Page 54 of Savage Little Secret

I suppose I can’t complain. I’m one of the many shadows turning this city into a bloody hellscape.

By the time that I’m done ripping every inch of this place apart and questioning every person in my path, everyone will know who I’m looking for. Everyone will know who I am.

They can have their councils and alliances. I have one purpose now: Cara.

And whoever stands between me and the woman I love will be buried.

20

Dmitri

Ever since Cara disappeared, I haven’t liked being back in my office.

Even with Andrei here with me now, the space feels too quiet and lonely without her.

She’s not bringing in two coffees and that overly sweet cherry pastry. She’s not working on the other side of my desk with her brow creased in concentration. And she’s not strutting around in those sexy skirts or dresses that she knew were driving me insane.

I don’t want to be here without her.

“Dmitri,” Andrei says, lifting his chin from where he’s posted in Cara’s chair.

I drag my focus back to him. “What?” I ask him as I grab my glass of vodka and take a sip.

“I had one of my guys canvass a town about thirty miles from the crash site,” Andrei replies, his brow furrowing in concern. He needs to stop looking at me like that.

“Anything?” I ask him, already knowing the answer. He would’ve blown up my phone immediately if so.

Andrei shakes his head as he slumps back in his seat. “He asked around about a girl who looked like Cara, and no one had seen anyone like her.”

“Whoever hit her wouldn’t risk stopping that close to the scene,” I say as I stand from my chair to slowly pace around the office.

It doesn’t matter how many places I go or what all I do every single day to try to find her. It feels like I’m stuck in one place, not doing a damn thing.

“If we at least knew what the car that hit her looked like, we would have somewhat of a lead.” Andrei sighs, leaning his head against his palm.

“We have nothing to go on,” I mutter as I drag my fingers through my hair, resisting the urge to rip out the strands. “She could be gone.”

“If so, wouldn’t you still want to find out who killed her and why?” Andrei points out.

I pause, my eyes shifting to his. Anyone else would tense up thinking they crossed a line, but Andrei just stares back. He knows my answer.

“The only semblance of hope that I have of her not already being dead is that they would’ve paraded it in front of me. Or Sean,” I tell him as I continue pacing around behind my desk. “What’s the point of killing her without making it known to us? Wouldn’t that be the point?”

The sound of my cell phone ringing cuts me off abruptly, my eyes darting to it as it sits on my desk. Most of the time, it’s something to do with business or a frustrated family member, but an unexplainable feeling deep inside of me doesn’t think that’s the case this time.

“No Caller ID,” Andrei tells me as he glances at the screen, his expression tight.

I stride over to my desk to answer and put the call on speaker, but I remain silent as the call goes live.

At first, there’s only silence. Then, a deep, raspy breath shudders out of the speaker. “Hello, Dmitri.”

My blood runs cold as the distorted voice greets me. This isn’t someone from the Council or my family.

“Who is this?” I demand as I lean closer to the phone.

“That’s none of your concern for now. I think you’d rather talk about Cara.”

I inhale sharply, anger already flooding my veins. This call isn’t going to bring me relief. It’s only going to piss me off. “Where is she?”