Page 88 of Darkest Game

“He either wants to control her again like he used to. Or he’s working with Elaine.”

“Which we still don’t know if he is,” I say with a sigh. “Where do you think he took her?”

“You’re her husband. Shouldn’t you know?”

I scoff. “You used to work with Denis. Shouldn’tyouknow?”

“You’re fucking annoying, you know that?”

“And my wife is missing. Kidnapped by her uncle. I’m allowed to be a little pissed off. I have the list of Elaine properties. You figure out where Denis might have gone. I’ll check Elaine’s properties.”

“On your own?”

“I’ll bring some of my men with me. We have to split up. We don’t have Mikhail since he’s still in the hospital. It’s up to us to find Irina. You’ll help me?”

“Of course I’ll help you. Why do you think I’m calling you? Sasha is my wife and I know she wants all of her sisters kept safe. I’ll find Irina and save her.”

“OrI’llfind Irina and save her. Trust me to do it. I care about her. I’m not out to ruin all of your guys’ lives. Got it?”

“I’m starting to,” he says before hanging up.

I call my guy Jimmy and tell him to start looking at Elaine’s properties. “Get a lot of my men to do it. Ok? Split up. See what you can find.”

“On it, boss.”

I can’t just sit around and wait so I decide to go out and look at some of the houses Elaine owns myself. This is assuming Denis is even working with Elaine. Denis might be doing his own thing. But if that’s the case, then Nico will find her. I have to trust the man who killed the only true father figure I ever had. Talk about fucking irony.

I spend a few hours checking out some different houses or restaurants Elaine owns but nothing comes up. Nico doesn’t call me either to tell me if he’s found Irina, which means he hasn’t. That or he wants to keep her from me because he doesn’t trust me. If that’s the case, I’m going to fucking murder him when I get the chance.

But no. I have to believe he’ll at least give me the decency to call if he’s found Irina. So that means he hasn’t yet.

Which means I’m running out of time.

Irina is running out of time.

Irina

After sitting on the couch, tied to it, for an hour, Elaine has the driver untie me and bring me into one of the bedrooms.

“You’re going to wear this,” Elaine says, holding up a collar. “I have my guests arriving soon. You’re going to walk around in this collar. You are going to feel their gazes on you. I want you to know what’s coming. And then, at a moment of my choosing, I’m going to let every man at this party fuck you.”

I bite back another sob. I’ve been crying too much. But how can I not?

“Sounds good, doesn’t it?” Her grin is savage.

“You’re a monster,” I hiss.

“No. I’m a wife getting justice for her husband’s death. And you’re going to pay the price for it. Now put this on.” She flings the collar at me and it smacks me in the face and falls to the ground. I don’t pick it up.

“Put it on,” she seethes.

When I don’t move, she nods at the driver and he punches me in the stomach. All the air is knocked from my body.

“Put it on. Or I’ll have Tom here hurt you again.”

Tom looks eager to do it too.

Begrudgingly, I pick up the collar and place it around my throat. Elaine steps behind me and tightens the collar to an uncomfortable level.