Page 25 of Absolution

“Fuck.” His hands shoot up to tug at his hair.

“What is it?” I ask, shakily closing the distance between us.

He tries to ease my panic. “Hopefully, nothing.”

He dials again, and when his call rings out for a second time, I see his frustration growing. “Viktor, look at me. Tell me what’s wrong.”

He lets out a deep sigh as he runs his fingers through his hair again, making it stand on its ends. “Oliver isn’t answering his goddamn cell and isn’t home.”

He is about to dial when his cell rings. “Where the fuck are you? I’ve been calling.” Viktor pauses, listening.

“I’m sorry, Viktor. I need you, brother. I need…”

“Oliver?”

Viktor’s face goes white before he yells again. “Oliver!” He stares at his cell, looking confused. “Call Angus.” Viktor orders me.

I take my cell from my back pocket and dial Angus. One ring and Angus answers.

“Ava—”

“Viktor wants to speak.” I set the call on speaker. I’m not going to be left in the dark.

“Angus. He called, but now he isn’t talking. Ping his cell,” Viktor orders as he tugs me into his side and makes a beeline to leave the gun range and enter the guardhouse

“I’m on it,” Angus says before he ends the call.

“Viktor,” I murmur. He is walking so fast I’m struggling to keep up with him. “Viktor,” I try again when I’m ignored.

He barks out orders as if I never spoke. “Marco, lock the house down,” he says when we reach the French doors at the back of the mansion.

As my eyes bounce between his, I ask, “Viktor, what’s going on? You’re making me nervous.”

“No one knows where Oliver is,” he finally confesses, his tone abrupt. “When he finally answered, he stopped talking. I need you inside the house in lockdown.”

“Viktor,” I murmur through the tears springing in my eyes.

“Please do as I order.” He kisses me on the lips, alerting me to how cold they feel.

He’s terrified.

“Please be safe. I need you.” I beg.

His smirk is only half its usual strength. “Always.”

“I love you.”

Now his smile is genuine. “I love you, too. Now, inside.”

As he leaves, his stance tells me everything I need to know. Oliver is in danger.

“When the hell will this end?” I ask no one as I enter the mansion.

“Did you say something?” Marco asks, startling me since I didn’t hear him creep behind me.

“No.”

I go straight for the stairs. Only one thing can calm me right now—my children.

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