Page 58 of Deadly Devotion

The cleaning crew arrived swiftly, professionals in their own right. They moved through the warehouse efficiently, erasing the signs of our violent encounter. I watched them work, and my mind was already plotting our next move. Vic had slipped through our fingers, but this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

As the storm raged on outside, I vowed to myself that I would hunt Vic to the ends of the Earth if I had to. This was just the beginning. The thunder roared its approval, echoing the fury in my heart.

Chapter 38

Talia

I woke up with a start, the ringing of my phone piercing the quiet stillness of the mansion. The digital clock on the bedside table blinked 2:47 AM in angry red numbers. Groggily, I reached for my phone, my heart pounding for reasons I couldn’t quite place yet. The number on the screen was unknown.

“Hello?” I croaked, trying to clear the sleep from my voice.

There was a pause, then a low chuckle. “Talia,” the voice drawled, sending a shiver down my spine. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to escort you out of the restaurant.”

I sat up straight, every nerve in my body on high alert. “Vic,” I whispered, recognizing the menace in his tone.

“Yes. You have quite the fire in you. I like that.” His voice was oily, dripping with dark amusement.

My mind raced, recalling the incident at the restaurant. The memory of his hand over my mouth and the injection in my neck flashed in my mind. “What do you want?” I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady.

“I wanted to let you know that Aleksandr has figured out I killed Mikhail,” he said casually as if discussing the weather. “So, my plans have changed. I was going to kill you, but now… now I think I’ll kill Aleksandr instead. And you, Talia, you will be my prize.”

I felt a wave of nausea. “You’re insane,” I spat.

He chuckled again. “Insanity is a matter of perspective. I’ll see you soon, Talia.” The line went dead.

I sat in stunned silence for a moment, my heart racing and my mind reeling from the threat. Then, instinct took over. I had to find Aleksandr. I couldn’t be alone, not after that call.

I slipped out of bed and padded silently to the door, careful not to make any noise. I made my way down the darkened hallways, my pulse echoing in my ears.

When I reached Aleksandr’s room, I paused, my hand hovering over the doorknob. The door was slightly ajar, a sliver of light spilling into the hallway. I pushed it open gently and stepped inside.

Aleksandr was standing by the bed, shirtless, with a long gash across his chest. He was methodically bandaging the wound, his eyebrows pinched together in concentration. My heart lurched at the sight of him hurt.

“Aleksandr,” I whispered, my voice trembling.

His head snapped up, his eyes locking onto mine. “Talia? What are you doing here?”

“I got a call,” I said, rushing to his side. “It was Vic. He… he said he’s coming for you. He wants to kill you and take me.”

His eyes darkened with anger. “That bastard,” he muttered, wincing as he tied off the bandage. “We went to the warehouse tonight where he was hiding, but he got away.”

My hands shook as I reached out to touch his chest, the rough texture of the bandage stark against his smooth skin. “Are you okay?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He covered my hand with his, squeezing gently. “I’m fine,kiska. It’s just a scratch.”

“How the hell did he get your phone number?” Aleksandr growled.

“I’m not sure. Tell me what happened tonight. I need to know.”

He sighed heavily, brushing the hair away from my face. “We were able to get into the warehouse undetected. There was a shootout, and many men died.”

“Did any of your men get killed?” I asked, chewing nervously on my lip.

“No. A few of them are wounded, but they will heal.” Hooking his finger under my chin, he tilted my face to look directly into my eyes. “Tell me exactly what Vic said to you.”

I repeated the conversation, my voice growing steadier as I recounted the details. Aleksandr listened intently, his expression grim. When I finished, he pulled me into a tight embrace.

“I won’t let him touch you,” he vowed, his voice low and fierce.