CHAPTER 62
This morning, I had breakfast with my family. Lana and Mom even included Javier. Then I kissed Lana goodbye and told her I’d see her after work.
She asked me to be honest, and I’ve already lied to her.
Yesterday, during our date, Erik walked into the restaurant. Luckily, Lana had just gone to the bathroom. He was looking for her, I know it, even if he said he was there because of Victoria. He’s a goddamn liar, and I know I’d have lost her if she hadn’t been with me.
After I told him to leave, I asked Javier to follow him and give me his address, and he did. Now I’m going to try to arrange things so I can take Victoria out of that house. Lana deserves a chance with her.
They’re staying deep in the woods, in a cottage surrounded by bushes and a small fence.
There’s music playing in the back garden, so I won’t go inside by force.
There’s no security; I walk along the pavement until I reach the fence.
It’s open—either they’re expecting me, or they think no one’s going to come in.
I knock on the door, and Victoria opens almost immediately. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has her watching the house. Her tired eyes widen the moment she sees me, and I swear her soul leaves her body.
She’s far worse than when I last saw her. Her hair is pulled into a ponytail, her skin bruised, her frame much thinner…
Frightened, she tries to close the door, but I stop it with one hand, smiling.
“Hi, Vic. I’m looking for your husband.”
“Leave, Dante. For Lana,” she whispers.
I shake my head. “It’s for her that I came here. He crossed the line, and you know it. I’m not going to let this go.” Since she doesn’t want to give in, I add, “I just want to talk. I’m alone and unarmed.”
“Then you’re stupidly reckless.” She bites the words out.
Someone approaches slowly. Victoria closes her eyes and steps outside, shutting the door behind her. “Please, Dante, take care of Lana,” she whispers. “She’s had enough.”
“With my life.”
A sad smile spreads across her face. Erik yanks the door open, and the smile fades. He doesn’t come closer but pulls it wider, and I step inside just after Victoria, who hurries away from the entrance.
“I was wondering why you hadn’t come already,” he says. “It took you longer than I hoped.”
For Lana’s sake, I say nothing. He knows she’s with me, and he also knows he can’t do much without me.
I follow him to his office. It has an excellent view over the backyard, though their sons ruin everything. Each of them is accompanied by a woman… all but one, who stares at an empty cup.
Why are they all here?
Victoria comes in with glasses of water. I thank her; Erik merely looks at her and, with a wave of his hand, dismisses her. She glances at me knowingly, and I nod once.
“Yesterday you were with Lana, weren’t you?” Erik asks. “If not, I’ll make sure my daughter knows. I don’t think she expects you to be cheating.”
I clench my fists. That bastard is—
“Keep a cool head, son.”
“I came here to propose a deal.”
I force calm into my voice, though every muscle in me wants to snap his neck.
That would be an easy out for him. He deserves to be punished, just as Alexei does.
I would keep him for weeks, as he kept me.
He touched Lana since she was a child; he raped his own daughter; he sold them both; and not happy with that, he also sold his wife.
He has to pay, and it won’t be pretty.
“You think I’ll accept?” he asks.
“I won’t kill you or your family,” I continue. “As long as you get the fuck away from mine and remain hidden. I won’t search for you or your kids. But the moment you move, I won’t hesitate for a second to come and get you all.”
He laughs. “You think I’ll leave my job? Or tell my boys to leave it?”
“That shit’s your job?” I ask.
“It is, and the payment is good,” he says with a smile. “How much do you think they’ll give me for Finn?”
I grab the pencil on the desk and stab it into his hand. Then I take his tie and pull him toward me. He doesn’t scream; he’s amused rather than scared.
“You touch my son, and I’ll kill you,” I hiss. “You touch Lana, and I’ll kill you. You talk, look or even think about either of them, and you’re dead. You are not allowed to get near my kid or my woman. Understood?”
He huffs. I hear a click from his left hand; he presses a gun to my temple. I don’t move from where I’m standing. If he thinks I’m scared, he’s as stupid as I thought.
“I had her first,” he says. “She liked it. She even asked for me to keep going, and I had to tell her it was enough.”
“You fucking pig.”
“You’ll die, Dante. If you’re breathing, it’s because I allow it. I want you to see my daughter bouncing over my cock, while you’re chained to the wall”
We both tighten our grip over our weapons. He won’t shoot, and I can’t stab him in the neck with this pen.
“And that bastard of yours? He’ll be passed around to everyone. This time, it won’t be a video; you’ll see and hear everything live.”
“I’m not that weak anymore.”
“Love is weakness, Dante. You should get over it.”
“Love is what’s going to kill you.”
In one movement, I twist his gun free and train the barrel at his forehead. Now he looks terrified. Arrogance was his only real weapon, and arrogance won’t save him. He doesn’t have the training I had; he’s just a fucking rapist, a good-for-nothing.
“Do not overestimate me, Erik. I’m not the same kid; I’m not heartbroken; I’m fucking pissed.” I groan, pressing the barrel harder. “You took away everything from me. I should have killed you when I could and taken Lana and Victoria with me.”
“Why didn’t you? Oh, right. My daughter told you not to. As I said, weak”.
My jaw tightens. I move the pen again; he groans.
“She wants to see you dead, and I want to hear you scream. She only asked me to save his mother. You’re nothing.”
“Oh, but if you kill me, you kill her, so you’re fucked either way.” He laughs. “Put that thing down. We know I’m the one who’s going to win either way.”
I’m about to pull the trigger, not caring about all the torture I wanted to put him through, when a shotgun deafens me.
Fuck.