Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
One of the Russians nods at Heath and Jason. “Find her a place to sleep. She’ll stay here until we’re done.”
My heart lurches at the finality in his tone. Until we’re done? That could mean days, weeks—even longer. I glance at Chester, who shifts on his perch, letting out a low, uneasy whistle.
Jason wrenches me to my feet, dragging me away from the men and into a side corridor. It’s dark, the flickering overhead light barely illuminating the chipped walls and broken pipes. I trip on a loose piece of concrete, wincing as I crash into Jason’s side. He doesn’t even slow, just continues yanking me along.
Behind us, I hear Chester squawking again, the sound echoing through the cavernous warehouse. The Russians’ laughter bounces off the walls. My heart feels like it’s in a vise.
Stay calm, I remind myself, forcing each ragged breath in and out. If I’m going to survive this, I have to keep my wits about me.
“You’ll stay here,” Jason says, shoving me into a room with a single cot in the corner. His eyes are on fire as he stares at me. “You let that bodyguard fuck you?” He pushes forward as I slink away to the other side of the room.
“It’s none of your business.”
Jason keeps stalking closer. “Did he stick his cock deep inside you? Do I need to fuck him out of you?”
Tears spring behind my eyelids. “Leave me alone.” I try to stand my ground, but I know I’m losing control. I’m regretting my decision to leave the safety of Orion’s home.
Jason reaches out his hand to touch my face, and I jerk away. “He’s not coming for you.” He laughs, loud and boisterous and it sends a chill skating through my system. “Even if he does, this is the bratva… he’ll never find you.” Jason steps so close to me, I flinch.
He laughs as I do, and then finally backs away.
He leaves the area. A few minutes later they place Chester’s cage in my room, and I smile at the parrot.
“Looks like it’s me and you. We need to get out of here.”
Chester nods his little green head, like he understands everything I’m saying. And I’m pretty sure he does.
Chapter 24
Orion
I stand at the head of the conference table in Dean’s high-tech security office, my hands planted on the polished surface. Monitors line the walls around us, showing a flurry of social media feeds, news broadcasts, and closed-circuit cameras—each display hammering home one brutal fact: Chester is missing, and so is Briar. Three days. Three agonizingly long days since she vanished.
The silence in the room is nothing compared to the chaos online. The disappearance of the zoo’s star parrot has set the internet ablaze, and theories are spinning out of control: some say Chester was stolen by animal traffickers, others blame an underground black market for exotic birds. Only a few fringe whisperings mention the Bratva, but even that’s enough to make me want to punch a hole through the nearest wall.
Dean stands at my right, arms folded across his chest. A heavy frown creases his brow. Around the table are Riggs, Gunner, and Maverick—three members of our elite BRAVO team. They’re all similarly grim-faced. Each man radiates the same frustration I feel, but I can tell by the glances they shoot me that they’re worried. Worried that I’m inches away from coming unhinged.
“How the hell did it get to this?” I mutter, slamming my palm against the table. The wood groans in protest. “We’ve got the entire city’s security network at our fingertips, we’re scouring everything for leads, and still… nothing.”
Riggs, a broad man with thick arms folded on his chest, shifts his weight. He’s a sniper for the Marines, and is on a short leave. Of course he’d be here helping instead of anywhere else. Like the rest of us, this is a family. These men are like brothers. “We’ve got eyes on all major airports, train stations, and we’re scanning the roads in and out of the city. If she was moved, there must be a paper trail or camera footage somewhere.”
Dean runs a hand through his hair, frustration etched into every line on his face. “We asked our informants—everyone who’s ever sniffed around the Russian Bratva. Nothing. Yuri Chekov’s name keeps popping up, but no one can pin him down. We can’t even confirm if he’s in the country.”
“And the Russians themselves?” I press, trying to keep my voice steady. Inside, I’m a live wire of tension. “None of the guys who talk for us know a damn thing?”
Gunner, seated on the far side of the table, grimaces. “They’re all spooked. The Bratva isn’t known for open deals. If Chekov’s involved, he’s keeping a tight lid on it.”
I clench my fists so hard my knuckles crack. Every time I close my eyes, I see Briar’s face—pale with fear, or worse, imagining what they might be doing to her right now. Then there’s Chester, a damn bird who got swept into this nightmare. “We’ve got to find her,” I growl, pointing a finger at Dean. “We have to. I don’t care what it takes.”