Did Kirill send them prior to our arrival?
No.
I take in my surroundings, and something definitely doesn’t feel right around here.
There are no bodies, no signs of struggle, and definitely no remnants of the ‘saving Yulia’ mission.
As I stand there, dumbfounded, and slowly but surely play what happened in my head, Kirill approaches his mother.
She wrenches her shoulder back in a hopeless attempt to free herself from the bindings.
Kirill’s back nearly hides the entirety of her, and I have to step to the side to get a better view of her expression.
“You went through a lot, Mother.” He speaks with frightening neutrality. “You even got injured for it. I applaud the dedication.”
Muffled sentences leave her duct-taped mouth, and Kirill nods as if understanding every word.
“You welcomed me with the utmost affection, so I have to fulfill my filial duty and return the gesture.” He slowly removes the duct tape, as if intentionally wanting her to feel every second of discomfort. “The same can’t be said about your dear Konstantin. He knew about your kidnapping and still went to the Pakhan’s house. Some would even say your favorite son doesn’t give a fuck about your life or the possibility of your death.”
“You foul piece of trash! I’ll tell Sergei you planned this entire thing. If you think doing this to me will get you anything—”
Kirill slams the duct tape back on her mouth, killing any words she had to speak.
“Now, don’t strain yourself. It’s not advised at your age. Besides, do you honestly think Sergei will believe you over me? You seem to forget that I was an asset to the organization even when my father was alive. Know your limits, Mother.” He stares at Maksim. “Take her back home. Make sure she’s safe and sound.”
My friend nods and starts to untie her, but Kirill shakes his head. “Take her just like this. Only untie her when you reach the house. I’m sure you’ll understand, Mother. Your nagging is grating, and I prefer not to expose my men to any unnecessary stress.”
A muffled scream rips from her, but Kirill is already heading toward the warehouse door.
Yulia thrashes and screams behind the duct tape, eyes blazing and her whole regal demeanor ripped to shreds.
I’m frozen by the scene but only for a few seconds. I snap out of it when Viktor silently follows Kirill to the car and takes my previous spot beside Yuri.
I hide my gun, feeling like a clown. Apparently, I’m the only one who wasn’t aware of this situation.
“Get in.” Kirill peeks from the back seat, and I nearly stumble inside before catching myself.
Silence falls over the car as Yuri revs forward and drives at high speed.
I place both hands on my knees, gripping tightly for a moment too long. I think even Yuri was aware of the ‘kidnapping Yulia’ operation and everything that followed, because he wasn’t given orders about our next destination, yet he’s definitely driving like he knows exactly where we’re going.
Turns out, I’m the only one Kirill doesn’t trust enough to disclose these sensitive details to.
Of course, I understand that our few months of acquaintance doesn’t mean much compared to men who literally grew up with him and were raised by Anna.
Even Maksim and Yuri, who are my closest friends, feel so distant right now. They’re loyal to Kirill, not to me.
Maybe my efforts to belong to that loyalty circle are futile, after all—
My thoughts are abruptly cut off when a large, strong hand envelops mine.
Kirill’s.
I’ve always noticed how big and veiny his hands are, but to actually have one of them crushing and dwarfing my own is entirely different.
Just like earlier when he bit my ear, he catches me completely off guard, and I’m not sure how to react.
My internal temperature hikes up, though, and my heart thunders in the confinement of my rib cage.