Page 149 of Dare To Love Me

LUCA

Taking a deep inhale through my nose I pulled up to the front of the warehouse. It had been far too easy settling into my old skin. Even the knowledge that I was walking into the lion’s den did nothing to the steel coating my veins.

Three men approached the SUV as I cut the engine and exited as if I owned the very ground they walked on. Squaring my shoulders I showed no fear, but more importantly I refused to feel it. To let any emotion capable of hindering my mission slip through a crack of weakness.

A flash of Becka’s face and what I could find when I made it into the building tried its best to distract me. To let feelings take over, pushing the urge to rush. It took monumental amounts of effort to banish her face from view. I could not let anything weaken my persona. I had to project total confidence and command, it was the only way the plan would work. There was no pretending to be a cold bastard. I had to own it.

Slowly I raised my hands staring the three men down as they pointed weapons in my face. The slightest ebb of uncertainty tingled at the top of my spine. This wasn’t going to work if they shot me on sight, or beat me unconscious— though the odds of that were slim. It’s a risk I’d been willing to take, even if Matteo had been on the verge of refusing to allow it. But I had to get inside and know Becka’s location before Hell came knocking.

And time was counting down.

“Who are you?” one guard asked.

“I’m Luca Moretti. Something that belongs to me is inside this building. I have come to retrieve it.”

The men snickered. “All by your lonesome?” a tall, thin man mocked. Multiple shadows atop the roof caught my eye. “Petrov will be disappointed.”

Cold adrenaline shot up my spine. Up until this moment we hadn’t been entirely sure Petrov would be there. Not to mention the possibility Becka had been moved to another location without Serena being near. But I knew in my gut, wherever Serena was, Becka would be too. She would stick around to the bloody end, wanting to watch Becka suffer. So, we took necessary precautions to be ready for the largest threat.

“Take me to him. I want what is mine,” I growled with shear command.

“As do we all,” the guy replied with a crooked smile.

It’s all I could do to rein in the anger that pushed to the surface. The beast inside soaked it up in anticipation.

They patted me down to ensure I didn’t have any weapons, then with one at my front and two at my back they escorted me inside.

The faint smell of chemicals and cleaners tickled my nose. I assumed that’s what filled the crates and pallets of boxes we weaved through. Most likely flammable and combustible. It would either work to our advantage or turn everything to shit so fast no one would survive. The tall stacks cast ominous shadows over us as we maneuvered deeper into the maze.

After what seemed like forever, the contents of the warehouse disappeared, widening into an open space. More men lined the sides locking eyes and guns on me as I entered the light. My gaze never swept their way. Every muscle in my body drew tight. I forced myself to relax. For the first time since the control room my heart thumped in my chest without mercy, or obedience. The glass holding back the tide of rage cracked at what I beheld.

Across from me, Becka stood beside Petrov, his hand fisted her hair hard enough to make her face scrunch in pain, holding her neck so it was bent uncomfortably. Dried blood caked her hair and the side of her face, and her hands tied were behind her back. Becka’s cheeks were dry but I could see the glossiness trying to spill over. When her stunning eyes rested on me there was momentary relief and then, confusion.

I stared back with a blank expression. Even narrowing my eyes with displeasure. I knew it would hurt her but I had a part to play, even if it caused her pain. Her face crumbled and little more. I commanded my attention away without so much as a second glance.

At least our location in the warehouse was a relatively good one for what was to come.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you Luca,” Petrov purred with false politeness.

“You have something that belongs to me,” I said coldly, ignoring his bullshit.

Becka squirmed in his hold. Her eyes were on me and I could only imagine what she was thinking with me referring to her as a thing instead of my wife.

“Oh? Do I? Because right now it looks like she belongs to me. Certainly looked that way to my men when I had her perky tits in my hands.” Heat rushed to my face. The beast inside roared. Wait! “We could share her?” he drawled casually.

“I don’t share my things.” My anger was evident in my voice. A vibration started in the pit of my stomach. Seeing visions of Petrov’s hands on her splintered the edges of my mask. I quickly recovered, smashing everything down until the time was right.

“Yes. Serena said as much.”

“Where is the bitch?” The rat.

“In Hell, where I sent her.”

A quick glimpse at Becka and I saw the slight nod of affirmation. “I had been hoping to kill her myself, but I’ll live with the disappointment. As long as she is dead.”

“Where is Matteo?” Petrov pulled on Becka’s hair, making her back bow into him, her breasts rubbing against his side. Her eyes squeezed shut and her jaw locked.

You are going to die.I forced myself to focus on him, knowing his game. Keep stalling.

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