Page 66 of Pretty Little Game

“That’s enough, Maksim!” one of the men barked with such authority that it gave me pause. “You’re to keep your hands to yourselves. One of these girls is important, and she won’t be worth as much ransom if you ruin her before the trade. You can have the other as soon as our boss gives us permission.”

Then silence.

I wait with bated breath, hoping against hope that this Maksim will follow the command and leave Bianka alone. Because I know it’s Bianka he was threatening to fuck. Though she didn’t make a sound, I could hear the aggravation in his tone. He doesn’t like a woman telling him what to do, so he wanted to punish her for speaking up for Ellie.

It’s agony not knowing what’s happening, but I don’t want to blow my cover and get myself killed if the girls are safe for the time being. Frozen in place, I debate, changing my mind repeatedly as I blindly try to determine what will help the girls the most.

Finally, murmured discussion in Russian begins again, and I release a breath I’ve held for far too long. Silently easing the lid back onto the wine crate, I return to my hiding spot. I rest my back against the wall and slowly slide down to sit, then tip my head back, my eyes falling closed.

Fucking Christ, I’ve never felt so useless. Bianka was what seemed like moments from being molested, and all I could have offered her was a pathetic attempt at protection before winding up dead on the floor. What I wouldn’t give to trade places, to put her somewhere safe and let me take the danger.

My fists clench and unclench as I think about those men touching her,hittingher. I’ll kill them all. I’m not normally a violent person, but I can make an exception for these men. I want them dead for hurting her.

At least I’m here. I know where the hell the girls are–relatively speaking–and I have Lucca on speed dial the moment I learn where we land. But the Russians seem pretty tight-lipped about where the jet is taking us–not to mention, I can’t understand a word they’re saying.

I hope we’re not headed all the way to Russia or Ukraine or something. If one of those is our destination, then I’ll be well and truly fucked and entirely on my own. But I’ll do what I need to to see the girls safe.

Bianka’s smiling face appears in my mind’s eye, the way their seafoam-green color lights when I make her laugh. My chest aches with a deep, echoing hollowness. I won’t let that light be snuffed out. I can’t. I don’t know that I could survive her death.

I’m relieved when, less than an hour later, I feel the plane’s trajectory shift, and we begin our descent. That means we’re either still in the US or we’re in Canada, both of which are within reach of Lucca’s–and hopefully Ilya’s–aid.

It’s an uncomfortable landing as I bounce in the luggage compartment. The wine crates rock precariously next to me, and the floor jars me roughly. And then we’re rolling to a stop. Moments later, the renewed sound of Bianka’s struggles is music to my ears as she cusses violently at her kidnappers.

The men hardly seem to care, their voices even as they fade into the distance, leaving me alone in the plane. I wait just long enough to make sure I’m alone before slipping from my hiding spot and creeping through the main cabin.

Something glitters on the ground, catching my eye, and I stoop to retrieve the gold mask Bianka was wearing on her way into the ladies’ room. Clenching it tightly in my grasp, I make my way deftly toward the front of the empty plane.

They’ve left the jet’s door open and the stairs down, and I peek around the doorway out into the dark night, searching for which direction they took the girls. As far as I can tell, we’re surrounded by a thick forest of trees, the small runway a lone strip of pavement lined with the snow-covered grass of a berm that slopes steadily down to the wooded perimeter.

Utilizing the dark night, I cling to the shadows, using them as cover to sneak down the stairs and dip beneath the plane. Hidden behind the front wheel, I watch as the band of Russians hauls Bianka and Ellie toward an impressive mansion in the distance. It’s lit up like a Christmas tree.

Once I’m confident where the girls are being taken, I make a beeline for the trees nearest the house, keeping low to the ground. My breath fogs around me as I move, reminding me of the bitter cold that I can barely feel through my tightly wound nerves that leave my muscles tense and ready for a fight.

Vanishing into the forest, I keep one eye on the house and double-check my surroundings for any guards that might intend to catch me by surprise. But I’m alone.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I swipe past the multiple texts and voice messages that indicate I’ve missed Lucca’s calls and open my GPS app. First, I need intel. Then I can call him back.

I’m shocked to find we’re smack-dab in the middle of a massive estate in Upstate New York. The red dot marking my location is surrounded by miles of nature, with only what looks like small, winding dirt roads breaking up the space in between.

Who the fuck are these people?I wonder silently for what feels like the hundredth time since they broke into Rosehill’s event center. Clearly, they must be a prominent family to have headquarters of some sort on a piece of land this size.

I drop a pin and forward my location to Lucca, then call him.

“Where the fuck have you been?” he demands, picking up on the first ring. “I’ve been calling for hours–”

“Yeah, well, I was a bit preoccupied at the time. I called as soon as I could. Did you talk to Ilya?”

“Of course. He’s currently here, attempting to murder me with his eyes because I called him hours ago and told him someone kidnapped his sister, but since then, I have been unable to give him a shred of information as towhere the fuck she is.”

I can’t blame Lucca for sounding testy. I know how uncomfortable that look must be–not to mention Ellie’s been kidnapped, too, and Lucca’s hundreds of miles away. He probably feels more useless than I do.

“Well, I hope Ilya has a plane. Otherwise, you’ll have to get Nico involved to fly your asses to Upstate New York. I dropped you a pin.” I’d hoped we wouldn’t have to rely on our big brother.

Not that he would deny us help. Nicolo might have a sharp tongue, but he would do anything for Lucca or me, and I know it. Still, Nico’s power stems directly from our father, and if my brother gets involved, my father is guaranteed to find out. And then I’ll have destroyed Bianka’s life even if I do manage to bring her home.

“FuckingNew York?” Lucca growls, then he turns his attention to the very angry Russian I can hear on the other side of the phone demanding to know what’s going on.

They discuss in muffled tones for a moment before Lucca comes clearly across the line again. “He can get us there in three hours.”

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