Page 124 of Broken Blood Ties

I nod to Cormac, letting him know to leave. Then I lean back, studying Riku. Fine lines spread out from his temples as he grins at me. He leans an elbow on the arm of the chair, swiping a thumb across his bottom lip.

“What do ye want?”

“I have another fighter I want in tonight.”

Itsk. “We’re full. Ye’ve got four in already.”

He chuckles, leaning forward on his skinny thighs. “You see, I know that’s not true. You’re missing Oscar.”

I tilt my head, trying not to give off the shock that’s rippling through me. How’d he know that? Only a handful of my guys know he hasn’t checked in.

He continues, “Yes. I know Oscar is missing.”

“How?”

“How else?” Riku holds my stare, and he grins again, sucking his top teeth then running his tongue along them.

“What’d ye do?”

“I made it so there was an opening tonight. Now,” he says, pulling back to lean lazily in the chair. “I want my other fighter put in tonight.”

“Bleeding hell, Riku. Ye think ye can come in here and tell me what to do. It’s me ring and me men. I let ye put in yer three, then it was four. Now ye want more. I’m drawing the line.”

He stands, all expression draining from his face. “I figured you’d say that.” Slowly, he unzips his leather jacket, and my hand drifts to my holster, but it’s not the metal of a gun he produces. It’s a tan envelope, and he haphazardly flicks it onto my desk.

I eye him, and he lifts his chin toward it. “Open it.”

Snatching it, I rip the envelope open, pulling out three glossy photos.What the …

“What is this?” I growl, flipping through stills of Summer in New York. The first is her exiting the backseat of my guard’s car in the city. The second is her in the same green dress, having lunch with Luna at an eclectic café. Finally, the third is her walking down the street, shopping bags in hand.

I clench my fist, watching the photos shake in my hands. I can’t breathe. She’s got to be okay. I’d hear from my guard. Nik would have security for both of them—I trust that. I can’t help the spinning, and when Riku pounds his fist on the desk, I flinch.

“Your little fiancée may be guarded by the Bratva right now, but as you can see, we can get to her. I expect?—”

I toss the photos to the ground, then rush around the desk, plowing into him and shoving him back into the door. I fist his jacket, pulling him forward and slam him back into the wall. “I’ll kill ya.”

He laughs, and my body tremors in response. “Careful. Wouldn’t want to start a war, would you?”

My stomach churns. How do I protect my family while not showing an affinity for intimidation when they’re threatened?

He sighs, visibly relaxing, which makes me shove him farther against the door. “Relax, O’Donnell. She’s safe … for now. All you have to do is put my fighter in.”

I hesitate, then slowly withdraw. I can’t stand to look at him. But worse yet, if there was a mirror here, I wouldn’t be able to look at myself, either.

“Get out of me office.”

“I’ll take this as compliance?”

I hiss. “We’ll see. Get out.”

He opens the door, and Cormac stands with two of Riku’s guards.

“Show Riku and his men to the door,” I say. Then I slam the door, rushing back to my desk. I didn’t let myself consider anything other than getting Summer on the phone. The rings on the other line come too slow, and when Summer’s voicemail picks up, I ball my hair in my fist.

I try again.

Nothing.

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