Page 82 of Cold Cruel Hearts (London Mafia Kings)

On my tiptoes, I hurried over and paused at the door, my fingertips on the handle. I didn’t hear any sounds coming from inside, so I risked edging it open.

From behind, the cold metal of a gun barrel pressed against the side of my head. I froze and sucked in a breath. The scent of him—earthy woodiness and machine oil—swept over me, and I instantly knew who it was.

“Isa?”

He spoke in our language. “Hello, Kaja.”

My mouth ran dry. “How did you find me?

“How do you think?”

He grabbed my shoulder and spun me around to face him. Dark shadows marked beneath his eyes, and I wondered if any of his sleepless nights had been down to missing me.

He continued, “It wasn’t hard to figure out that it was the Cornells who’d taken you. But what I’m wondering is why you’re just hanging around this big house all on your own. Why haven’t you tried to contact me or tried to escape.”

I swallowed, hard. “The-the door was locked.”

“You could have broken a window, just like we have.”

A couple of men emerged from the direction of the kitchen, and I realised my father wasn’t alone.

“I-I didn’t think.”

“I thought I’d brought you up to be resourceful.” He paused, and his eyes narrowed. “Or is it that you didn’twantto find a way out?”

I couldn’t look at him. He knew me too well.

“That’s it, isn’t it? You didn’t want to return home.”

“No, Isa, that’s not true.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit.” He leaned in and sniffed my hair. “You stink of sex. Have you just been fucking the younger one, or have you been spreading your legs for them both?”

I was horrified he’d think that of me. “No, Isa! I wouldn’t!”

His upper lip curled in a snarl. “You filthy little whore. Tell me he raped you. He forced himself on you.”

I decided to go on the offensive instead of the defensive. “He says you murdered his fiancée.”

“So what if I did? You think I care about some girl?”

“I’msome girl,” I threw back. “At least Leo hasn’t killed me.”

“Too busy using your body, clearly. Now, you’re coming with me.”

He caught my wrist, but I yanked it away again. “No.”

His eyes widened at my defiance. “No? Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?”

“I’m not going back with you. There’s nothing for me in Estonia, Isa. I don’t want to live in the cabin anymore. I don’t want to run your business one day. I want a life of my own.”

“Then I’ll just sit here until your Leo comes home and kill him in front of you. Is that what you want?”

As though to prove his point, he went to the occasional chair that was positioned to one side of the staircase, facing the front door, and sat. He crossed one foot over his opposite knee and aimed the gun at the door.

How long would Leo and the others be? I needed some way of warning them, but I didn’t have one. Would they realise something was wrong on their return? Or would they not notice the open gates?

I couldn’t risk them coming back and my father being here to kill them.

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