Page 93 of Claimed By the Damned

“Kolya keeping her locked up,” I say, voice quieter now. “He knows she’s pregnant. He’s insane enough to believe the baby is his. That’s the only reason Dimitri hasn't hurt her yet, which means we have a window, but it's closing fast.”

Getting past Dimitri quietly requires knowingexactlyhow he operates—his triggers, his blind spots when he's focused. A direct confrontation with him is unthinkable.

He won't touch her until she gives birth. But that doesn’t mean he won’t make her life hell in the meantime.

I clench my fists at the memory of Dimitri’s methods. The way he enjoys inflicting pain, his sick loyalty to Kolya. The thought of Lila suffering under his hands makes my stomach turn.

The silence stretches again, heavier this time. They know I am right. They don’t have to trust me to know the truth.

Bastian turns to Ethan. “We already had a plan in motion. If Theo’s intel checks out, it makes our job easier.”

Ethan is still rigid, tension coiling through him. I can see the battle playing out behind his eyes. He doesn’t want to let me in. Doesn’t want to believe that after all these years, I could be on the right side of anything.

But this isn't about us.

I frown, glancing between them. "What’s the plan? How are you getting her out?"

Bastian is the one to answer, his voice steady. "We use the lieutenant first. He’s one of Kolya’s trusted men, but we’ve found a crack—he’s been skimming money, and Kolya doesn’t know yet."

We leak just enough to make Kolya suspicious. Then, we hit his shipment. By the time he realizes what’s happening, he’ll be too busy dealing with internal chaos to see the next move coming.

Ethan exhales sharply through his nose, shaking his head like he can’t believe this is happening. “And?”

“There’s a hidden entrance. It’s not on any blueprints. Kolya had it built as an escape route in case of an attack, paranoid bastard. He only trusted a handful of his inner circle with its existence, men he thought completely loyal, bound by fear or necessity, who could secure his exit if everything went sideways. I was, regrettably, one of that handful back then.

It wasn't even on the official 'emergency' plans or in his blueprints; it washispersonal bolt-hole. If he’s keeping Lila anywhere secure, it’s likely in the master bedroom, close to him, and near his secret way out."

Bastian and Ryker exchange loaded looks. Ethan, however, remains focused on the blueprints, where I pointed out its location, tracing a line with one finger, his expression carefully neutral. I let the significance of that hidden passage sink in, watching their reactions, particularly Ethan's careful avoidance.

When he finally looks up, crossing his arms tightly, I meet his hard gaze. "That intel on the tunnel is gold. And probably my death warrant if Kolya knew I coughed it up." A grimace. "Glad I got it out before you started interrogating me and it got too rough."

No one laughs, but Grim smirks slightly. "Well, he lasted this long working for Kolya andthenshowed up here. Kid's either got nine lives or the devil's own luck. Might be useful."

Ethan clenches his jaw. “And why the hell should we trust you?”

I hold his gaze, unwavering. “You don’t have to. But Lila doesn’t have time for your grudge. I put my life on the line for her once already because I saw something in her worth saving, something Kolya couldn't break. I’m doing it again because she deserves to be free of him, permanently. And because, frankly, it's the only way I can even begin to atone for the man I became. I want himdealt with so she can finally be happy, because she deserves that much.”

The tension between us is electric. But he knows I am right. Whether he likes it or not, I am their best shot at getting her back.

Finally, Ethan steps back, giving a curt, single nod. The gesture is minimal, laced with reluctance, but it’s acceptance. At least, acceptance of the necessity of my intel.

The shift is immediate. The rest of the team doesn't hesitate. Guns, explosives, tactical gear—it all comes together in a practiced, lethal rhythm. This is what they do. What they are best at. I watch for a beat before moving to grab the spare gear one of the guys said I could use. For the first time in my life, I am not on the outside looking in, even if my place here is tentative.

As I strap my weapons into place, the movements automatic after years of handling firearms, I glance at Ethan. He is watching me, a complex mix of doubt and maybe something else flickering in his eyes. I hesitate mid-motion, the unspoken question hanging between us: Am I truly part of this, or just a temporary asset? A tool, not his brother?

Ethan's gaze meets mine, and the flicker hardens into impatience. His voice is clipped, devoid of warmth, purely functional.

"What the hell are you waiting for? Finish gearing up. We move in five. You're coming, aren't you?." He doesn’t wait for an answer, turning back sharply to double-check his own harness, pointedly severing the eye contact.

Relief, thin but real, uncoils slightly in my chest, just knowing I won't be left behind. But the warmth I'd hoped for isn't there. He hasn't acceptedme; he'd accepted my utility for the mission. Maybe that flicker wasn't doubt but lingering resentment. Yet underneath the coldness, I see it.

Raw desperation. And maybe, just maybe, a sliver of hope buried so deep he hasn't acknowledged it himself. Hope that this might actually work. ThatImight actually be useful.

We are going to war for Lila. And this time, we won’t fail.

Chapter 28: The Final Knife

Lila

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