The rhythm of my heart sped up as our gazes clashed, but there was a hint of fire brewing beneath the surface of his dark eyes.
“For Christ’s sake,” Alexei muttered. “Save the foreplay for later.”
My spine straightened as a blush crept up my neck, so I glared back at him. “Stop being a pervert.”
But before he could respond, a loud boom echoed in the air, shaking the ground beneath our feet.
For a moment, I was frozen. Time stood still as my life flashed before my eyes, but the images were so distorted and confusing. My sister. Me.
Where’s Liana? I thought I heard my mother’s voice in my ringing ears. Who’s Liana? I thought I was dying. All my dreams were dying right alongside me. Louisa died.
And then someone grabbed my shoulder, pushing me to the ground. My knees hit the hard pavement and my chest followed, knocking the breath from my lungs.
I turned my head—left, then right—then registered Kingston’s body covering mine, and Alexei’s savage grip on the back of my head. I tried to lift my head, but he refused to let up. My breathing was labored, my ears were buzzed, and I started to shake.
“I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.” The words left my lips on a chant while my eyes burned from the smoke.
Alexei loosened his grip finally, giving me the illusion of freedom, and it was all I needed.
“Breathe, Liana.” Kingston’s deep voice penetrated through the noise in my ears and panic in my mind. The shrill sound of terrified screams invaded my head. Where’s Liana? I was helpless. Who’s Liana? I was broken. Louisa died. She died because of me. “Fucking look at me.”
I turned my head to meet his eyes, finding safety in them. My lips parted, and I inhaled a big gulp of air. My body was shaking so hard I found it impossible to stop.
“Another breath.” His command was impossible to refuse. “Good, now another.” My chaotic breathing evened out, and his gaze never let go. “Better?”
I held on to him for dear life, needing his strength. I swallowed and closed my eyes until slowly but surely, I regained control of my breathing.
“Yes, thank you.”
He nodded, and we both turned to find Alexei watching us with those eyes that would make the glaciers of the Arctic jealous. Kingston shifted off me, then helped me to my feet. It was only then that the chaos around us came into view.
Alexei’s men were fine. So was he. But the debris and smoke around us would make it hard to get back to our vehicle. The warehouse was on fire, so we needed to get as far away as possible.
“We better put some distance between us and this place,” Alexei instructed.
He went to move and I reached out, grabbing his sleeve.
“But there’s someone in the basement.” He looked at me, then lowered his gaze to my fingers clutching his sleeve. Startled and surprised at myself, I released him. “Sorry, I… don’t usually do that.”
“Don’t what?”
I cleared my throat, something stuck in it. “Freak out. Or… touch people.” Not unless I had to kill them, but it was best not to say that.
“We need to get to the basement,” Kingston stated calmly, as if hanging out at a bomb site was an everyday occurrence. “They wouldn’t be blowing this shit up if there was nothing to hide.”
“Or maybe it’s a trap,” Alexei pointed out.
I inhaled another deep breath and met their gazes. “I’m not leaving here if there’s a chance there’s someone in that basement,” I said with a note of frustration. “Dead or alive.”
Without another look their way, I tramped through the debris and smiled to myself when I heard their footsteps behind me. Something told me they’d never allow me to go inside alone, and the thought filled me with a warmth I hadn’t felt in so long.
I wasn’t alone. Not anymore.
The farther we moved toward the warehouse—or what was left of it—the more I could hear it. Whimpering. I looked over my shoulder.
“Do you hear it now?” I whispered, Alexei and Kingston right behind me and the other men a few feet back.
They silently nodded and I continued forward, my boots heavy on the torn-up gravel. If there was someone here, we weren’t sneaking up on them.
A muffled scream traveled through the air, and I stumbled. Are we too late? I thought, my pulse skittering.
“It’s coming from the basement,” Kingston said. “There has to be a way in.”
“Blyad, it’s always the fucking basements,” Alexei muttered. He looked over his shoulder to one of his men. “Go back to the car and be ready to circle back for us.” Another scream met us. “Definitely the basement,” Alexei hissed.
I focused on the task ahead, following the sounds to the left, then right, until I heard metal clanking.
Breathing heavily, I fell to my hands and started pulling at the debris piled in my way. My fingernails hurt and so did my lungs, but I ignored it all. Whoever was screaming was suffering more than me. Alexei and Kingston followed suit on either side of me.
“There,” I exclaimed in a whispered breath. “It’s a trapdoor.”
Alexei disappeared, and I flicked a glance at Kingston. “Is he okay?”
“He doesn’t like confined spaces.”
I nodded in understanding.
“I don’t like to be suffocated,” I muttered, shoving pieces of rock and metal aside.
“Not many people do.”
A choked laugh escaped me. “True. I meant…” I trailed off, trying to find the right wording. It wasn’t like I could tell him what my mother did to me. I didn’t need his pity, and I was sure he’d endured much worse. “I don’t like to be restrained.”
“Here.” Alexei was back with two saws, saving me further explanation. “Let’s try cutting around the frame.”
Handing Kingston a saw, the two of them got to work as I watched on. To my amazement, the door popped open within minutes, and my mouth parted.
Wails and shouts streamed up through the hole. Without waiting for the two men, I headed through, feeling my way down the dark stairs. I raised my gun as I descended the last step.
I gasped when my vision corrected and they came into view. Five girls were huddled up together, wearing nothing but oversized T-shirts and metal collars. The terror on their faces was like a punch in my gut.
“Those fucking bastards,” I hissed, my nostrils flaring.
They flinched at the harshness in my voice, and I lifted my palms, gun in one. Their eyes immediately locked on it and I cursed myself, quickly tucking it in my back pocket.
“It’s okay,” I whispered. A light switch caught my eye and I flipped it on. “I won’t hurt you.” They were in bad shape. Filthy. Bruised. “I won’t hurt you,” I repeated softly.
“Jesus fucking Christ.” Kingston’s voice held a fraction of the fury I felt.
“Were these girls part of Sofia’s deal?” Alexei asked. The girls cowered in response, and I knew it had everything to do with my mother’s name. Shame swallowed me like a sinkhole. My mother did this.
The girls looked downright terrified now. They shuffled to the corner, wrapping their arms around each other as they watched us, terrified.
I had to let go of my anger and help these girls out.
“We won’t hurt you,” I whispered as they started to shake, their soft cries echoing against the bare basement walls. “We’ll get you out. Okay?” A flicker of hope reflected in their gazes. “Can I get closer?”
At their hesitant nods, I made my way to them, keeping my feet light. Crouching in front of the one closest to me, I whispered, “Can I touch your collar?”
There was a moment of stillness before she inhaled sharply.
“Okay,” the girl with gray eyes answered.
“I’m Liana,” I said, reaching for her collar but keeping my movements fluid and slow.