Chapter 16
Hazel & Viktor
Hazel
Tyler still blocked my path.
His lips moved, spewing more nauseating garbage. But I caught how his eyes kept darting toward the closed oak double doors at the end of the hall.
This bastard was definitely hiding something.
My gut screamed that Anya was behind those doors, and she was in serious trouble.
I couldn't wait. Every second I wasted, Anya was in more danger.
"Move, Tyler!" I cut him off mid-sentence, voice sharp. "I don't have time for your bullshit."
Done with his games, I dodged sideways, trying to push past him.
Tyler's hand shot out and shoved my shoulder hard.
I barely wore heels—my balance was shit. The push sent me stumbling backward, nearly flat on my ass in the hallway.
"Your temper's really gone to hell, Hazel." Tyler dropped the fake smile. His eyes went cold, mouth twisting into a sneer. "What? Think fucking Gromov means you can talk to me like that?"
I stared at his face. It made me sick.
"Is Anya in there?" I dropped the act too, demanded an answer. "That guy who was with her—you know him, don't you?"
Tyler's laugh was cold. He played dumb.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Cut the crap, Tyler." I stepped closer, fists clenched, and met his eyes. "You're doing it, aren't you? That plan you told me about. What the hell are you up to?"
Tyler's face darkened. He leaned in, voice low and vicious. "None of your damn business, Hazel. Keep your mouth shut and stay out of it."
I almost laughed. Stay out of it? Was he brain-dead?
"In your dreams!"
I didn't hesitate. Lifted my right foot and drove my stiletto heel straight into his dress shoe.
These heels had tortured me all night. Finally came in handy.
I used every ounce of strength. He'd feel that.
Tyler sucked in air through his teeth, body curling as he grabbed his foot.
I shoved him hard in the chest while he was distracted. He stumbled sideways, slammed into the wall.
I didn't look back. Just ran for the door.
Pushed it open. The scene inside confirmed my worst fears.
A storage room. The air reeked of industrial chemicals mixed with cheap alcohol and some unknown drug. Made me want to gag.
A professional digital camera sat in the center, red recording light blinking.
Anya was slumped on a ratty old couch. Her eyes were glazed—she was definitely drugged.
A man pressed down on her, unzipping the side of her dress.
I recognized him instantly.
The guy from the ballroom who'd talked to Anya. Who'd looked away when our eyes met.
Up close, I finally placed him.
I'd seen him in photos on Tyler's phone—Thomas Vance. Tyler's brother.
The camera. The red light. Anya being undressed. I got it.
They were filming her. Planning to record the whole assault. They weren't just destroying Anya—they wanted to blackmail Viktor Gromov.
Absolute scum.
My blood boiled. Rage incinerated every rational thought.
"Get off her!"
I screamed, kicked off my heel, charged forward, and cracked it against Thomas's skull.
Thomas cursed, finally stopped fumbling with that stubborn zipper, and whipped around to glare at me.
I didn't pause. Grabbed his gelled hair and yanked with everything I had.
One thought consumed me.
Get him off Anya.
"You crazy bitch! Let go!"
My attack caught Thomas off guard. Furious, he released Anya and swung at me, fist connecting with my shoulder.
He was strong—full-grown man strong. The blow sent me backward into a wooden storage rack. Pain bloomed across my back.
Anya slid off the couch without Thomas supporting her.
"Mind your own business, you fat pig." Thomas wiped blood from his face, looked at me with pure contempt, and spat.
"She's Viktor's daughter. You got a death wish?" I shouted the warning.
The door slammed shut behind me. A lock clicked.
Tyler limped into the room, that twisted smile I hated plastered on his face.
"Anya's got too much pride. She'll never tell anyone about this." Tyler walked to the camera, even adjusted the angle. "And if she does crack and talk, we'll be long gone from L.A."
Tyler turned, walked toward me with that cold smile.
"Once we get this on tape and hand it over, someone's paying us enough to disappear. Viktor's powerful, but there are places even he can't reach."
My heart sank.
I'd thought Tyler just wanted to shake Anya down for money. Maybe small payback for Viktor breaking his leg.
But if someone bigger was pulling the strings, this was something else entirely.
Tyler grabbed my arm, pulled thick industrial zip ties from his pocket, and started binding my wrists.
"I'll tie her up. Thomas, move your ass! The gala could end any minute." Tyler wrestled with my struggles while pushing his brother.
Thomas lunged back at the couch, ripping at Anya's clothes.
Anya seemed to surface slightly through the fog. Her hands pushed weakly at the weight on top of her, a thin, broken scream escaping her throat.
"Get off... don't touch me..."
Hearing Anya's faint cries, I panicked completely.
I couldn't stop these two sick bastards alone. Not in this locked room.
I twisted my head, opened my mouth, and bit down hard on Tyler's hand gripping my arm.
Tyler screamed and let go reflexively.
"You psycho!"
I broke free, barefoot, and ran for the door with everything I had.
"Viktor! Viktor!" I ran, screaming the only name that made me feel safe.
I only got two shouts out before Tyler caught up. He grabbed my hair and yanked backward hard.
My scalp burned. I fell backward.
"No one's coming down this hallway!" Tyler dragged me by my hair like a sack of garbage back into the room.
"You dare call for Viktor? Hazel, he crippled my fucking leg because of you!"
Tyler jerked my hair, eyes full of vindictive satisfaction.
"Today, I'm settling that score with you!"
Tyler roared, grabbed my hair, and slammed me into the floor.
I hit hard. My ankle twisted. The pain was blinding.
On the couch, Anya—who'd regained some awareness—wasn't cooperating. Thomas slapped her hard across the face.
I saw the red mark on Anya's cheek. Despair and rage consumed me.
That was Anya. I wouldn't let anyone touch her.
I ignored the pain screaming through my ankle and grabbed a wooden stool nearby. Used my last bit of strength and hurled it at Thomas.
Luck was on my side. The stool sailed in a perfect arc and cracked against Thomas's head.
Thomas grunted, rolled off Anya onto the floor, clutching his bleeding skull.
"You're dead!"
Tyler lost it completely. He stormed over and kicked me hard in the ribs.
I curled into a ball, hands locked protectively over my slightly rounded stomach. Tyler's fists and feet kept coming. I tasted blood. My ribs and back screamed with suffocating pain.
I couldn't hold on much longer. My vision blurred. Consciousness slipped away.
Were we really going to die here?
Just as darkness closed in, the heavy oak doors exploded inward.
Light flooded the dim storage room.
Viktor stood backlit in the doorway.
Viktor
I swept my cold gaze across the dim storage room.
The air stank of cheap alcohol and date rape drugs. A camera stood in the center, recording light blinking like an evil eye.
Just moments ago, I'd seen Hazel running through the ballroom like a headless chicken. I knew she was in trouble. I hated that I still noticed her, still followed her instinctively. But I came anyway.
I didn't expect this.
My daughter Anya. My only treasure in this world.
She lay on that filthy couch, clothes torn, a vivid red handprint across her cheek.
A man clutched his bleeding head on the floor, moaning.
And in the corner, Hazel was curled on the cold floor.
Her dress was covered in dust and horrifying bloodstains. Her hands locked over her abdomen. Even half-conscious, she protected it.
Tyler Vance had his foot raised, about to kick her again. When I kicked in the door, he froze, foot suspended mid-air, ready to strike.
In that moment, every shred of reason left me.
No words. I crossed the room in three strides. Before Tyler could react, my hand locked around his throat.
Rage let me lift his entire body off the ground.
His feet dangled. He clawed frantically at my arm as he choked, face turning purple.
I slammed him into the wall with all that fury behind it.
The impact was sickening. His spine cracked. Tyler crumpled like garbage, unconscious before he hit the floor.
Jack burst in with a dozen armed guards.
Seeing Anya's torn clothes on the couch, Jack's face went gray, murder flashing in his eyes.
Jack had practically raised Anya. They were closer than Anya and I ever were.
I didn't need to give orders. Jack rushed forward, stripped off his suit jacket, and shielded Anya completely.
Guards slammed the unconscious Tyler and the groaning man to the floor. They pulled military-grade zip ties, wrenched their arms back, bound them tight.
These animals would learn tonight that some things were worse than death.
I ignored the trash on the floor. Ran to Hazel's side, reached down carefully to lift her.
The moment I moved her, I must have touched something injured. Hazel's whole body shuddered, a weak, agonized sound escaping her throat.
My heart seized.
"Where does it hurt?" I stared at her pale face, voice tight.
Hazel didn't answer. She opened her eyes slightly, looked past my shoulder toward the couch, lips moving colorlessly.
"Anya... Anya..." Her voice was barely there, finger twitching weakly in the air.
"She's fine." Jack stood by the couch, turned to report. Fury simmered in his voice, but he stayed controlled. "Just a heavy dose of hallucinogens. Doctor's on his way."
Hearing Jack's confirmation, Hazel finally relaxed.
Only then did her nerves snap completely. Her body's defenses collapsed. The pain hit her all at once—her features twisted in agony.
Seeing her like that, I felt something I hadn't felt in years. Pain.
"Hazel, look at me. Don't pass out." I called her name urgently, tightened my arms around her, and tried to warm her freezing body with mine.
She opened her mouth, looked at me. Tried to say something. But no sound came.
Then her eyes closed slowly. Her head lolled sideways. She went completely limp, unconscious.
I pulled her tight against me.
An unfamiliar panic spread from deep in my chest.
Sharp pain followed.
After Isabella died in my arms ten years ago, I thought I'd lost the ability to feel pain.
I thought my heart had turned to stone. That I'd never fear anything again.
But I was wrong.
Somehow, without realizing it, Hazel had become so important to me.