Page 119 of Shadows of Steel
Ice floods my veins. “Explain.”
The guard swallows audibly. “He grabbed her wrist, tried to cover her mouth. We intervened in time, but we lost him.”
A slow, lethal exhale escapes me, my patience hanging by a fraying thread. “And no one saw his face?”
“No, sir. He was fast. Disappeared before we could get to him. He was wearing a mask. But…”
I catch the hesitation in his voice. “But what?”
The pause stretches, thick with something ominous. “He… left something behind. In her purse.”
A sick feeling coils deep in my gut. “What?”
He pauses as if searching for the right words. “A pair of panties, sir. Her panties. Drenched in blood. And a note.”
The world around me narrows. My vision darkens at the edges, my pulse pounding like war drums in my ears. Rage crashes through me, black and all-consuming. I end the call, already moving towards the door.
If that sick fuck were in front of me right now, I wouldn’t waste a bullet.
I’d tear him apart with my bare hands.
The convoy pulls up, the SUV doors flying open. Mattia is the first to launch out of the car, his small hands grabbing onto me before I can say a word. His tiny body shakes, his fingers clutching onto my shirt.
I bend down, holding his face between my palms. “You okay?”
He nods, eyes wild, furious. “I tried to stop him,” he mutters. “I screamed as loud as I could.”
A sharp pang claws at my chest. I grip his nape, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “You did good, kid.”
He steps back, his small jaw clenched with emotion, but I don’t have the luxury of offering further reassurance.
Because then, I see her.
My wife.
She steps out of the car, her expression eerily blank, shaken, but composed. Except for her hands. They’re trembling. And the moment I register that, I lose it.
I close the distance in two swift strides, pulling her flush against my chest. She doesn’t resist. She simply melts into me, letting me steady her, her fingers gripping the back of my shirt like a lifeline.
My lips graze her hairline, my voice a raw murmur. “You're safe, baby. I’ve got you.”
She nods, but I can feel her heart hammering against me.
She’s not safe. Not really.
I pull back just enough to cup her face, my gaze sharp, searching. “What did he leave?”
A shaky breath escapes her as she reaches for her purse, hands unsteady. I take it from her, flipping it open.
I see a delicate pair of panties, soaked in blood. Hers. Recognition strikes through me. He took them from our bedroom.
Every muscle in my body locks up, my jaw grinding so tight I swear I hear my own teeth creak.
Slowly, I unfold the note, my chest tightening with every word.
Your fate is sealed, your time is done.
You’ll be mine, there’s nowhere to run.
