Chapter Twenty-ThreeAlexei

Chapter Twenty-Three

Alexei

Irina.

I smell disinfectant, drugs, and death. There are low rumbles in the background, and the first thing I see when I open my eyes is Dimitri's face towering above mine.

Worry creases his already wrinkled forehead as he blinks at me. He's saying something, but I can't make sense of it.

"Irina," I mutter. That is the only thing that makes sense to me. I remember my wife being carried away, and there was nothing I could do to help her.

Another face—Mikhail's face—comes in view. He has the same worried expression as Dimitri. "Brother, do you know where you are?"

I regain the remainder of my senses and slowly take in my environment. The background is so white that if I weren't such a monster, I would assume I'm in the afterlife. But I've never believed in religion, and I doubt God would let a sinner like me into paradise if he truly existed.

I'm left with only one conclusion; I'm in a hospital.

"Get your faces away from me," I say dryly. There's only one face I want to see right now, and it's Irina's.

"Looks like he's fine," Nikolai drawls beside me.

I try to prop myself on my left elbow, but it collapses under me, sending shards of stabbing pain up my shoulder. My arms are covered in bruises, but luckily, I don't think I have any injuries on my face or anywhere else.

Mikhail rushes to my side to help me sit up.

"Where's Irina?" I ask, my gaze bouncing between their faces.

Nikolai scratches his head and looks away.

Mikhail lowers his gaze.

Dimitri's shoulders sag. "They took her."

"By they, you mean Paulo?" I know that already because I saw them take her, but I'm in denial. I don't want to believe those monsters have my wife, and I don't want to imagine all the horrific things she must be going through and how frightened she is right now.

I clench my fists and my teeth. There's a tornado building inside me, one that is blind and raging. "How long have I been out?"

"Two days," Mikhail answers. "We tried to track her, but we couldn't get anything."

Pain tunnels through my chest. It's too hard to breathe. "Paulo planned everything, he wouldn't have been able to if there was no other traitor. Who was it?"

"Igor," Nikolai answers sharply, his eyes stormy with rage. "Dammit, you should have killed that bastard months ago."

"I should have, and I'll regret not killing him for the rest of my life." I pull the drips from my veins and stand. Dizziness and pain surges through me with each movement, but I don't care. I can't lie here like a fucking idiot when my wife is in the hands of my enemy.

Dimitri stands in front of me just as I'm about to walk out of the room. "What are you doing?"

"Going to find my wife. Get out of my way."

"No, you're injured," he argues. "I know you're angry, but we'll do everything we can to find her."

"You've had two days to find her and you don't know where she is." I lean toward him, barely restraining myself from punching him. "And now what? You'll find her?" A mirthless laugh rumbles from my throat. "Get out of the way before I take out my rage on you."

He's reluctant, but he backs away.

Nikolai follows me out. He gets in the driver's seat while I take the passenger seat next to him. My brain works fast trying to come up with something, I want to find Irina.

A phone rings in the console. It takes Nikolai picking it up and giving to me for me to realize it's mine.

The number flashing on my screen is private. I know it's from the Phoenix and I don't hesitate to answer. "Where's Irina?"

"A lovely way to greet your master after a near-death experience," Paulo says sardonically.

I hold the phone a little tighter. "Where is my wife."

"Here with me. Do you want to say hello to her? I'll let you." His feet sound against the floor of wherever he is as he strolls to Irina.

"Alexei," she cries. Her voice cracks as if she's been crying for two whole days.

" Malyshka ." My heart beats fast enough to explode. "Are you okay?"

"I am. He wants to use you, Alexei. Don't let him." She sniffles. "Don't worry about—" She screams.

I lose it. He's hurting her. My mind can't stand that. I try not to lose my shit. I have to be more logical than emotional, because what Paulo wants is for me to be emotional. "Leave her alone and tell me what you want."

Paulo sneers. "Good. I need a hunting dog, and I can't think of a better person for the job than you."

"Give me a name."

"Elena Romano."

"Elena. Dominic's wife?" I rake my fingers through my hair. "Are you fucking insane? She's pregnant!"

He laughs. "What is the problem? Would you rather your wife dies in her place?"

Paulo is playing games with me. He knows I would never hurt a woman let alone a pregnant one. This is his way of insulting me. Now it's either I betray Dominic and my moral code, or I lose Irina.

I won't choose. I won't betray Dominic or hurt his wife. And I won't lose Irina. I just need to buy some time.

"When do you need it done?"

"Tomorrow night at the latest," he says. "Play games with me and I'll cut off one of her pretty little fingers until there are none left."

A knot forms in my throat. I swallow. "Tomorrow night is enough time."

Enough time for me track down Irina and end him for good.

"The clock is ticking," he tells me before he ends the call.

My brother looks at me. "What did he say?"

"He wants me to kill Elena."

"She's pregnant, man. Don't tell me you agreed to it." Nikolai actually looks concerned. It's a first for him.

"I won't, but I made him believe I will." I peer in the rearview mirror. Mikhail and Dimitri's car is behind us.

Nikolai wheels the car through the driveway of my manor. A good portion of the left wing has been destroyed by the explosion.

There's a black S.U.V parked in the entrance.

We get close enough for me to see Matteo sitting inside.

"What is he doing here?" I ask.

Nikolai brings the car to a stop right across from Matteo's car and turns off the engine. "I called him. He works for the Phoenix. We needed to know if he knew where they took Irina."

"What did he say?"

"He had no idea she was kidnapped. Looks they went against whatever agreement he had with them."

I unbuckle my seatbelt and step out from the car.

Matteo does the same. He walks to me. His face is bleak and it looks as though he hasn't gotten a wink of sleep for days.

I don't trust him, but I know he cares for Irina, he won't let them hurt her. "What do you want?"

He clears his throat. He looks more sober than I've ever seen him. "I heard what happened. Are you okay?"

"Is that you pretending to care about me?" I tilt my head. "If so, then I'm not in the mood for chitchat. I'm sure you heard the people you work for took her, and I need to get her back."

"That is why I'm here." He peers around uncomfortably. "Can we talk inside?"

I don't answer, but he follows me when I enter the mansion and walk to my study. "Make it quick."

He pulls out a flash drive from his pocket and holds it towards me. "Take this. It'll help you take down the Phoenix."

I glare at the flash drive. "What is that?"

"The top dog in the Phoenix operates anonymously, but there you'll find a list of all the politicians who're members and their illegal activities."

I take the flash drive from him. "I have no idea where they took her."

"I will find out."

"How?"

"That flash drive contains a tracking app," he explains. "You'll be able to track my location when I get to wherever they took her. Get your men ready and attack. Promise me you'll save Irina no matter what happens."

The desperation in his voice melts away some of my anger. "I love your daughter. I will gladly lay down my own life for her."

He nods repeatedly. "Good. That is enough for me. I'm sorry we never got to be friends, I hope we can straighten things between us when all of this is over." He slaps my shoulder gently. "Thank you."

I clutch the flash drive tight because Irina's life depends on it. "Why are you helping me?"

Matteo's lips part into a sad smile. "You're not the only person who loves Irina, Alexei. She's my daughter."