Page 49 of Savage Little Secret

“Yeah, I’ll do it,” I tell him.

Sean pats the top of the kitchen island. “Then, let’s get to work.”

“We might already be too late,” I say, my eyes locking with his.

Sean frowns. “I know. But if she’s still alive, then we’re wasting time she doesn’t have.”

I watch him walk out of my kitchen, soon hearing the front door open and shut. Silence rings throughout my penthouse, but all I can hear is the rapid thumping of my restless heart.

There’s a real possibility that the Bratva Council tracked Cara down and killed her to take her out of the picture. They’re not above doing something so cruel.

It’s my fault that she was in a vulnerable enough position for that to happen. I forced her out into the world, despite knowing that there are people out there that want her dead.

If she was killed, then her blood is on my hands, and there will be no way to wipe them clean.

18

Cara

I jerk awake to voices, my body screaming from the wooden chair I’ve been tied to for what feels like an eternity. They only untie me once or twice a day to use the bathroom.

I don’t know how many days it’s been. Even if there was a window in the room where I could watch the sun rise and set, I wouldn’t be able to see it because they keep a blindfold or bag over my head at all times. Their level of secrecy makes my skin crawl.

“We’re not getting anywhere,” he says. “It’s time to make use of our guest.”

My heart hammers as I recognize the voice of the man who spoke to me when I was first brought here. Wherever here is. I still don’t even know his name.

The sound of approaching footsteps gets louder and louder, making me shrink back as much as I can in the chair that I’m bound to.

“Hello, sweetheart,” the man greets me. There isn’t an ounce of genuine kindness in his voice, though.

“You’re going to regret this,” I warn him with an empty threat, my skin starting to heat up and grow clammy. I have no way of knowing if anyone is looking for me. Dmitri could just think I left town, and my father wouldn’t care if I disappeared unless he needs me to be useful to him again.

With every ounce of my soul, I want to be anywhere else. Even at my father’s house.

The man clicks his tongue. “I brought you here for a reason. It’s time for you to find out why.”

“What do you want? Why am I here?” I question him yet again, my nails scraping the thin rope binding my hands behind the back of the chair.

“You’re going to tell us about Dmitri Ivanov.”

My blood runs cold as my body tenses, my lips immediately pressing together in a straight line. I can’t give up information about Dmitri. I don’t care that things were rocky and confusing between us when I left.

I’d rather bleed out in this chair than give them something that could hurt him.

And if Dmitri realizes I’m missing, I’m terrified that he’ll get himself killed if he decides to try to rescue me.

“You know him quite well, yes?” the man says, sounding like he’s only a few feet in front of me.

I don’t say a single word, keeping my mouth shut as I feel his gaze on me.

“There’s no point in defending him if he didn’t bother to keep you safe.”

It still stings that Dmitri kicked me out and told me that he never wanted to see me again, but did he actually mean those words? Or was he just saying what he thought he should say?

I still refuse to speak a word.

The man lets out a humorless laugh. “Bring me the tray. Someone wants to be stubborn.”