I let out a string of curses, kicking my feet in the air.
“Stay away from me,” I said between ragged breaths. “You’re ruining everything!”
“Calm down.”
It had the exact opposite effect. I swung my head, headbutting his nose with the back of my skull.
“Fuck.”
It was the last thing I heard as I was dragged into unconsciousness.
Chapter 35
Kingston
Thank fuck I had the tranquilizer with me.
I wasn’t expecting her to thank me on her knees, but I certainly didn’t expect her to lose her shit and attempt to run back to Perez. This goddamned woman went full savage.
Alexei handed me a handkerchief, and I wiped my bleeding nose.
By the time I’d gotten back to bid on Romero’s daughter, the auction was finished. So, dialing in to my brother’s broadband satellite, I quickly got a message to Kian Cortes and dropped our location pin. He’d get it to the Leone brothers, who would ensure she was rescued. Nobody knew Perez’s ways and location better than his own brother, Kian.
My primary focus had to be getting Liana out of there before Sofia Volkov showed up. In fact, I was surprised she hadn’t swooped in yet.
“Want me to take her?” Alexei offered. A muscle in my jaw flexed, something about any man getting near an unconscious Liana rubbing me the wrong way.
“No.”
He nodded. “You sure about this?”
I lowered my gaze to her sleeping face. Like this, she looked young and untainted. The picture of innocence.
“Yes.”
“If you need anything else, you know how to get in touch with me.”
“Thank you.” I turned to face him. “And tell Rora not to worry.”
The corners of his lips lifted. “No promises there.” His eyes lowered to Liana’s slumped form. “She looks nothing likeher.”
Her. Sofia Volkov. The woman who’d brought so much misery to so many people.
“She doesn’t,” I agreed, shoving the bloody handkerchief into my pocket and heading toward the helicopter.
There was more to Liana than met the eye, and I needed to peel back her layers to understand what had happened to her. I needed to fulfill my promise. And most of all, I needed to understand this attraction.
I strapped her in, fastening the seat belt across her chest. A soft moan snatched my attention, and sneaking a look at her face, I froze as the old pain slashed through me. Her curls. Her soft, full lips. There was something there. She looked so fuckingfamiliar.
She’s her twin, my reason scoffed. Logic didn’t do much to assuage my guilt and confusion. In fact, my hopeful heart wanted to remain blind.
Another breathy moan, and my dick twitched.
I rubbed a hand over my face.
Why was it that both my heartandmy dick were in the business of fucking me over?
I’d purchased this island in the Mediterranean through Kristoff Baldwin.