Chapter 31
Viviana
M y breath scratches in my throat. I stay still, fighting the panic clawing at me. Everything is dark except for the small flickers of light through the cracks, like fireflies. The rumble of the car speeding down the road vibrates beneath me. I clutch my necklace tightly, taking shallow, controlled breaths. You’re safe. You’ve got this. The words circle in my mind like a mantra.
The lingering smell of gunpowder and smoke chokes my throat. The ringing in my ears won’t stop. It all happened so fast.
A couple of hours after Declan left with Kian, Connor came running. The cameras were out, and most of the guards weren’t responding. We knew what that meant: Alek was coming for me.
Connor locked me in his room on the top floor, trying to keep me safe for as long as he could. I could hear the sounds of men shouting, gunfire, and the rumble of explosions shaking the windows. The chaos is overwhelming.
Then, someone kicked the door down.
I grabbed the gun Declan had given me and fired at the first man through the door. He dropped to the ground. But before I could react, two more rushed in, shouting in Russian. The taller one grabbed my arm.
“We are here to save you,” he said with a thick accent.
Save me? Did they really believe that? To be fair, I had pretended I was being held at Declan’s mansion against my will, but I didn’t expect Alek to send his men after me. Now it makes sense why my father didn’t invite me to dinner. He needed Callaghan out of the house.
Declan was right.
I snap back to the present as the car jolts over what feels like a gravel road. My stomach churns. I hope Connor is safe. I didn’t see him during the attack.
This is taking forever. The motion sickness hits harder now. God, please.
Finally, the car stops. I hear muffled voices in Russian, and then the trunk opens. Bright light floods in, blinding me for a moment. I squint, trying to adjust. The tall man offers a hand to help me out, and I take it, still struggling to steady myself.
Looking around, I’m stunned.
A wooden house, tucked away in the middle of the woods, surrounded by tall trees whose branches drape with leaves, almost completely camouflaging the structure. At a distance, it would be impossible to spot.
“Viviana,” a husky voice calls from behind me.
A chill runs down my spine as I turn. There he is—Alek Koslov.
He’s changed. Broader now, but the sandy hair, pale skin, and deep blue eyes remain the same. Only now, they’re rougher. Meaner. He smirks as he stops in front of me, his gaze shamelessly roaming over my body, lingering on my breasts without any subtlety. I feel bile rising in my throat.
He licks his lips. “You still look amazing.”
I stare at him, taking in the differences between the Alek I knew over ten years ago and the man standing before me now.
His tight T-shirt clings to every muscle and military pants and boots complete the look. Tattoos snake up his arms, adding to the danger that always seemed to hover around him. Back then, he was dangerous.
Now? He looks like a beast—a coyote poised to strike.
“Alek,” I begin, but one of his men cuts me off.
“She killed one of ours!” the man yells, pointing at me. “And shot Ivan, too!”
Alek smiles, his eyes never leaving mine. “How the hell did a 5’3” girl kill a trained soldier?” He glances lazily at the guard.
The guard shrugs and faces a storm of rage.
“Muscles don’t equal intelligence,” I retort flatly.
“Oh, really?” The guard strides toward me, but a gunshot rings out. Blood blooms across his chest, just above his heart. His face drains of colour, and he crumples to the floor.
My mouth drops open. I look at Alek, who’s still holding the gun, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.
“Asshole,” Alek deadpans before turning to me. “Shall we?” He extends his hand.
It takes a moment to process what just happened. I swallow hard, then take his hand. Together, we step over the guard’s body, doing my best to avoid touching him.
“Never liked him,” Alek mutters with a shrug.
Good to know, I think, as he leads me inside. The house feels like an unsettling mix between a country cottage and a military base. Steel tables line the dark wooden walls piled high with guns, munitions, and what looks like grenades.
“You almost got me killed. Twice.” I cross my arms over my chest, staring at him, trying to project confidence. Inside, though, I’m drowning in fear.
He smirks, stepping closer, invading my personal space without touching me. “I didn’t. I told you, your father…” He pauses, shaking his head. “He’s in deep shit. Planned it all and didn’t even have the courtesy to run it by me.”
I nod, unconvinced. “Right.” My gaze drifts away, roaming the room while his eyes burn into my neck. “You’ve got... a cozy little house here,” I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
Two men sit at computers, each monitoring four screens. My stomach drops when I recognize one of the feeds. “Is that—?” I cover my mouth, horror clawing at me.
“Yes,” Alek says coolly. “The Callaghans set fire to the Morellis’ mansion about an hour ago.” He waits, watching me for a reaction.
“And my father?” I close my eyes. I already know the answer, but hearing it shatters me completely.
“They didn’t make it.” His voice is devoid of sorrow, almost smug.
“They?” My eyes snap to his, not realizing how close he’s standing.
“Silvana too,” he adds. The words land like a knife in my gut. My chest tightens, my heart fighting to escape, each beat heavy with grief.
“I’m sorry,” he murmurs, wrapping his arms around me in a mock embrace. It’s cold, calculating. I go back to that night—his touch burns like acid. His hug lacks warmth. I can feel him gauging my reaction. Still, I hug him back.
“Don’t worry, Viviana,” he says, his voice dropping an octave. “You’re here now. Together, we’ll destroy them all.” His fingers brush my chin, tilting my head to meet his gaze. His eyes burn with intensity as he leans closer, his lips almost brushing mine.
I want to push him away, kick him in the groin, run. But I know that would get me killed. I have no intention of dying in this hellhole, surrounded by these bastards.
Instead, I rise onto my tiptoes and press my lips to his. He groans, his hand tangling in my hair, his tongue forcing its way into my mouth. I want to bite him, but I close my eyes and force myself to think of Declan—Declan, with his strong arms around me, his warmth enveloping me, his kiss claiming me.
“I want to fuck you,” Alek barks as he pulls away, his eyes dark with desire. My body shivers, but I force a blush and a shy smile, hiding the revulsion boiling beneath the surface.
“Can you at least show me around first?” I murmur, my voice soft, almost innocent.
He glares at me for a beat too long, then steps back, licking his lips. “Sure, but after, I’ll fuck you until you scream like that night.” He winks. I clench my fists, wishing I could erase his words.
Suddenly, a distant explosion rocks the house. Everyone jumps.
“We’re under attack!” one of the men shouts, grabbing a gun from the table. Chaos erupts—yells, orders in Russian.
“How the fuck did they find us?!” Alek bellows, waving a hand at one of the men. His attention shifts back to me, his eyes narrowing with fury.
“Fucking bitch,” he spits, striding toward me. “You have a fucking tracker, don’t you?”
Before I can react, he tears my shirt open, his fingers finding the necklace around my neck. He yanks it off, the chain cutting into my skin. I wince, a sharp sting flaring across my neck. “Fuck!”
Before I can retreat, his hand cracks across my cheek, sending me sprawling to the floor. Pain explodes in my face, a thousand needles stabbing my skin. I refuse to cry. I won’t give him that satisfaction. Instead, I roll onto my side and push myself up into a seated position.
“They’ll kill you,” I snarl, my voice thick with venom, “but not before they torture you.”
Rage bubbles in my chest, hot and volatile. I lift my head, meeting his eyes with equal intensity.
He pulls his gun, aiming it at me with steady hands. His teeth grind as he sneers, “You’ve always been a fucking bitch. Your father was right.”
The words sting more than they should, but I keep my chin up. “Go ahead. Shoot me,” I dare, rising to my feet. The barrel of the gun tracks my every move. “You’re not even half the man Declan is. Declan didn’t need to force me; I gave myself to him in a way you’ll never understand. No matter how much you try, hiding in the shadows, hiring others to do your dirty work, sitting in your twisted little castle. All this destruction because your dick isn’t as big as everyone else’s.”
He moves fast, grabbing my head before I can react.
“You know damn well how big my dick is,” he hisses. “But if you’ve forgotten, I can make you remember.”
His hand clamps around my neck, squeezing hard. I struggle for air, clawing at his wrist as my vision blurs. Dark spots swim before my eyes, but through the haze, I see him—a tall, dark-haired man sprinting toward us like a beast unleashed.
Declan.
He slams into Alek, knocking me loose as we crash to the ground. I crawl away, clutching my throat, gasping for air. Each breath feels
like fire; each inhale stinging as if my lungs are fighting against me. My brain is light, teetering on the edge of unconsciousness.
Through blurry eyes, I see Alek staggering to his feet, slamming into Declan like a bull. But Declan doesn’t falter. He holds his ground, twisting his body and throwing Alek hard against the wall. The impact rattles the frames hanging beside him, one crashing to the floor.
Declan doesn’t wait. He charges, unleashing a storm of kicks and punches. Alek raises his arms, trying to protect his face and head, but Declan lands a brutal uppercut to Alek’s ribs. The force makes Alek stumble back, his breath hitching for a moment.
Alek sneers, his voice venomous. “I’m going to kill you in front of her. Then I’ll fuck her, fill her with me, and put a bullet in her skull so she takes me with her forever.”
Declan’s eyes darken, the menace in them swallowing the room. He straightens slowly, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. A smirk spreads across his face, cold and taunting.
“Can you even get it up?” Declan’s voice is sharp, like a blade slicing through the tension. He tilts his head, his shoulders widening as he sizes up Alek, his eyes gleaming with dangerous amusement.
“Did you kiss her?” he continues, a twisted edge to his voice. “I can see it on your face—you did. Want to know where her mouth was before you took her? Want to know what’s still in her saliva while you shoved your tongue down her throat? My fucking cum, you eejit.”
His eyes burn with fury, and a devilish grin spreads across his lips, making every word heavier than the last.
Alek curses in Russian, his face contorting in rage. With a roar, he lunges at Declan, slamming him to the ground. They crash hard, and Alek wastes no time, unleashing a flurry of punches with brutal precision. Blood spills from Declan’s mouth, staining his teeth and chin.
I force myself to my feet, my vision swimming, my legs shaking. Declan must sense my movement because his head snaps toward me, his gaze locking with mine even as he shields his face with his forearms.
“Get out of here!” He roars, his voice thick with pain but still commanding.
A pair of hands grab me from behind, and I whip around, instinctively punching the person hard on the chin. He stumbles back, cursing.
“Fucking hell,” Kian grunts, rubbing his jaw. “It’s me!”
Relief floods through me, and I throw myself into his arms.
“Get her out of here!” Declan’s voice booms from behind us. I turn to see him shove Alek back with a brutal punch to the stomach.
“No!” I shake my head, refusing to leave. “I’m not leaving you!”
But Kian’s arms lock around my waist, and before I can fight back, he lifts me like I weigh nothing, tossing me over his shoulder.
“Put me down!” I scream, kicking and thrashing in his hold, but Kian doesn’t stop. He runs toward the exit, his pace unbroken. Connor appears behind us, firing at a guard who charges toward us.
“Declan?” Connor asks, his voice tight as he reloads his weapon.
“Alek,” Kian grunts in reply, his focus unwavering as I struggle against him.
“Let me go!” I scream again. “You need to help him!”
Kian doesn’t flinch. His tone remains steady. “Connor,” he says, nodding toward the house. Without hesitation, Connor sprints back toward the chaos, his gun raised.
Kian reaches an SUV behind the trees and throws me inside like a rag doll. My back hits the seat, and before I can scramble out, he slams the door shut.
“Stay here. The car’s bulletproof; you’ll be safe,” he says coldly, locking the doors from the outside.
I pound my fists against the window, glaring at him through the glass as he steps away. He talks quickly to one of his men, gesturing toward me. The guy nods, raises his gun, and hides behind a tree, his eyes scanning the area.
Kian doesn’t look back. He’s already running back toward the chaos, leaving me trapped.