Page 96 of Merciless Desires

I spot a rust-colored handprint smeared on the wall. Is it blood? Hers? Blind rage whites out my vision for a moment. When it clears, I turn on my heel and stalk back down the hall. Igor's eyes widen at my expression. I aim my pistol between them and pull the trigger. A red mist hangs in the air.

"Burn it down," I growl to Dmitri. "All of it."

As the first greedy tongues of flame lick up the walls, I climb back into the SUV. Natalia is still out there. Boris has her. And I swear on all I hold dear, I will rain down hellfire on that traitorous bastard for daring to lay a finger on her.

We descend on the downtown hotel Boris owns like feral beasts, guns blazing. Boris's guards stationed outside his penthouse suite are dead before they hit the plush carpet. I take dark satisfaction in the shocked look frozen on one man's face, a neat round hole dead center in his forehead.

Alexei kicks the door in and we pour inside. More of Boris's thugs fall in a hail of gunfire. My ears ring from the deafening shots in the confined space. I press on, a man possessed. She's here. I feel it.

"Well, well, Viktor. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

I whirl, gun leveled between Boris's smug eyes as he strolls casually from the bedroom, straightening his cufflinks. It's taking every ounce of tenuous control not to empty my clip into his face right now.

"Enough games," I snarl, stalking toward him. "Where is Natalia?"

Boris lifts his hands innocently, backing away. "Now Viktor, I have no idea what you’re talking—"

My fist crashes into his jaw, snapping his head to the side. Boris stumbles, clutching his face. When he looks back at me, his eyes are blazing.

"You've forgotten your place, boy," he spits blood onto the carpet. "That little cunt has made you weak."

With a feral roar, I backhand him hard across the face. Boris drops to one knee. I grab a handful of his hair, shoving the barrel of my gun under his chin, forcing his head up. His eyes show the first flicker of fear. Good.

"Last chance before I decorate the walls with your brains." My voice is deadly calm. "Where is Natalia?"

Boris's throat bobs as he swallows. He raises one hand slowly, pointing toward a closed door at the end of the hall.

I pull him to his feet and shove him ahead of me toward the door. Dmitri and Alexei keep their guns trained on him. Boris's hand shakes slightly as he turns the knob. Inside, I see only sumptuous furnishings and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glittering skyline. No Natalia.

I seize Boris by the neck, shoving him against the wall. "You lied to me, you piece of—"

"No, wait!" he chokes out frantically.

He points toward the windows. I follow his gaze downward. My heart stutters.

Far below, Natalia is perched precariously on a narrow ledge outside the window. Her wrists are still bound. She's gagged and blindfolded. A rope around her neck tethers her to the building. A fall from this height down to the hotel courtyard below would be fatal.

I drop Boris and race to the window, clawing it open.

"Natalia!"

At the sound of my voice, her head whips toward me. Muffled, frantic cries come from behind the gag. Blindly she inches toward my voice.

"Be still, sweet girl," I call as gently as I can through my panic. "I'm coming for you."

I turn on Boris, murder in my eyes. He's still crumpled on the floor, cradling his throat.

"Dmitri, get her in safely," I snarl, never taking my eyes from the cowering man before me.

As my loyal vor works to secure Natalia, I stalk forward and haul Boris up by his ridiculous silk shirt. Behind me, I hear her cries fade to whimpers as Dmitri pulls her back inside.

When Natalia is safely away from the ledge, I turn the full force of my rage on the trembling man in my grip. Boris's face is swollen and bloody, stark fear in his eyes. The all-powerful leader of our brotherhood reduced to a quivering coward.

"Please, Viktor," he begs, pathetic. "It was just business, nothing personal—"

"This is personal," I snarl. "You took what is most precious to me. And for that, you will suffer before you die."

I slam my fist into his face again and again until he slumps, dazed. I drop him limply to the floor before kicking him brutally in the ribs. Bones snap satisfyingly under my boot.

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