“What happened?”
The calculating edge to his gaze told me he had probably already pieced it together but needed confirmation.
I was consumed by red-hot anger with nothing but violent thoughts and plans for murder on my mind. I would get her back; Ineededto get her back.
Staring unseeingly at the polished wooden surface of the desk, I said tonelessly, “They hit the villa.”
His posture straightened instantly. “When?”
“Just now.”
“And Addy?”
The question hit me like a blow to the sternum. I opened my mouth, trying to force the words out but then the rage and uncertainty boiled over. My hands were already gripping the edge of the table, my knuckles white. With a roar of fury, I flipped the table over, sending papers flying everywhere.
Because I didn’t know, and not knowing was worse than anything else.
“We’re heading out.”
Kyrill was already stuffing his gun in the waistband of his jeans.
The drive back felt unbearably long. Every turn felt too slow and my mind was racing, replaying the situation with brutal clarity.
The false emergency call that had pulled us away, the timing of it all and how legitimate it had seemed.
By the time we reached the gates, the silence in the car had become oppressive. The guards who had been posted outside had disappeared, and one of the iron gates was hanging half open with the lock twisted and broken.
Kyrill swore quietly under his breath. “Motherfucker.”
The courtyard resembled a battlefield, with the stone walls riddled with bullet holes and shards of glass from broken windows scattered across the ground.
Two of my men were lying near the entrance steps, still alive but barely conscious. Ivan was slumped against the wall, blood seeping through his shirt sleeve.
I felt a cold sensation settle in my chest as I stepped out of the car before the engine had even fully shut off.
“Boss,” Ivan croaked when he caught sight of me.
I crossed the courtyard quickly.
“Report.”
“Ambush,” he explained hoarsely. “They came fast — hit the front and side entrances at the same time with two different groups.”
“How many?”
“Six. Maybe eight, but only half of them were properly trained.”
“And … her?” The question came out quieter. I couldn’t even bring myself to say her name.
The guard swallowed audibly, his face pale. “They took her.”
Kyrill let out a quiet breath beside me, his expression mirroring mine.
“The ones who took her seemed … inexperienced,” Ivan added. “Almost disorganized.”
Fuck. Inexperience could make the situation even more dangerous. Precision was predictable, but chaos could be deadly if things went wrong. My hands slowly curled into fists.
“Did theyhurt her?”