Page 74 of Witness Protection

Chapter Fifteen

Cayden opened the door to his basement apartment, making sure it was safe before entering. It was good to be home. If he could even call it home any more. Now that he was off the radar, he didn’t need to worry about hiding. He still wouldn’t keep this place, too risky, but it was somewhere close to Antonio Baretti where they could lay low.

“Let me get this straight.” Cayden tossed his keys on the coffee table. “You made a deal with Vasily’s enemy to find Sophia?”

“I wasn’t thinking. It was right after you’d stolen her from me.”

“That happens a lot doesn’t it?”

Hawk’s fist clenched, but he kept his mouth shut. The tension between them was growing by the second. It was hard to be civil with Sophia MIA.

Cayden flicked on his computers, then went to the fridge. It was empty. Life had been in a toss-up for months.

“You realize he planned this the entire time, don’t you?” asked Cayden.

Hawk sat on the sofa, leaning over his knees. He looked like shit.

“He played me. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him, but I just thought he was focused on killing you. He said he wanted to help out of respect for Vasily. I never for a minute thought he’d be after Sophia.”

“Oscar wanted to kill her. Antonio’s smarter. He’s going to marry into the money and power. By force.”

“Just shut the fuck up,” said Hawk. “I can’t think about him touching her.”

This was Hawk’s fault. Cayden wouldn’t have been so stupid.

“Maybe he’s fucking her right now. That’s on you, big boy.”

Hawk leapt over the back of the couch, toppling it, taking him down like a wrecking ball. They were equal in size, both pissed off, both with nothing to lose.

And they loved the same woman.

They fought, punching and wrestling on the ground like crazed men. Furniture knocked over as they rolled on the floor. Cayden’s boot went through the drywall. They didn’t hold back, expelling all their pent-up energy in a blind rage.

Cayden dominated, choking him out, and then Hawk would take control, making him submit.

It came to a stalemate.

They sat against opposing walls, staring at each other, both breathless.

“We going to kill each other or save Sophia?” asked Cayden.

Hawk spat blood to the side.

“My informant says the wedding is this weekend. We have time to plan this out.”

“Are we just getting her back or taking down the entire family?” asked Hawk.

“It’s too big. The ripples would be endless. The only way to finish this is to marry her, destroying the Morenov Empire once and for all.”

“It’s all I want. We’ll get her back, and I’ll marry her.”

Cayden stared at the other man, wanting to stab him in the heart, but knowing he had no chance at winning over Sophia.

Right now, the focus had to be getting her free, and then they could worry about the aftermath. Should Cayden steal her away? Force her to love him? He exhaled, already feeling crushed.

He could still smell her, feel her, hear her voice.

How long until he forgot it all?

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