Page 144 of Thorns of Death

I froze and so did they. It was the first time I’d called Isla their mother to their face.

“Alright, Papà,” Amadeo spoke.

“But if we can help, you’ll tell us,” Enzo added.

Once I tucked them in the safe room, I returned to the office where Konstantin stood, his expression grim.

“I’m getting my sister out and taking her home. With me.”

I let out a deep breath, my blood boiling but not letting it fire me up.

“Konstantin, we’ve worked together for a long time, and out of respect for those years, I won’t kill you.” The fact that I needed his help sucked, but I’d do anything to save my wife. “You’re not taking my wife away from me,” I told him. “But I’ll accept your help, and if you bring her back, my empire is yours.”

In the underworld, we were only as good as our strength and power, and our honor. He knew I’d keep my word.

“I don’t want your empire,” he answered. “If Isla wants to stay with you, I’ll agree. Now tell me what you need.”

I’d get my wife back, even if it started a war.

FIFTY

ISLA

Icould hear voices. Distorted. Barely audible. Like I was underwater. Was I at the bottom of the sea?

I darted my tongue over my bottom lip, but the movement took considerable effort. My tongue stuck to the roof of my dry mouth. It was too hard to swallow. My pupils moved behind my eyelids, but I couldn’t find the strength to open them.

Blinking my eyes—once, twice—the world finally came into focus. The foggy haze dissipated. I started to register my surroundings. A bare room. A faint light pouring through the window.

My head was pounding. My muscles ached.

I went to move but couldn’t, and panic settled in my bones. I started to kick, the chair I was bound to rocking back and forth. The nausea hit hard, making me retch. The noise registered only then, rattling every time I moved. I tried to move again, shackles biting into my wrists.

Taking a deep breath in and lowering my gaze, I attempted to lift my chained arm. I couldn’t. I was shackled to the chair, the chains digging into my ribs. The throbbing intensified.

Each whip of my head caused light-headedness.

“Oh goody. Sleeping beauty is awake.” I turned my head, my eyes widening when I made out a camera sitting on a tripod behind me. Even worse was the woman behind it.

Donatella.

Fear wrapped around my throat and an acrid taste lingered on my tongue. She planned on recording my death.

“I wouldn’t call her a beauty.” I startled at the voice coming from my left and my eyes nearly jumped out of my head. That woman from the club… Sofia Volkov… joined in. Her tone was flat, her eyes stone cold. “At least not for long.” My head shook violently. What did she mean by that? “Your brother and Marchetti will be destroyed with this one. Two birds with one stone.”

Donatella cackled like the lunatic she was; although I started to think her partner wasn’t far off. “Told you she’d be worth killing.”

Tears pooled at the corners of my eyes. Not for me, but for him. My husband. For Enzo and Amadeo.

I stared between the two madwomen. What was this place? How long was I out?

My breathing picked up and my heart thundered so hard it throbbed.Thump. Thump. Thump.

I felt like I was on the verge of passing out. The buzzing in my ears intensified.

I forced my breaths to even out. I needed to think. Keep my wits about me.

“Donatella, you shouldn’t do this.” I wasn’t ready to die. I had so many things to do, to live for. So many things I’d left unsaid with my husband. “Think of your sons.”