Chapter 17 - The Abduction
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Victor slid the heavy diamond onto her left ring finger. It felt like a perfect, heavy anchor, officially tying her to the most feared man in the city. He kissed her deeply, sealing the promise, the taste of champagne and forever on his lips.
"I need to speak with Dmitri regarding the perimeter security before we leave," Victor murmured against her lips. "Wait here on the balcony. Five minutes, mia regina."
"Don't be long," Lena smiled, tracing his jawline.
Victor stepped back inside, the heavy glass doors closing behind him.
Lena turned back to the glittering skyline, admiring the ring on her finger. She had gone from a struggling waitress to a mafia queen in a matter of months. It felt like a surreal, beautiful dream.
Then, the nightmare returned.
A shadow detached itself from the dark corner of the adjoining balcony. Before Lena could scream, a heavy, chemically-soaked rag was clamped viciously over her mouth and nose.
A massive arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her off her feet. She thrashed violently, kicking her heels against the stone balustrade, fighting the sudden, suffocating darkness.
"Going to sleep, little bird," a harsh, Russian-accented voice whispered in her ear.
The chloroform worked terrifyingly fast. The glittering city lights blurred, her limbs grew heavy, and the world faded to absolute, terrifying black.
When Victor returned to the balcony exactly four minutes later, he found it empty.
"Lena?" he called out, stepping into the cold air.
He looked down. Resting on the stone tiles, glittering under the moonlight, was the diamond engagement ring. Beside it lay a single, white rose, snapped cleanly in half at the stem.
The blood drained completely from Victor’s face.
The white rose was the signature calling card of the Volkov syndicate. The Russians hadn't retreated to Chicago. They had been waiting for the perfect moment to strike his heart.
A roar of pure, unadulterated agony and rage tore from Victor’s throat, shattering the peace of the night.
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"Dmitri!" Victor bellowed, bursting back into the private club, his weapon already drawn. "Lock down the city! They took her!"
The club erupted into chaos. The king had been robbed, and he was about to burn the world to the ground to get his treasure back.
