Heartless Sinner (Empire of Sinners #5)

Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Scarlett

I stare at them all standing before me. Every muscle in my body locks into place while my lungs forget how to work. They waited for this opening, a window of opportunity when they knew Micah wouldn’t be here. A quick glance at the blood staining the side of the Creed guard’s face tells me they must have used him to get inside the house.

"Hello, little bird." Anton's thick Russian accent slithers over my heart the same way it does in my darkest nightmares. "Did you really think you could fly away forever?"

Little bird.

How ironic it is that the idea of that endearment came from me telling him I felt like a little bird who was ready to spread her wings to achieve bigger things in life. It was supposed to be symbolic of success. Now it feels like ashes in my lungs.

“You…” I gaze at Anton, my mind refusing to believe he’s here. And with Johnny. Just when I thought my brother couldn’t disappoint me any more than he already has, he had to prove me wrong. But this…working with Anton to get to me? It signals the end of us.

“I told you I’d come back for you, little bird.” Anton’s words surge forward like waves, stealing the breath from my lungs.

I spin back toward the door but Jensen's already there blocking my exit before my next thought can form. I glare at him, shaking my head. Micah trusted him so much he allocated him to me when I first got to New York.

Jenson was with me everywhere I went. It wasn’t until Micah realized his enemy could be one of his own guards that he stopped allowing Jenson to watch over me.

“You bastard,” I spit. “How could you betray Micah?”

“Nothing personal. Everyone wants to climb the ladder of success. Working with the Nexxus was my only way to get a piece of that success.” His face remains passive and his back straight and daunting. “If not for you, I’d have what I want. But you’ll fix that today, Mrs. Delarosa .”

“Do not call her that,” Anton seethes, his voice filling the space between us with venom.

I turn back to face him, my heart pounding in my ears so loudly I can hardly hear my thoughts.

I look from Anton to Johhny, who can hardly look at me. He hasn’t spoken yet. Does he actually feel any shame?

This all makes sense now how Anton got to know about the Nexxus. Everything to do with them started with Johhny.

“You are dead to me,” I scoff, wishing I could kick the life from his miserable body.

“Sorry, sis. I got myself in more trouble.” He holds his gun to the guard’s head with the hammer cocked. “Anton offered me a deal I couldn’t refuse.”

Finally, I look back at Anton, and a shiver rushes down my spine. I need to get out of here. But how?

How the hell do I get out when I’m trapped?

Anton steps into the slice of light spilling from the window. It catches his dark eyes making him look more menacing. “Imagine you knew I’d come back to you, and you disrespected me by getting married.”

“You need to get the hell out of here.”

"Marriage to Micah Delarosa doesn’t look good on you, my dear little bird. But I’ll fix that when we get home."

“I will never go back to you!”

Anton rushes me and answers with a slap to my face that sends me to the floor. I cry out from the pain that shoots across my cheek.

“I’m not fucking going anywhere without you!” He grabs my hair and pulls, making me scream.

“Let me go!”

“Never again. So you can run off and fuck another man? You’re mine, Scarlett.” The demented, fucked-up look on his face tells me he wants to give me a reminder of what I’ve been missing.

The worst part isn't the fear. It's how my body remembers how to become his prey.

The victim.

The broken thing.

As he squeezes my head and pulls my hair, every survival instinct screams at me to make myself small, to submit, to survive. It even drowns out the strength I’ve worked so hard to get back. It’s like the past year of rebuilding never happened and I’m back with Anton again. At his mercy.

"Now, now, little bird ," he purrs, reaching out to touch my face. "Let me tell you what you’re going to do." His eyes rake over me, cold and possessive. “Micah has a blueprint in the vault downstairs. You’re going to get it for me.”

Those blueprints must have to do with the chip I stole at the hotel. He wants me to be a thief again. No way. “Fuck you, asshole,” I cough. “What makes you think I’m going to do anything for you?” I may resemble the broken woman he left behind, but I’m not going to steal from my husband.

Anton pulls out his phone and shoves it in my face. On the screen is a picture of my father that shuts me down.

Dad is bound and gagged with blood and bruises all over him. One of Anton’s men is standing beside him with a machine gun held to his head. “You bastard, you have my father!” How?

As soon as the question pops into my mind, I get the answer, and I look over at Johnny. The fucking traitor. He’s how they got to Dad.

Micah has men watching over my father. But Dad is always giving Johnny more chances.

“This is your doing, isn’t it?” Tears run down my cheeks. “You came back to town, and he went to you. But it was a trap.”

“I didn’t mean for it to happen,” Johnny replies.

“He’s our father. And I am your sister . Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

All I get for an answer is a clenched jaw, and I realize I need to save my breath. Humanity missed Johnny completely, so he really and truly doesn’t care about us.

“Ready to play the game, little bird?” Anton snags my hair, guiding me back to face him. “Be assured that if you turn me down, your father’s dead. All I have to do is say the word and my guard will blow his brains out.”

“You are truly evil.”

“Maybe, but it doesn’t matter. The end justifies the means. Get the blueprints and bring them up here. We’ll use our guard friend here to take the secret passage to escape. We have his wife and newborn baby, so he won’t disappoint us.” He points toward the Creed guard, who flinches, then Anton looks back at me. “Obviously, I want you to come back to Denver with me. Once you’re there, I’ll free your father.”

Oh, Jesus. This isn’t happening. It can’t be. Poor Dad.

Even if I get the blueprints, there’s no guarantee that Anton will keep him alive. His word is as good as shit.

“Let my father go first.”

Anton yanks on my hair again. “I don’t think so, little bird. That’s not how we’re going to do things. It’s my way or the fucking highway.”

Of course, it is.

I’m about to answer when I hear Micah’s voice downstairs. He’s talking to Maria

Oh my God, he’s back. I wasn’t expecting him until much later.

Anton seethes and glares at the Creed guard. “You said he wouldn’t be back until tonight.”

“I also told you he never shares specific whereabouts.”

“If he sees me, he’s going to know something is up.” Jenson’s eyes go wide. “Only the Creed guards are allowed inside the house. And we can’t use that guy. Look at his fucking face.”

They’re right. One look at the guard and you can tell he’s been in a fight.

Anton looks at me. “You. Go and deal with your husband . Find some way to get rid of him and get back here. Rest assured, if you fucking try to warn him, I’ll kill your father right in front of you.”

The shudder that lances through me at that image is powerful enough to shake me to my core.

“Do you hear me?” He shakes my shoulders.

“I hear you.”

Anton releases me when we hear Micah calling me.

I wipe the tears from my face and stand wondering what I’m going to tell him.

He’s my only hope, but if I use him, Dad could die.

Trembling, I make my way to the door. Jenson steps out of the way, allowing me to open it and walk through, but I notice he keeps it ajar and watches me.

Micah approaches the stairs, so I move quickly knowing that the further away he is, the more chance I have of maybe giving him a heads-up without being seen.

He sees me coming down the stairs and I’m glad when he stops by the table near the wall.

“Bellezza, there you are.” He smiles back at me, looking relieved.

I wonder if he can see the bruise on my cheek or if he can tell I was crying.

Anton got me on the side of my cheek and my hair is down, so chances are Micah may not be able to see a bruise.

“Hey, I’m so glad you’re home.”

“I managed to get things wrapped up early. I wanted to get back to you.” He closes the space between us when I reach the bottom step.

Think, Scarlett. Think.

“How about we go out to dinner? We could go to that restaurant you like in the city.”

“Actually, I left one of my bags at the studio. I was going to ask one of the guards to take me back to get it. Is there any way you could get it for me? I’m not feeling well and it has some private stuff in there that I need.” I’m trying to make this up as I go along, praying it sounds legit.

“Sure. Is it one of the blue bags?”

“Yes, the small one.” Oh God, he actually believes me. I need to say something more so he’ll know I’m in trouble.

“I’ll get it and come right back.”

Micah steps back and I take the chance to hug him. This is also my actual chance to save myself and Dad. “Thanks so much.”

“Anything for you.”

He leans in to kiss me. When he stops, I press my lips to his cheek.

Now. It has to be now.

“ Help me, Micah ,” I whisper into his ear, holding him against me. “They’re upstairs. Anton, Jenson, and my brother. They’ve captured my father. They want me to get the prints.”

I speak as quickly and as quietly as I can, then pull away from him hoping I didn’t stay too long and that I didn’t say too much or look obvious.

“Let me know how you feel when I get back.” Micah smiles, keeping up the pretense but he makes a point of glancing up the stairs. “Maybe we can still go to dinner.”

“Sure. I’ll take a bath. That should help. I love you.”

His gaze switches back to mine. “I love you more, bellezza.”

When I step away, the worry in his eyes grips me, but I try not to fall apart .

I turn around and head back up the stairs praying for another miracle.