I’ve just lost ten years of my life.
The moment we stop in front of the house, Lara darts out of the SUV and runs up the stairs. “Nisa! Alya Hanim!” she shouts as she runs inside.
I set after her, and I’m just in time to see her hug the older women. “Thank God,” she breaths with intense relief. “I was so scared.”
I stop and stare at the three women I love more than life itself, so fucking thankful Lara was able to ward off the attack.
Fuck, she’s incredible.
I need to give her shooting lessons.
I glance at Emre, who’s on a call. He’s probably making arrangements for the injured men and those we lost.
Then Lara mutters, “I’m sorry you couldn’t get your supplies.”
I rub a hand over my face. My phone vibrating in my pocket has me pulling it out. Seeing an unknown number, I answer, “You don’t train your men very well.”
“That’s just the start, Demir.”
“We can meet right now and end this. I have some time available before dinner.”
“Do you think this is a joke?” he snaps, clearly upset that he failed. “Just give me the girl, and no one has to die.”
My eyes flick to Lara, who’s staring at me.
“The only way you’ll get Lara is by killing me, and that will never happen,” I say with confidence lacing my words.
“Don’t beg for mercy when I shove my gun down your throat,” he tries to threaten me.
“I dare you to try.”
“Let me speak to Lara,” he demands, her name sounding bitter on his tongue.
“No.”
“Let me speak to her!” he shouts.
Lara starts to walk toward me, and I shake my head. “Anything you want to say to her, you can say to me.”
Mazur lets out a throaty chuckle. “Tell her Agnieska is alive. If Lara comes to me, I won’t kill her.”
Frowning, I bark, “Who the fuck is Agnieska?”
Lara’s eyes widen with shock as Mazur mutters, “Her mother. Lara has twenty-four hours to return to my house in Seattle before I put her mother down like a dog.”
I watch as Lara covers her mouth with her hands, her eyes glued to me.
I let out a humorless chuckle. “I know you’re in New York.”
“I’ll be in Seattle tonight. We end this farce then.”
“Oh, I’ll end it.” Then I think to say, “I want proof of life.”
“I’ll send it.”
The moment I cut the call, Lara asks, “What did he say about my mother?”
I walk closer to her, not sure whether I should tell her. Mazur could be lying.
“Nothing.”
“You’re lying.” Her chin starts to tremble. “Tell me.”
“There’s no proof.”
“Of what?”
Just then, my phone vibrates in my hand. I open the message and press play on the video.
There’s an older version of Lara sitting on a chair, the camera trained on her. Her face is covered in bruises.
Fuck.
‘Lara…’ She swallows hard as her face crumbles.
‘Talk, woman!’ a voice I don’t recognize barks.
‘Lara, nie przychodź tutaj. Biegać.’
“Bitch!’
The recording ends, and my eyes snap to Lara.
“Mama,” she breathes, then she sinks to her knees and lets out a devastating cry. “Noooo!”
I quickly crouch and engulf her in my arms. “I’ll get her back for you,” I promise. “I’ll go and fucking kill them all. I will bring your mother to you.”
“She’s alive,” Lara sobs, then pulls back. “I need to see it again. I didn’t understand what she said.”
I hold the device between us and press play again.
‘Lara, nie przychodź tutaj. Biegać.’
“Don’t.” Lara shakes her head, and I play it again. “Run? I don’t understand!”
“I’ll get it translated.”
I forward the message to Elif with the instruction to translate it and see what else she can pick up in the background.
“We’ll know soon,” I promise Lara.
“Allah Allah,” Nisa whimpers. “My heart can’t handle this. Let’s have tea.”
Helping Lara to her feet, I wrap my arm around her shoulders. We all move to the kitchen, and as Nisa gets busy setting snacks out and making tea, my phone vibrates again.
Lara, don’t come here. Run.
I show it to Lara, and as she reads it, her face crumbles with heartache.
I pull her against my chest, promising her again, “I’ll find your mother and bring her to you.”
“Please. I’ll do anything to get her back,” she begs.
Her words put the fear of God in my heart because I know without a doubt that Lara would sacrifice herself for her mother.
My eyes meet my grandmother. Today she looks eighty-four. The attack took a toll on her.
I can’t let this go on for a second longer.
Pushing Lara back, I lean down to catch her eyes. “Don’t leave the house. I’m trusting you to keep my grandmother and Nisa safe while I go get your mother.”
She nods, her eyes swimming with emotion.
“Promise me you’ll stay here,” I demand.
“I promise.”
I press a kiss to her mouth, taking a deep breath of her innocence. “Seni çok seviyorum,” I murmur, then I let her go and walk out of the kitchen.
“What did he say?” I hear Lara ask.
“That he loves you very much,” Nisa translates, tears in her voice.
Walking out of the house, I gesture to the guards that we’re leaving. “Vengeance,” I mutter to Mirac.
Emre jumps in next to me in a nick of time.
“Any news on the men?” I ask.
“Murat’s okay. He’s already on his way home.” Emre glances at me. “Yusuf is still in surgery, and we lost four men. Doruk, Aslan, Dean, and Harry.”
“Fuck.” I glance out the window as sorrow for my men shudders through me. “Arrange their funerals and compensate their families.”
“Already on it.” I can feel Emre’s eyes on me. “What’s the plan?”
“We attack as soon as Elif can tell me what the fuck is going on in that house.” Knowing she’s not God, I let out a sigh as I pull my phone from my pocket.
I bring up Viktor Vetrov’s number and stare at it.
He’s a part of the Priesthood. You’ve been there for them whenever they needed you to help them.
Pressing dial, I bring the device to my ear.
“Blyad‘! This is a surprise. To what do I owe the honor,” Viktor answers.
“I need your help.”
“With?”
“I have an address. I need to know what’s happening in that house, how many people there are, and if a certain target is present. I have to attack as soon as possible.”
“Send me the details.” I hear him move. “It will take me a couple of hours to get my ass to Seattle.” Then I hear him shout, “Luca, Gabriel needs us.”
Fuck.
I let out a sigh.
“We’ll be there in three hours,” Viktor says. “Where are we meeting?”
“My club. Vengeance.”
The call ends, and I lower my hand to my thigh.
“You did the right thing,” Emre mutters. “They owe you, and we can really use their help.”
“I know.”
I can’t risk Mazur getting away this time. Or Lara’s mother dying. There’s too much at stake.
With Viktor’s expertise in surveillance and being able to sniff out information, it will make things easier. The man’s part fucking bloodhound. Luca’s powerful, he has the manpower to back mine.
Within the next twenty-four hours, Mazur will take his last breath, and Lara will be reunited with her mother.
Even if it costs my life.
Pressing dial on another number, I wait as it rings.
“Stathoulis,” Nikolas answers.
“I need you in Seattle.”
“Where?”
“Vengeance.”
“I’m just kissing my wife hello and goodbye, then I’m on my way.”
‘Why are you kissing me hello and goodbye?’ I hear Tessa, his wife, ask. ‘Where are you going?’
The call ends before I can hear his explanation.
