126

[ARTEMY]
When he didn’t speak, I sighed just for a good measure. Taking my sweet time, I strolled around his chair, giving him some time to catch his breath.
I stopped in front of him again. He was staring at his feet, his swollen lips set in a tight, stubborn line.
I lightly dragged the spiral knife down his cheek, not enough to break his skin. But it was enough to let him know what was about to happen next.
When the knife reached his other cheek, I pressed it harder, and blood oozed through the broken skin. He winced but stayed quiet, biting on his lip to stop the scream.
I knew the spiral knife burned where it cut and Milandro was probably in agony.
I dragged the knife to his neck, leaving trail of blood. The skin turned red, and I pulled away. His breathing was harsh and labored. Each breath appeared difficult to inhale and exhale.
I moved the knife to his thighs, making cuts as I went. The cuts weren’t too deep, just enough to cause pain that would be unbearable after a few minutes.
“Are you ready to talk now?” I asked after his screams calmed down.
He hissed and glared at me. I shook my head. Avim paced the floor while Brayden got to work again.
Two more nails and fingers
.
And then I made cuts over his body.
Sometimes we walked out of the room, leaving Milandro alone to breathe through his pain. And then we were back. It kept going like that…for hours. Until I started to feel helpless and completely hopeless.
The next time we walked into the room again, Milandro’s head was hanging low. It was already morning. For an hour, I paced outside Lynda’s room, debating if I should go in or not.
But guilt weighed heavily on my heart. Instead, I stayed outside.
Then, I was in the piano room, wishing Rebecca was there. Another pang of guilt. Another wave of pain.
After an hour of wallowing in self-pity, I walked away and made my way into the basement.
The fury was back in full force. The air smelled of blood. It felt heavy with death and uncertainty.
I stared at Milandro, waiting for a reaction from him. When I started toward him, he slowly lifted his head. His face was almost unrecognizable. Swollen, red, a mix of green and purple. Several cuts. Some deep, some barely there.
He stared at me through swollen eyes, and I saw his jaw working. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
He tried again, but it sounded like some gurgling noise. Milandro tried to clear his throat and coughed a few times before taking a deep breath.
I saw his throat moving as he swallowed and then tried again. “She…”
My eyes widened, and I stepped forward. “Where is she?” I demanded, my heart accelerating and beating as wildly as a caged bird.
“She…is…” He choked before continuing slowly. “Is…at…my house.”
“Your house?” Brayden growled.
Milandro nodded slowly. “That’s…where…Raffaele…is hiding….My house…he u…ses it…hiding…place.”
I raked my fingers through my hair and swiveled around, punching the wall. All this time. She was right under our fucking nose.
“Move out,” I ordered Brayden and Avim.
“For your sake, I really hope she’s there,” I told Milandro.
He stared at me blankly, but I saw something in his eyes. It almost looked like regret. “She…is…there.”
“Why are you telling us that now? Why wait until you are half dead?” Avim questioned.
I wondered the Wyatte thing. Milandro didn’t answer. He glanced down, and I saw his lips move. No sound was made, but his lips told me what I needed to know.
Lynda.
With a deep breath, I nodded toward my men. They walked out, and with a final glance at Milandro, I walked out too.
We met with Leon in the hall. He glanced at the closed door, his eyes murderous. “Is he alive?”
“He is. Don’t kill him yet,” I ordered. Just in case he was lying. When Rebecca was found, then his death would be signed.
I took a step forward but stopped. “How is Lynda?”
Leon let out a pained groan, his face twisting. “Wyatt took the bullets out. She…is okay.”
Taking a deep breath, he stared at the wall, his eyes filled with so much pain. “But…but the baby didn’t make it.”
Even though I knew the baby wouldn’t make it, hearing the words was still a blow to my chest. I looked down, wishing this wasn’t real. I wanted to tear Milandro apart piece by piece.
“Was it yours?” I asked quietly. They thought it wasn’t obvious. But it was. For years, even after whatever happened between them, they still cared. Maybe still loved each other.
Leon clenched his fists, and I looked up again. Closing his eyes tightly, he shook his head. “No,” he choked. “No…Lynda…she never…” He paused, taking a deep breath. “Lynda never cheated. She would never do that. The baby was Milandro’s.”
With a heavy heart, I nodded at Leon. “We found Rebecca’s whereabouts.”
He looked at the door. “I can’t leave Lynda.”
“I was never going to ask you to leave Lynda. The rest of us will go.”
He sent me a grateful look, and I walked away. Making my way upstairs, I stopped in the living room when I saw Bernadette walking into the estate.
She rushed over to us. “Avim called.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked, wiping my hands with the towel Brayden handed me.
“He told me Milandro is the traitor. That little shit,” she growled, her eyes sparking fire.
“He told us where Rebecca is,” Brayden muttered.
Bernadette’s eyes widened. “He did? Where is she?”
“Milandro’s house,” Brayden replied. There was no emotion in his voice. No light. No anger. Nothing. I felt the Wyatte way.
“I’m coming,” she announced.
“Seriously? Like this?” Brayden retorted, pointing at Bernadette’s outfit.
She looked down at herself. “Those heels are killer heels. They might come in handy. Who knows?”
“You will be a liability,” Avim argued. “We don’t have time to save your ass.”
Bernadette cocked her head to the side. “Really?”
It happened fast. But the next thing we knew, Brayden was on the floor with Bernadette’s legs wrapped around his neck.
“What the fuck was that? I didn’t say anything,” Brayden snapped.
“Still think I’m a liability?” she spat, her voice holding venom.
She got up and looked at me. “Another body to protect Rebecca,” she added, raising an eyebrow at me. She knew I couldn’t refuse that. “I think you will need a woman with you when you find her.”
Brayden stood up and glared at Bernadette’s back. “Bitch,” he mouthed.
Staring at Bernadette, I saw her resolve and finally nodded. She was right. The more bodies to protect Rebecca, the better. And Bernadette was far from a liability. She was more of an asset. A killer who could easily take anyone.
I walked out, followed by Avim, Brayden, and Bernadette. A few of my men were already waiting next to the cars. I got in without a word while Brayden took the driver’s seat.
The drive to Milandro’s house was tense.
When the car came to a stop, I quickly stepped out. This time, Avim and Brayden took the lead, while Bernadette and I stayed in the rear.
Avim crashed the door open, and we were inside in mere seconds.
As soon as we stepped inside, guns were blazing and bullets were flying.
The fucker! He was ready, and he wasn’t alone.
His men surrounded the house, and I quickly ducked, avoiding a bullet which could have pierced my head. I growled in frustration and shot at the man in front of me, my bullet going right through his heart.
I didn’t have time for fucking child’s play.
Turning around, I fired at any men who came into my path. Bullets in their legs, some in the neck, and a few in the head.
Through it all, Raffaele was nowhere to be found. A coward. Of course, he was nowhere to be found.
When most of his men were down, I nodded at Brayden and Avim. They searched through the house as I continued to gun down the rest of the men, Bernadette beside me doing the Wyatte. She was ruthless in her attacks. Her bullets pierced their bodies with an astonishing ferocity.
I saw a man standing in front of me, pointing his gun at my chest. I pulled my trigger, but nothing happened.
A gunshot echoed across the wall. I expected a fiery pain in my chest, but when I saw the man drop dead, I glanced at Bernadette beside me.
She rubbed her gun against her leather pants and sent me a wink. “You’re welcome.”
Brayden ran down the stairs, his expression frantic. “Rebecca is not there.”