slide it into my holster. "I want to go myself. Let's head to the most secluded one."
"I'm coming with you," Theo says as he's typing into his phone.
Suddenly, there's a knock at the door.
"Come in," I call out, checking the clip on my backup piece.
The door swings open, and Stavros Petrou steps into the room. His face is pale, eyes bloodshot. He looks like he hasn't slept since the news broke. Since she was taken.
Fuck. Her uncle. I should have called him immediately.
"Stavros," I acknowledge him with a nod.
He looks between Theo and me, taking in our bloodied appearances.
"I heard there's a video. Let me see it," he says, his voice stern.
I hesitate for only a second, then nod to Theo to show him. It is his niece, after all. I owe him that much.
Theo hands him the phone, and I watch Stavros's face as he watches the video. His hands shake slightly, but he doesn't look away. Not once. He watches it all the way through.
"My poor Katerina," he whispers when it's over.
He hands the phone back to Theo and looks directly at me.
"We're allies now, and that's my niece, so I'll tell you this," he says, stepping closer to the desk. "That man is Sebastian Makris. Among many things, he owns a seafood restaurant here in the Peloponnese. It's not just a restaurant. It's fortified. Rumors say he runs that—what does he call it—Athenian Warriors or some shit from its cellar basements." He plants his hands firmly on the desk, leaning in. "I bet you that's where she is. You can have some of my men."
My pulse quickens.
"You're sure about this?" I ask, already reaching for my jacket.
"As sure as I can be," Stavros says. "There's always more security than a restaurant would need. And it's isolated enough, right on the coast, away from the main tourist areas."
I turn to Theo, my decision already made. "Round up everyone. We're leaving."
