“I don’t take orders from you.” I clench my fist, ready to slug him in his arrogant face. I’m so close to losing it, to shutting down completely and going on a killing spree, that it’s not even measurable at this point. And this fuckhead standing in front of me will be my first victim.
“You do if you want my help.”
Like a volcano seconds from erupting, I shudder with a burning rage. Coming here was obviously a mistake. I don’t know if Matteo is going to be worth all of this trouble. He’s dangerous, yes, but what level, I haven’t figured out yet.
“All I need is a gun and a car,” I say without even looking at him.
“I can provide you with both of those things. I’m also sending two of my men with you. Can’t have you trying to run off if she is there.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, I owe you, and I better return. Get it.”
“I’m warning you, Zane, if you find the girl and hide her somewhere, or if you try and disappear, I will find you, and when I do…”
I look up, and most men would be cowering in fear from the look he’s giving me, but I’m not most men. I’m not afraid of this fuckwad, but I am afraid of what he can do to Dove, or at the very least, what he’ll try to do. Double-crossing him isn’t something I want to do unless I absolutely have to. With no one in my corner and no other help, I’ll have to wait for the perfect opportunity to leave.
“If she’s there, I’ll return with her.”
His gaze hardens, almost like he’s trying to see if I’ll break under the pressure. Luckily, he has no clue what I’m truly capable of and the lengths I’ll go to save the woman I love.
“I’m trusting you, Zane. Don’t make me regret it.”
I don’t respond. Instead, I give him a blank look. I’m going to find Dove and kill every fucker that touched her if it’s the last fucking thing that I do.
Punching the GPS coordinates that Matteo gave me into the car, I rev the engine and leave his mansion—my prison—in the rearview mirror. My muscles are tense, and I’m ready for a fight. I’m consumed with the need to find Dove. All I can do is hope and pray that Xander left her there, though the likelihood is slim. Mercy isn’t something that man shows, and I doubt he would just leave a vulnerable, beautiful woman alone to fend for herself. Grinding my teeth together, I try not to think of that bastard putting his hands on my Dove. The drive is a little over an hour, and I white knuckle the steering wheel the entire way.
I see the car with Matteo’s goons following me the entire time. Useless idiots. Sending them is an insult more than anything. As if I couldn’t take these two out if I wanted to.
As the miles tick down, knots of fear tighten in my belly. What if they hurt her? Raped her? What if she’s broken, and I can’t fix her? What if it’s too late? The thoughts keep coming, suffocating me with fear. I need to get a grip, to focus, but the idea of finding Dove unsafe and hurt is enough to make me sick.
I slow the car as I turn onto the road where the compound is supposed to be. Off in the distance is a ten-foot fence surrounding a house. That must be it. The organ in my chest starts to gallop, beating a little faster the closer I get.
One would think a place such as this would be guarded, but I suppose there aren’t any guards left. Knowing Christian, he probably went into hiding the moment the Rossi’s ambushed him. I mean, he’s always had me around to fight his battles, without me, I can’t imagine he’s going to be picking up a gun to protect himself or rid the world of his enemies. No hiding is more his style. Turning onto the road and driving through the beat-up gate, I spot two men lying on the ground. As I pass their bodies, the bullet holes in their foreheads confirm to me what I already knew. Everyone here is dead.
Closing in on the property, the feeling of dread consumes me. There are three more bodies lying on the lawn. I park the car and kill the engine. Then, I grab my gun and climb