She’s run.
And this time, I have no idea how to find her.
I sink onto her bed, surrounded by the faint scent of her perfume and the overwhelming weight of my own stupidity. Last night I accused her of being secretive, demanded answers she didn’t want to give, and proved every fear she had about controlling men.
Now she’s gone, and I’m left with nothing but regret and the growing certainty that I’ve lost the best thing that ever happened to me.
My phone goes off with a text from Dmitri:Family meeting in an hour. Aleksei wants to discuss the Serpent's situation.
I stare at the message, then at the empty room around me. How am I supposed to focus on family business when the woman I’m falling for has disappeared into the night because I couldn’t keep my jealousy in check?
The answer is simple: I’m not.
But I also can’t fall apart now, not when she might be in danger. If Alyssa is out there alone, she’s vulnerable to Troy and his associates.
I need to find her before someone else does.
But first, I need to figure out where she would go when running from a life she never asked to be part of, from a man who proved he’s just as controlling as the one she ran from before.
The irony isn’t lost on me. In trying so hard not to lose her, I’ve driven her away myself.
And now I have to live with the consequences.
Chapter 22 - Alyssa
Running toward the man who tried to destroy me might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, but hearing Diane’s terrified voice on that phone call left me with no choice.
My hands shake on the steering wheel as I speed through the industrial district, following Troy’s directions to some abandoned warehouse that probably hasn’t seen legitimate business in decades. Every turn brings me closer to a confrontation I’ve been dreading for months, but Troy’s threats during our phone conversation left no room for negotiation. He has Diane, and that means I have to play by his rules whether I want to or not.
The phone call replays in my mind as I drive—Troy’s cold voice explaining exactly how he acquired one of Maksim’s family members, followed by his detailed threats about what would happen if I didn’t come alone, and worst of all, the sound of Diane’s muffled crying in the background.
I wanted to tell Maksim, I really did, but Troy made it clear that this was my fault for choosing Maksim over him, and now an innocent woman was paying the price for my decisions. The guilt sits in my stomach like a lead weight, growing heavier with each mile.
I park outside the rusted metal structure and take a moment to steady my breathing. My heart pounds against my ribs like a caged bird, and I have to squeeze the steering wheel to stop my hands from trembling. After a few breaths, I step out of the car and convince my feet to move.
The warehouse door is slightly ajar, and I push it open to step into a cavernous space filled with empty shipping containers and the smell of rust and decay. I move deeper intothe building, searching for any sign of movement. The silence feels oppressive, broken only by the distant sound of traffic and my own ragged breathing. Each step forward feels like walking deeper into quicksand.
“Troy?” I call out, though my voice sounds smaller than I’d like in the vast space.
“Back here, baby.”
The pet name makes my skin crawl, and I clench my fists to stop myself from turning around and running back to my car. Everything inside me screams at me to flee, but Diane’s life hangs in the balance, so I follow his voice toward the rear of the building.
What I find there makes my stomach drop to my feet.
Diane is tied to a metal chair, and her face is streaked with tears, with a piece of duct tape across her mouth. Her hands are bound behind her back, and she looks at me with wide, frightened eyes that beg for help. The sight of her restrained and terrified sends rage burning through my veins.
Troy is standing behind her with one hand resting on her shoulder, and he’s wearing that same cold smile I remember from the night he pointed a gun at my chest. He looks completely at ease, like kidnapping innocent women is just another Tuesday afternoon activity for him.
“Let her go,” I demand through gritted teeth. “She has nothing to do with this.”
“She has everything to do with this, thanks to your poor choices.” His fingers close around Diane’s shoulder, and she flinches at the contact.
I move closer to Diane and kneel beside her chair, making sure she can see my face. The terror in her eyes breaks my heart,but I try to project confidence I don’t feel. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. I promise nothing’s going to happen to you.”
Her eyes fill with fresh tears, but she nods like she believes me. I wish I felt as confident as I’m trying to sound. She tries to say something behind the duct tape, probably warning me about Troy or begging me to run, but I can’t make it out.
“Touching reunion,” Troy sneers, “but we have business to discuss.”
