Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
The car Brian had been driving was found in a deserted parking lot. There were no cameras around, so we had no idea what sort of vehicle he’d transferred Una to or where they went. Niall currently had a man tracing every car we could pick up in that area, trying to track which one might have Brian behind the wheel.
And then Roman and Luca disappeared. I hadn’t seen them since last night, and neither of them answered their phones. I was angry, frustrated, and pissed off. All I knew was they said they had to follow up on a lead. Since then, it was as if they had vanished.
Niall came in, looking as exhausted as I felt. He sat down, pouring a coffee and tossing it back like a shot of whiskey.
“Anything?” I asked.
“Rumors. Nothing we can substantiate.”
“I’ve reached out to everyone. Offered rewards. Favors. Called in favors.” My shoulders fell forward in defeat. “Nothing.”
He nodded.
“Where the fuck are Roman and Luca?” I asked. “I don’t understand.”
Niall began to speak just as the door opened, and they walked in. They wore the same clothing as they had been wearing when I’d seen them yesterday. They were both somber and looked tired.
Before I could speak, Roman held up his hand. “I know you’re full of questions. I had a lead I had to follow fast, and I didn’t have time to explain. I didn’t want to give you hope in case it didn’t pan out.”
“Did it?” I asked, my voice tight.
Roman and Luca shared a glance. “We need to sit down, Finn. This is gonna be hard to hear.”
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. “Tell me.”
Roman drew in a deep breath. “We went to find Greg Santini.”
“Who is that?” I asked.
He rolled his shoulders. “The man who had my wife kidnapped and planned to sell her.”
I gaped at him. “Why would you do that?”
“He had a lot of contacts with people I would never deal with. If anyone could help you, it would be him. He owed me.”
At my questioning look, he explained.
“His brother broke the truce, and he died. Greg ran, leaving this world behind. We knew where he was, but we left him alone. But I thought he could help in this case. And he did.”
I leaned forward. “How?”
Roman rubbed his lip, glancing at Luca. “He had deep connections. Still has a few. He called in some favors after I persuaded him it was in his best interest.” He flexed his hand, and I saw the torn knuckles, understanding how the persuasion had gone down.
“Lopez calls himself a Dominant. One of the worst kinds. I just call him a sick fuck. But he doesn’t like to train his subs. He, ah, doesn’t have the patience. He likes them…broken.”
I couldn’t speak, indicating for Roman to keep going. I gripped the arm of the chair, knowing I needed to stay strong.
“There is a group of men in Russia that specializes in training. That’s all they do. Buy them. Men, women, boys, girls. Train them until they are a shell of their former selves.” He met my eyes, his filled with sympathy. “They’re particularly brutal.”
I could feel my chest contract rapidly. It felt as if I couldn’t get enough oxygen into my lungs.
“Lopez finds people. Sells them to this group. Part of his reward is they train subs for him and gift them back. It happens frequently since they never last long. If they make it out of Russia.” His tone was low. “He has a reputation for cruelty. And he has a thing for redheads.”
I was out of my chair in a flash and out of the room. I bent over the toilet, and the meager contents of my stomach were ejected, bitter and searing. Tears filled my eyes, and I struggled for breath.
Una.
My Una.
Mo chroí.
I stood, wiping my mouth. I looked in the mirror, my reflection almost unrecognizable. I was pale, sweating. I looked older. Defeated.
Then Una’s face drifted across my mind. I heard her voice in my head.
“Hero,” she whispered. “My hero. I love you, Finn.”
I straightened. Splashed my face with water. Stiffened my shoulders.
“How do we find him?” I snapped as I walked back into the room, my emotions locked down and my focus on one thing. Finding her. Saving her.
Or die trying.
Roman looked me over and nodded, the pity gone from his eyes.
“Greg found out they’re headed here. The group. There’s an auction happening in a few days. Six women. One of whom I am certain is Una.”
“Do we know where?”
“Not yet, but Greg is finding out. They only disclose it the day before.”
Niall spoke up. “What if the lab and the place they’re holding Una are the same?”
I frowned at the thought. “The lab is a bomb waiting to explode. Would he risk that? Having—” I had to swallow “—the merchandise so close to a possible disaster?”