Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Ifound them.”

Keira didn’t allow her relief to show. She rounded the desk to look over Cillian’s shoulder. He’d helpfully brought up a map and dropped a pin to mark the coordinates he’d pulled from the phone. She frowned. “I don’t know New York. Where is this?”

Alexei came to stand next to her. He pointed at the street running the length of the screen. “This used to be Eldridge territory before it was absorbed by Andrei Romanov.” He pointed at the pin, just south of the street. “This has always been Romanov territory. Pavel’s team patrolled here.”

“That fucking bastard,” Keira murmured. Even if they weren’t traitors like Pavel was, they would have reported anything strange to him, effectively ensuring Dmitri never got word. It was brilliant, even as she clenched her fists in frustration. “What do we know about this place?”

“Those are offices slated for remodeling. They had become unsafe, and so Mr. Romanov ordered the building gutted and rebuilt. Demolition happened last month, but things have been complicated, so Mr. Romanov hasn’t approved the construction schedule yet.”

Complicated because Dmitri married Keira and they’d been on the verge of war ever since. “Alexei, meet me in the garage. I’ll be there shortly.” Without hesitation, Alexei nodded and led the way out of the office. The door shut behind them with a soft click.

Cillian turned in his chair to face her. “You’re really going after him.”

“Fuck yes, I am.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “That bitch can’t have him. He’s mine.”

Her brother pushed to his feet, and she tensed, half expecting him to start some bullshit, but Cillian just pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight enough that her ribs groaned in protest. “I won’t tell you to be careful. But come back alive.” He hesitated. “And bring that annoying-ass Russian back, too, while you’re at it.” He kissed her forehead. “We’ll be waiting for word.”

She tensed to keep her reaction in check. “I’ll call as soon as I’m able to.”

Cillian nodded and walked to the door. He paused and glanced back. “This might sound weird, considering the circumstances, but I’m fucking proud of you, Keira.” And then he was gone, closing the door gently behind him.

Then, and only then, did Keira drop her head into her hands and exhale a long breath. That had been the easy part. She just had to keep moving. If she didn’t stop, her mind wouldn’t have time to offer up all the things that Mae and Alethea could be doing to Dmitri in the time it took them to get to that fucking building.She counted slowly to ten and then moved, pushing herself to her feet.

She took out her phone and started to type out a response to Dmitri, but stopped. He might have had it on the way there, but she had no way of telling if he still had it. He hadn’t texted since she told him to hold on, which didn’t necessarily mean anything…

But she couldn’t take a chance.

The only shot they had at making this work was with the element of surprise on their side. If she texted him and one of the Eldridges saw it…“Damn it.” She set her phone to silent and slipped it into her pocket.

Hold on, Dima. Stay alive until we can get there and rescue your ass.

With that, she didn’t allow herself to dwell any further on all the things that could go wrong—and they were legion. Keira straightened her shoulders and headed for the garage.

She found Alexei and the rest of the men waiting. “I’m going to need a gun. Now.”

He considered her. “Twenty-two?”

“Give me some credit. Nine-millimeter.”

He nodded and went to a cabinet tucked against the far wall on the other side of the vehicles, returning shortly with the requested gun and two cartridges. “If you need more than this, we’re dead and it won’t matter.”

“Noted.” She tucked it into the back of her waistband. It wasn’t comfortable, but it would do for the duration. “Let’s go.” The more time they wasted, the worse Dmitri’s chances were. She couldn’t think of what he might be going through right now. They’d get him out alive. End of story. To believe anything else was to court madness. It will be okay. It has to be.

She climbed into the front passenger seat of the SUV that Pavel was driving and took a slow and steady breath. It was time. You made your last mistake in a long line of many, Alethea—you fucked with my man. Now I’m going to fucking bury you.