Page 70 of Taming a Ruthless Heart

When Boris speaks again, his voice comes directly from above me, which means he’s come to stand by the bed.He addresses Petrov, “That’s why I don’t mess with this one.I’d pay good money to come inside every tight hole in her body.”I freeze as the warmth from his fetid breath hits my nostrils.“I’ve jerked off to these images countless times over the years.But I’m not willing to die just yet.”

Petrov mutters, “That’s all well and good, but we should be checking the perimeter.”

Boris nods, stretching his arms in a careless motion.I force myself to keep breathing evenly, to keep my body relaxed, pliant, as if I’m nothing more than a sleeping captive who’s not going anywhere.

The door creaks as they step out, their voices fading into the hallway, the lock clicking into place.Silence envelops the room, thick and tense, but I don’t let myself linger in it.The second I’m sure they’re gone, I sit up, the blanket slipping from my shoulders.

On second thought, if Boris thinks Igor wants me, it means he has no idea what kind of sexual deviant his boss really is.It makes sense that enforcers like Boris and Petrov don’t have that information, though.If they knew it, they might question Igor’s leadership.God, finding out this secret is what put a target on my back.Growing up in my father’s criminal world, I learned that there are very few things Mafia men don’t tolerate.Igor’s sexual appetites being on top of that list.

I press my hands to my temples as my head begins to throb because of the wayward thoughts swirling inside.Dracul, the dock, the auction.All of this information is gold for Dave and his allies in the Syndicate.But time is running out.

The fact that Igor is connected to some very powerful people with similar sexual deviances as his only amplifies the stakes.This isn’t just about escaping from his clutches anymore.This is about taking down something far bigger, a beast that won’t stop until it consumes everything and everyone in its path.And if that is the case, Dave, his brothers, and the Syndicate could be at a disadvantage against this huge network, this multifaceted menace.I have to find a way to alert Dave about this.But how?Not only am I chained to this room, but I also don’t have my phone on me.

Suddenly, Rose’s face, with her bright, innocent smile, fills my vision.

I don’t care what it takes; I just have to get out of this hole and talk to Dave, or send him a message.I managed to escape once.I will find a way to do it again.

“Think, Alexia, think!”I breathe to the darkness, hoping against all odds that some higher power will hear my prayer.

28

Dave

Istand at the head of the long, polished oak table in my office, the overhead lights casting sharp shadows across the room.The windows behind me reveal the city skyline, looming and silent as if holding its breath, waiting for the storm we’re about to unleash.Around me are my brothers, Tommy and Shelby, as well as my brothers-in-arms Joe DiLorenzo, Max Cagliari, and Nikolai.Each man carries a sharp fierceness in their eyes.

Maps, blueprints, and a scattering of encrypted notes lie spread across the table like the pieces of some deadly puzzle.The tension in the air is thick, laced with the scent of leather, gunpowder, and barely restrained fury.My hand clenches the edge of the table, knuckles whitening, as I struggle to keep my voice steady.

A figure shifts at the far end of the table, his red hair catching the dim light, the fiery shade a stark contrast to the cold steel of the room.Ray Flanagan stands with his arms crossed, his jaw set, muscles taut as a bowstring.His face is etched with a hard expression, and a small scar slashes across his left eyebrow, adding to the rugged intensity in his deep-set baby-blue eyes.Tonight, that intensity is laced with a barely contained fury, an edge that has even the most hardened men in the room glancing his way with a quiet respect.

Ray doesn’t speak, but his silence speaks volumes.Igor took his son, Pete, and dragged him into this hell, and Ray hasn’t been able to draw a calm breath since.Hell, he hasn’t had time to mourn the murder of Nadya.His fingers flex at his sides, clenching and unclenching.I think Ray is imagining his hands wrapped around Igor’s throat.I meet his gaze, and there’s a silent understanding between us—this mission is personal for him, too.He’s not here for only loyalty and duty; he’s here for blood.

“Ray,” I address him directly, my voice cutting through the tense quiet.“Your intel on Igor’s guard rotation—any weaknesses we can exploit?”

He nods, stepping forward and unfurling a crumpled piece of paper across the table, adding it to the layers of maps and blueprints.“I’ve known his men for years,” he says, his voice a low growl, rough and unfiltered.“They’re creatures of habit.Three men switch out every four hours by the east wall.That’s your gap.”

A murmur of approval runs through the group, and I see Tommy nodding, already calculating how to fit this intel into our plan.Ray’s voice drops to a deadly calm as he continues.“Igor has my son, so I want Igor alive.But anyone else who gets in the way?”His jaw tightens, and a fierce glint lights his eyes.“They don’t leave breathing.”

Joe DiLorenzo grunts in approval.“That’s the spirit.Make the bastards regret ever touching one of ours.”

Ray’s gaze shifts to me, a mixture of trust and desperation that he doesn’t let anyone else see.He’s not a man used to asking for help, but right now, he’s relying on us.On me.And the weight of that trust settles heavily on my shoulders.

“We’re bringing Pete home,” I promise, meeting his gaze with the same intensity he gives me.“And we’ll make sure Igor understands exactly what happens when he touches our family.”

Ray nods, and as he steps back, he becomes more than a father fighting for his son.He’s a weapon, honed and ready, driven by a fury that mirrors my own.

“This ends tonight,” I say, my voice low but filled with a force that resonates through the room.I meet each of their gazes, one by one, showing them my determination.“I’m not just doing this for us.I’m doing this for Alexia and Rose.They deserve a life without looking over their shoulders, without fearing every damn shadow.”

Tommy, my closest brother in this life of blood and secrets, nods, his jaw tight, his gaze steady.“We’ve got your back, Dave.Whatever it takes, we’re in.”

Shelby leans forward, his blond hair catching the light, his expression unreadable but for the faint glint of anger in his eyes.“We’re all in.But let’s not kid ourselves—this isn’t just Igor anymore.He’s got allies, and they’re not going down easy.”

I think back to Alexia.I promised her I would keep her and Rose safe.That memory snaps something inside me, sharpens my resolve until it feels like a blade cutting through my chest.I can’t let her down again.

“We have a plan.”I gesture to Tommy.“Let’s go over the positions one more time.I don’t want any mistakes.”

Tommy nods, spreading the blueprints of Igor’s compound across the table.His finger traces over the thick walls, the security posts, the choke points.“We’ll enter from the west, through the service tunnel here.It’s the least guarded section of the compound, probably because Igor thinks it’s buried too deep to be a risk.But we’ve got explosives.”A dark grin spreads across his face.“We’ll make it a risk.”

Shelby crosses his arms, leaning against the wall with a smirk.“Igor’s gonna regret every damn thing he’s done, but I still can’t believe he managed to get to Alexia.He must’ve had help from the inside.”

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