Chapter 60
Chapter sixty
Dmitri
If you’d asked me previously, I would’ve sworn that what remained of my heart had blackened beyond recognition years ago.
But the thing beating furiously through my chest as I ran down the cracked sidewalks contradicted that. With each minute that passed, the urgency pierced further through my nervous system.
Knocked out.
Taken.
I ground my teeth together as my mind re-wound the security footage.
Alisa’s soft smile at her friend Gemma. Then the wide-eyed shock as she caught sight of her attacker. Finally, her body falling limply to the ground like a crumpled up piece of paper.
That final image had haunted me as I’d raced deep into Brooklyn. Alisa hadn’t even twitched when her hooded attacker had carelessly thrown her over his shoulder. My right hand tightened into a fist hard enough to leave marks.
When I found them, I’d leave far more than marks on that man. I’d saw into his skin until I could see his bones.
I checked my phone and took a sharp left, thankful that I’d spent a couple of hours sewing trackers into all of Alisa’s clothing. Learning to sew just so I could track her whenever I needed was worth every damned pinprick.
I’d meant it when I said she was never leaving me again, I just never imagined it’d be like this.
When I reached the door to the warehouse, my hand trembled slightly. Alisa was fine, I reminded myself.
Once I found her, nothing would stop me from bringing her home and settling her into my lap with that warm blanket she loved to curl into so much.
But if they’d killed her by accident with that rock…
My chest ached at the thought. I ground my teeth and opened the door.
If she wasn’t breathing, I’d burn everything to the ground. They’d beg for mercy in a world where it didn’t exist.
As I stepped into the hallway, a man turned to me with surprise written on his face. He went to open his mouth, to shout–
I snapped his neck before he could even make a sound.
He was lucky. If I wasn’t in such a hurry, I’d make him suffer for having any affiliation with the man who’d taken Alisa.
More men intercepted me in the hallway, but all they succeeded at was bringing a smile to my face. Their muffled yelps of terror stoked the rage spiraling through my veins.
By the time I reached the door, my blood was vibrating with the need for more violence. Red liquid streaked down my arms, but it wasn’t enough.
Not even close.
A high-pitched screech of pain whistled through the air. I reached for the rusty doorknob, a stone pressing hard against my chest.
I ripped open the door, and Roman Komarov stared up at me, completely shell-shocked. My heart raced as I looked for the only person it was capable of beating for.
When I locked onto Alisa’s beautiful–and very alive–face, the knot strangling my chest loosened.
“You came,” Alisa said, her perfect mouth breaking around the words. “I knew you would.”
The ring of her voice was the most beautiful music I’d ever witnessed. More beautiful than the screeches of men who’d wronged me, or even Alisa’s mewls of pleasure when I’d fucked her into another dimension.
She was okay. Thank fuck.
Alisa shifted in her chair. She brought her arms forward, revealing shredded ropes. Relief and pride swelled through my chest that she’d managed to saw through it before I’d arrived.
“Clever girl,” I said.
Alisa bit down on her bottom lip, and my dick immediately hardened in response.
Fuck, this woman tore up my insides, and still managed to consistently make me hard without even a hint of flesh.
Alisa stood up from the sturdy looking chair, wincing as she did so. My stomach dropped as I took in the purple bruises littering her skin.
Any softness that remained in my body drained away. All that remained was a dark need to purge my anger, simmering impossibly hotter than before.
Still I kept my focus on her and asked, “Are you okay?”
As much as I wanted to start slicing through Roman’s cowardly skin, if Alisa was hurt my priority was sewing her back together.
Alisa nodded.
My body hummed its approval.
“Listen Dmitri, this is all a misunder-” Roman said.
The moment my focus zeroed in on Roman, his mouth opened and closed like a fish. His eyes became wide and terrified like a trout who realized it’d been hooked, and there was no chance of escaping.
I strode towards him, my body strumming with the need to transform the silence into his screams.
Roman scuttled backwards like a cockroach until his back was up against the wall. I slowed my steps, enjoying the way his body twitched each time my footsteps echoed through the cavernous room.
I’d savor wringing each and every scream out of his throat.
“Wait, Dmitri,” Alisa said, placing a hand on my shoulder.
I turned, memorizing the cuts marring her skin and silently vowed to etch scars into identical places on Roman.
“Y-you can’t kill Roman… as much as I want you to.”
“Kill?” Roman said, his voice jumping up three octaves. His words melded into an off-kilter laugh. “Obviously, Dmitri’s not going to kill me.”
My lips curved into a smile, and Roman flinched.
“Roman, do you really think it’s a good idea to tell me what to do?” I said.
Roman swallowed, and I mentally outlined all the ways I’d make him choke on his words.
“Listen,” Roman said. “I understand you’re upset I took her, but let’s be rational. I’ll transfer over some funds-”
His words stuttered to a stop when he caught my expression.
“Money?” I said, my voice cold. “You think you can just pay me off after you kidnapped her.”
Alarm pierced Roman’s eyes. “Along with all the favors you want. Any kills you want, I’ll make them happen. Just say the word.”
Violence pulsed in my vision. I visualized all the ways I could snuff the light out of this asshole’s eyes. First, I’d play with my food, let the reality slowly soak in before I really made him scream…
Any thoughts of early restraint fled my body the moment Roman’s eyes roamed over Alisa and a self-satisfied smirk flashed across his face. This cockroach really thought I was considering forgiving him in exchange for a few favors.
I slammed my fist into Roman’s face, enjoying the crunch of bone. That insufferable smirk disappeared as his head cracked against the concrete floor.
“The only person I want dead is you,” I growled.
“Dmitri, you can’t. You know it’s against the rules,” Alisa said. “The Pakhan will kill you.”
She kept saying that, but the pulsing of blood in my veins told a very different story.
When I didn’t respond, her voice grew panicked. “Please, I can’t lose you.”
The plea in her voice pulled me like a string. It reduced the blood raging in my veins long enough for me to turn my gaze away from the man who’d hurt her. A tear streaked down her face.
I reached over and stroked the liquid off her cheek. I’d do everything in my power to make sure no one else would ever make her cry again.
“Don’t worry, kitten. I’ll handle everything.”
My tone unlocked something in Roman. Still on the ground, he started scuttling away like the fucking bug he was. I slammed my foot down on his leg and savored the sickening crunch echoing through the warehouse.
A smile spread across my face when I spotted his thigh bone stabbing through the skin.
Ignoring his screeches, I turned my attention back to Alisa.
“What did he do to you?”
I slammed my foot back on Roman’s leg when his screams let up for a moment. They pierced louder through the room, and the bloodlust within me swelled higher. I needed more.
“He…”
“Tell me,” I said, forcing my voice to sound gentle instead of showcasing the rage bubbling inside of me.
Alisa swallowed, and her expression became unmoored. Her body stiffened, and it was like watching concrete settle into its final form. When her eyes clouded over, I knew her mind was drifting into that far-off place.
The recognition hit me like a sledgehammer to the chest.
“Roman’s the one who hurt you that night, isn’t he?” I said. “He’s the one that makes you disassociate.”
Alisa’s head snapped to me, the shock in her eyes confirming my guess.