Prologue
Elio
Kieran’s head falls to the side and a disgusting groan escapes from his lips.
It isn’t loud enough for my liking, not enough pain for me to be satisfied.
I stare at him from across the room, my hands itching to grab him by the throat and shake him into a clearer mind, into brain numbing conciousness.
I couldn’t stop myself. As soon as I got word that he was awake, I made my way down here. I want to be controlled, I want to be clear headed, but the moment I laid eyes on him…I punched him.
Blood spills from his mouth and my eyes want more.
Every second that passes with him sitting here feels like another knife twisting in my gut. Alessandra is still out there, suffering who knows what, and this bastard is the key to finding her.
The only reason why his lungs still draw breath.
My knuckles crack as I clench my fists, the adrenaline pumping through me, but I keep my distance. If I get to close, I’ll kill him.
I know it.
The hunger for his death claws at me like a dog I have to keep at bay.
But patience isn’t something I can afford right now.
For two years, Alessandra has been missing, gone. Not dead like this piece of shit led us to believe.
It haunts me every second of every day.
The guilt is eating me alive.
I should’ve known, protected her. And now, she’s at the mercy of people who are worse than animals. People who get off on hurting others. People like Kieran.
The bastard finally stirs. His fingers twitch, then his eyes flutter open, unfocused at first. I smile widely, letting the adrenaline rushe through me. It boils my blood, filling my lungs.
With one tug, I rip my shirt off, leaving me bare chested.
I want to feel the spray of his blood against my skin, I want to feel it’s warmth disappear as he slowly dies.
I’m on him in an instant, crossing the room with quick strides, my shadow falling over his body. Before he can say a word, I grab him by the collar and yank him upright, bringing the entire chair he is tied to with him.
He groans in pain, but I don’t care.
“Where is she?” My voice comes out like a growl, low and menacing.
Kieran blinks with the one eye he has open, dazed, trying to focus through the haze of pain and drugs. His lips curl into a weak smirk, and I see red.
He thinks this is funny? He thinks he can smile after everything he’s done?
I drop him, doing nothing as the chair falls to the side and he lands on his shoulder. He yells, grunting.
I make my way to the table, running my hand across a sharp end of a knife, not caring that I slice my skin open.
“Talk,” I spit.
“Fuck you!”
I look at him over my shoulder, picking a weapon at random. I dont even look at it, just wrap my hand around the handle and turn, plungin it into his thigh.
He yells, sweat dripping down his forehead and blood pooling beneath his face.
I grab the back of the chair, setting him upright and watch the blood draing from his face.
I pull in closer, my face inches from his. “Where is Alessandra?”
He coughs, wincing as his head lolls back against the chair. “You really think... I’ll just give her up? Just like that?”
I narrow my eyes.
“I want your word.”
I cock my head.
“I want your word that I will make it out of here alive.”
Fury surges inside me, my vision narrowing to nothing but him. Every instinct is screaming at me to tear him apart, to break him piece by piece until there’s nothing left but pain. But that won’t help Alessandra. I need answers, not a corpse.
I grab his fingers, wrething them backwards until the bones snap.
His body shakes, his face turning red as he tries to keep his scream inside. But he can’t. It rips through him, spit and blood flying everywhere.
I let out a slow breath. “You don’t understand, Kieran. I’m not asking. I’m telling you to give her up. Now.”
He pants and I reach for a plier, wondering how many fingernails will it take for him to speak. His eyes widens and he shakes his head. “Just give me your word.”
I run my tongue through the inside of my mouth and give him a curt nod.
He eyes me suspicously. “I-”
I lose patience, grabbing his head and pressing my thumb into his good eye. He screams, body shaking.
“I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you!”
I can feel his eyes dissolving under my finger, can feel it squish out of his skull.
“She’s in Ireland!”
I don’t relent. “Specifics, Kieran. Or you won’t have an eye.”
“There’s... a place,” he rasps. “In Ireland. A compound. Remote. Hidden. That’s where they keep her.”
“They?”
He screams as I feel my nail dig into the meat of his eyes. I need to speed this up or he won’t be concious long enough to tell me.
“Coordinates,” I demand, easing up just enough to let him think.
He rattles off the location, and I memorize every detail like it’s etched into my brain. I’ll burn that place to the ground if I have to.
Satisfied, I release him, letting him slump back against the chair. He’s panting, blood trickling from his eyes, from his mouth.
I reach for a cigarette, lighting it up and taking a long drawl.
“I can’t fucking see, asshole.” He struggles through the words.
I lift an eyebrow.
“I can’t fucking see!”
I reach for the container, filled with gasoline and dump it over him without a thought.
He sputters. “What the fuck?”
I eye him one last time, flicking on my lighter and tossing it at him.
He screams but I drown out the noise.
Without another word, I turn and head for the door. My mind is already racing with the next steps, preparing the team, making sure Cristiano and Orazio are ready to move.
We’re going to Ireland. We’re bringing Alessandra home.
I push through the door, my heart pounding with determination. I’ll find her. I’ll save her. And I’ll make sure anyone who hurt her suffers for it.
No matter what it takes.
