Chapter Forty-Five

Iunlock the front door easily, pushing it open with a smile.

“Alright, angel. I got the whole damn cake, so you should be set for a?—”

My words die on my tongue as I look to see the living room empty, TV still on. I frown at that, heading for the bedrooms. I check each one, all coming up empty.

“Angel? Angel! Where are you?” I begin to shout as I start running through the apartment.

My heart is racing but instantly settles when I find her in the kitchen. Though it starts right back up again when I fully take her in. Dropping the bag in my hand to the floor, I fall to my knees as I crawl to her.

“Angel, what happened? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” I ask as I begin patting her down for injuries.

She’s curled up in a ball, shaking like a leaf, not speaking, not even blinking. I push some hair out of her face and look to see her face is soaked with silent tears streaming down her face.

I lay flat on the floor, forcing her eyes to come into contact with me. I’m sure my own look terrified, I feel terrified.

“Sweetheart, talk to me. What’s going on? What can I do?”

Her eyes finally come to mine, pain and fear mixing together in a heartbreaking combination. She lets out a gut-wrenching sob that stabs my heart. Her silence is gone, replaced by the horrific sounds of her painful cries. I scoop her into my arms, forcing her to straddle me as I lean my back against the oven. She buries her face in my neck as her arms wrap around me, holding on so tight it’s almost painful. I want the pain, though. I’ll take whatever pain she wants to throw at me with a fucking smile on my face.

I wrap my arms around her tightly, hoping the compression will help calm her down, but they only set her off more. Feeling panicked, I pat my pocket for my phone, pulling it out quickly, and call Dominic.

“I’m busy,” Dominic answers in a hushed tone, no doubt in the middle of his meeting.

“She won’t stop crying!” I shout hysterically. “I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what to do!”

I hear something crash and labored breathing as Dominic responds.

“I’m coming. Where are you? Is she hurt?”

“Home. I don’t think so. I left to get her some cheesecake, and when I got back, she was like this.”

The sound of Dominic’s car firing up sounds in the background before the squealing of tires.

“I’m two minutes out,” he grits out.

My angel lets out another soul-crushing cry, my grip on her tightening as if I could stop it from continuing if I just hold on tight enough.

“Put the phone up to her ear,” he says.

I hold the phone beside her head as my brother talks in the softest tone I’ve ever heard come from him.

“Hey, babygirl. I’m on my way home. Okay? Just hold tight. I’ll be there in less than a minute. I promise.”

She lets out a cry that almost sounds like she says okay, but I can’t be too sure. I lift the phone back up to my ear as I talk to him again.

“Have you checked her out for injuries?”

“Yes, of course. Externally, she’s fine. Should we call Doc?” I ask before hearing the slam of a car door and Dominic’s jostled breathing.

“I’m here. Coming up the stairs now!”

Ten seconds later, my brother blows in through the door, chest heaving as his head whips around, landing on us in an instant. He drops to the floor, crawling over to us as he wraps his arms around her.

“Baby, baby, baby,” he coos softly. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

She’s hyperventilating, but she turns her head to face Dominic, sinking deeper into my chest than before as she stutters, “M-maa-xim.”

My gut clenches as I look at my brother, whose eyes are still on my angel.

“Say that again?” he asks softly, though a steeliness has passed behind his eyes.

“Max-im. H-he w-was here. He-he—” She breaks off into another round of sobs, worst-case scenarios flashing before my eyes.

Dominic is pulling out his phone, his fingers flying over the screen as he no doubt pulls up the apartment’s security cameras. I reach out for his phone, forcing him to turn it, so I can watch as well. Fury passes across Dominic’s face when Maxim enters the room seconds after I leave. We watch the entire thing, my muscles tightening with each second.

My stomach turns when I watch him shove his loaded gun into her mouth, forcing tears to fall down her face before he licks them off her. As much as I want to look away, I don’t allow myself, letting the anger I feel inside of me fuel me for what’s next.

“Take her,” I say stiffly.

Dominic looks at me with pure rage on his face as he stares on.

“TAKE HER!” I snarl before he does as I say, scooping her out of my arms as I leap to my feet.

I reach for the glass bowl on the counter, smashing it against the wall as I begin to spiral. I destroy anything and everything in sight, letting out an animalistic roar as I do. He knows about her, he’s seen her, touched her. There is no more time for waiting, no more plans. He has to die. Right now.

Running down the hallway, I hear Dominic call out to me, but I don’t waste my energy entertaining him. I enter the war room easily, loading a bag up with any and every weapon I can get my hands on before I’m tearing out of there.

My feet carry me to the front door quickly, and I have my hand on the knob when I hear a soft, broken voice call out to me.

“Don’t go, p-please, Zay.”

The sound shatters my barely beating heart, and I turn to see my angel’s tear-filled eyes begging me. Doesn’t she see I don’t have a choice? That I have to go? I have to protect her, I’ll die a hundred deaths before I let anything like this happen to her again. Still, I’m no match for those watery eyes and crestfallen face. I drop my bag to the ground, covering her back with my body as Dominic and I hold her between us.

“We’ve got you, angel. We’ll take care of this. You’re safe. You’re always safe with us.”

Dominic and I share a murderous look, our minds firmly made up. Prison or someone else taking him out won’t do, not even close. He crossed a line, and now he will die a bloody death at our hands once and for all.