Page 178 of Savage Empire

This can’t be happening.

Today was going so well, and now it’s turned into my worst nightmare.

“How do I know you even have him?” I demand, trying to keep myself from screaming or bursting into tears.

“So glad you asked,” he drawls. There’s a small scuffle over the line and the sound that follows makes my heart drop into my stop.

“Don’t, Rayna!”

I’d recognize the sound of his voice anywhere.

“Yordan,” I croak, hand shaking around my phone.

“Ah, ah, ah, that’s enough from you,” Luis tsks, returning the phone to his ear. “He’s become much more of a fighter, hasn’t he? Pity that all his training will be for nothing.”

“Let him go, you crazy fuck!” I hiss, anger filling me so rapidly that my head spins. “You don’t know who you’re fucking with.”

“I know exactly who I’m fucking with,” he mocks. “I’m sending you a location. Be here in ten minutes,withoutyour brute of a husband or any of his family. This is between us. You come, alone, or Yordan dies.”

“You’ll just kill both of us?—”

“You’re testing my patience,” Luis snaps. “I have no intention to kill your brother, it’s you who I want. You’re the reason Federico is dead. And now, you’re going to answer for your crimes. Depending on how much your husband is willing to pay to get you back, I might even let you live too.”

I can’t think clearly, but the desperation to protect my little brother has me moving to the closet. “He better not be hurt.”

“Now that all depends on you, Rayna. We’ll be watching, and waiting. Ten minutes, and you better be alone.”

“Fine.”

He hangs up before I do, and I barely hold myself together.

My feet are shoved into a pair of sneakers in a rush, and I know I’m doing something wrong. I know I should march down stairs and tell Apollo. I know that he’ll know what to do. But if there’s even a chance that Yordan will die if I disobey, I can’t take it.

Grabbing the handgun that’s kept in my bedside table , I put it in the small of my back, hiding it under my shirt. Luis didn’t say anything about weapons, and it just might save me. I’m not an expert at handling weapons, but Apollo has made sure to keep up my marksmanship skills, making me practice on targets at their range.

When I get downstairs, Apollo is in the kitchen on his laptop, sipping some gin from a small glass. He looks down at my shoes and frowns. “Going somewhere?” He’s curious, but thankfully not suspicious.

“Jade just called. She and Ana were attempting to make cupcakes and it’s a disaster. I’m going to run over and help them, I won’t be long.” I press a kiss to his cheek and refuse to linger. If I don’t go now, I’ll break down. “Love you, I’ll bring you back a cupcake.”

“Have fun.”

I won’t.

Once I’m out of his sight, I rush out of the house at a brisk pace. Knowing he’ll hear it if I use one of the cars in our garage, I head to the main house instead. I get into one of the spare cars, finding the keys easily and get out before anyone can find me and ask where the fuck I’m going.

The address Luis texted me loads on the GPS and it’s only six minutes down the road. I’m praying to God that the Moretti guards see me leaving and alert Apollo. Luis said I had to come alone, but if there’s a delay in the cars following me, he might not notice.

My gut is burning with guilt in regret as I get closer and closer, the deep unsettling feeling giving me a horrible taste in my mouth. I’m actively making a reckless decision again, and I can’t make it stop. I’m torn between keeping myself and my baby safe, and doing whatever it takes to get to Yordan.

He’s my baby too.

Mymilichko.

The address leads me to an abandoned gas station off the main road. And as soon as I pull up, I know I’ve made a terrible mistake. There’s six men waiting for me in the dark, their shadows only made visible by the dull street light above. And I don’t see Yordan anywhere.

Discreetly peeking down at my phone, I pull up Apollo’s contact and call him. The screen turns black as I flip it over and put the car into park. He’ll get my call, he’ll know something’s wrong, and he’ll make it right.

I take a deep breath and step out of the car, not wanting to be dragged out of it for taking too long. Yordan could be inside, and if I drove away now, they would kill him without blinking.