Hawk leans against an old table in the corner, eyeing me. “Axel King. Leader of the MC.”
Massimo Morrone struck a deal with the MC months ago when this war broke out, stealing the deal from the Irish as they struggled with supply, but I didn’t know they were working together so closely. Perhaps desperate times called for desperate measures, as the war has been hard on all the organizations, except for the cartel who remained on the sidelines.
“And he’s working with the Morrone family?”
He nods. “Something like that.” He picks up a knife off the table, making my heart rate sky-rocket as he points it toward me. “You’re very inquisitive, aren’t you?”
I try not to let him get to me and shrug. “I want to know who I’m helping, is all.”
“Helping?” He chuckles. “You didn’t have a choice, Eliza. You were going to be bait, whether you agreed or not.” He walks closer to me. “It’s just easier that you agreed.”
I shudder as he stops no more than a foot away from me, towering over me like an angry, inked God.
He presses the flat of the knife beneath my chin and lifts it with the metal blade. “You have no power here, so keep your questions to yourself and do as you’re told. Do you understand?”
“Yes, perfectly.”
He smirks, showing off those white, shark-like teeth. “Good.” He pulls the knife away as the door to the basement room opens and Axel walks back in, followed by a very dapper-looking man in a tailored suit.
He has dark, almost black, hair and a well-groomed beard, and his eyes are almost as dark as his hair as he stares at me. “Get your man away from her.”
Axel’s jaw clenches as he glares at Hawk. “Hawk, leave her alone.”
Hawk smirks and steps away, pocketing the knife. “I was having some fun.”
“Well don’t,” Axel says, stepping forward. “Okay, Eliza. So you’ll help us get rid of your husband, right?”
I nod in response. “Yeah. I hate him.” That was the truth at one point, but the hatred I felt for him has changed. It’s different, even though he still treats me like a prisoner.
Massimo nods. “I’m not surprised. He killed your father.” He steps closer to me and then crouches down in front of my face. “Adrik doesn’t know we have you yet, and he won’t know until the meeting at the casino in three days.”
Adrik probably believes I ran away rather than got kidnapped. I’m not sure how on earth Hawk got me off the grounds, as the place is well guarded, but I was unconscious before he made it to the lake.
“Just tell me what I need to do and I’ll do it,” I say, biting the inside of my cheek. “On one condition.”
Massimo’s brow arches. “And what condition is that?”
“I get to see my brothers.”
He smiles and nods. “Of course. The next three days you can spend with them and after that, you’re free to go with them back home. Thiago will resume his rightful place as leader of the cartel.” Massimo claps his hands. “And all will be as it should be.”
I realize that the moment I agree to this, then I’m either going to betray my own family or betray the father of my child. Which one, I’m not sure yet. “Deal, I’m afraid I can’t shake your hand because.” I shrug, nodding down at the bindings around my body.
“Cut her free, Hawk,” Massimo instructs.
Hawk’s eyes narrow, but he steps forward and slices the knife through the ropes.
My neck aches and I place a hand against it, finding a bandage there. “What happened to my neck?”
“It turns out your husband implanted a tracking device.” He arches a brow. “Didn’t you know?”
I swallow hard and shake my head, unsure how to feel about that.A tracking device.It explains how he found me so easily the night of the charity gala, even if his driver followed me from the hotel.
Massimo thrusts his hand at me. “Welcome to the right side.”
I shake his hand, but I can’t help but feel dread where I should feel hope. A month ago, if these men had taken me and given me this same scenario, I’d know that I was doing the right thing. Now, I’m not so sure, even if Adrik tagged me like a dog. The deep, dark connection I feel to him has grown too strong, and I fear I don’t have what it takes to lure him to his death.
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