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Definitely not a cop.

"Take that piece of garbage out of here," I said to Artem without looking away from Alina.

The unconscious detective was dragged from the room by two of Artem's men who had materialized in the doorway.

None of the other cops moved to stop them.

They knew better. Everyone in this building understood exactly what was going to happen to Detective Cortez once we got what we needed from him.

He'd wake up in one of our warehouses, and by the time I was done with him, he'd beg me to let him die. But first, I had to get my wife to safety.

Kostya stepped around the drag marks on the floor like they were nothing more than spilled coffee.

"We need to talk," Artem said.

I looked around this little room that wasn't supposed to be used for interrogations. There were no cameras, no window with two-way mirrors. This was a room meant for lawyers and their clients to have privileged conversations.

That asshole brought her in here, knowing there would be no evidence of what happened.

My blood started boiling again as I thought of all the things that could have happened to her.

Alina's hand rested on my shoulder and that calmed me enough to think clearly and face Artem.

"Why the fuck did they take her?"

Kostya shot a look at Alina.

"She can stay," I said, not wanting her out of my reach, let alone out of my sight.

"Of course, but first we need to document the marks on her face for our records. The police didn't orchestrate this.Los Infideleswere behind it all. They bribed and blackmailed to get a few of their men police badges and access."

"How?" I asked.

"They have a new leader. A ghost in the underworld. We don't have the specifics yet, or why Alina was a target. But we know they have money, power, and a lot of influence. We think it might be related to whoever had been funding Solovyov."

"Fuck."

First, I was going to take my wife home. I was going to fuck her until we both felt better, then I was going to get to work.

I meant what I had said.

I was going to burn their world to the fucking ground and hang their corpses from the fucking rafters as a message to everyone else in our little world, including this ghost.

This was what happened when you fucking dared to touch my wife.

CHAPTER 32

PAVEL

Icarried Alina out of the precinct, glaring at anyone who dared to come near us.

No one was getting near her again. Not now. Not ever.

Especially as I could feel the strength leaving her body as she relaxed into my hold. She had held strong for so long, and now it was time for me to be strong for her.

I settled her into the passenger seat of the Range Rover, clicking the seat belt for her before I closed and locked the door.

Three of my men were waiting—the one who came and got me, and the two that followed her to the police station to make sure that was where they took her.