Page 113 of Breaking Point

“What exactly is the plan?” I ask, nodding toward Sofia. “You pretended to love Aleks, right? And now that that’s failed, what?”

Her father cuts me a vicious look. “When we’re done, take her to the wine cellar. I don’t want any surprises this weekend.”

The dismissal is clear. I try my best not to watch Sofia as I finish chewing. When breakfast is done, the guards untie me.

Sofia abruptly pushes her chair back. “I’ve got it.” Upon yanking me toward the door with the guards in tow, she twists toward her father. “You worry about this weekend. I’ll take care of her.”

Rema waves us off. “Separate them and keep him hidden.”

“Aleks-” I take one last look at him smiling softly before I’m led away.

Sofia directs me to the elevator doors. Instead of going up though, she swipes her card and takes us to the basement.

It’s much quieter here, despite still being as lavish and polished as the rest of the place. A long narrow hallway leads to a wall of glass. She pushes open a door which leads to a cellar full of oak crates of wine stretching as far as the eye can see. Just inside, there’s a chair, and she shoves me into it. She straps my arms down tightly.

“Why send the flowers?” I ask quietly enough thatthe guards can’t hear. “Why toy with me?”

Something flashes in her eyes, and when she draws the rope tight enough to pinch, I know I’ve found a sore spot.

“Maybe I was just bored,” she answers, standing. “Maybe toying with you was my only form of entertainment.”

Then the door closes. Moments later as she walks toward the elevators again, the lights shut off. And I’m alone again.

Chapter Fifty-Four

Crew

“Quit fiddling with shit,” I mutter, and when Ricky startles, knocking over a spinning decoration on the desk, I wince.

The metal shatters into pieces, and Ricky curses, reaching down. The silence is interrupted only by the thud of the metal clattering on the desk again. I shut my eyes to keep from tying his hands to the chair to get him to sit still.

Ricky adjusts uneasily. “My bad.”

For a few seconds, the sound of the clock ticking on the wall is the only sound in Skar’s office. It isn’t long before the door opens, and Skar and Charlotte enter. Skar wears his usual suit, but Charlotte is dressed an all-black ensemble that clearly displays the Prevyain ink sprawling her shoulders.

Skar sits, and Char crosses her arms as she strolls toward the bookshelf opposite us and stares. I recognize the exact moment Ricky realizes who-what- she is because he glances at me.

“Nice tats,” he says in greeting, and though he seems more than a bit terrified, the comment is genuine.

Char nods. “Same to you.”

Ricky clears his throat. “So, how do you know Ms. Livia?”

Skar raises a brow as if questioning why I brought him here in the first place.

Ricky can help us- and he’d do anything for Olivia.

“She planned our wedding,” Charlotte answers, but I know that if things were different, she’d say ‘my best friend.’

I clear my throat. “Look, Ricky came with me to the Rebren last night. We saw Sutherland there. Rema too. The place was crawling with security.”

“You think they’re keeping them there?” Skar prods.

“My guess is yes. But they’re biding their time. Our best bet here is surprise.”

Skar considers the idea but ultimately shrugs. “We can’t raid the place and expect to get them back. What they really want-“

“We’re not even sure what they want,” I reason. “It could be money, but I doubt it. It’s probably one of you. Or both.”

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