Sirens blared off in the distance below.
I sat down and looked at the blood on my bare legs. “Give me your jacket.”
The pilot did. “I don’t think we can get down there.”
“We have to. They took Emily. She’s somewhere down there.”
“But the space between the buildings—”
“Get as low as you can!”
This is hopeless. No don’t say that. No. She’s down there.
But it was packed. The side of the building was pushing out black smoke. Hundreds of people had scattered below us. Among the civilians screaming, I spotted Paris police and French military.
You brought out all the stops, didn’t you, Jean-Pierre?
If we landed, I would be in custody and back to doing Jean-Pierre’s bidding.
The pilot tried his best, but I was no fool. The damn helicopter wouldn’t fit between the hotel and other buildings. The roads around it were too small and narrow.
Fuck! Fuck!
“Raise the helicopter.” I stared sadly at the sea of cars and people. My eyes watered, but I wouldn’t shed a tear. “Head to the airport.”
“Yes, sir.”
My heart broke.
“And give me your phone.”
“It’s gone, sir.”
What was the use of power, if I couldn’t keep my mouse safe? What was the point of having all the money and weapons in the world, if I couldn’t stop shit like this from happening?
The world spun around me, nothing but black-and-white space, fading in and out. No room. No feelings. No sounds. Not even any emotion. I became numb. Vacant. Terror-driven seconds ticked by, or maybe it was minutes. Too long.
The helicopter rose in the air and I gazed down below, wondering if I could spot Emily.
Please, Jean-Pierre. Please don’t hurt her. I’ll do anything. I’ll get your flute player. Just don’t hurt her.
My head spun out of control. I’d never been this out of it. I’d always been able to be calm and focused in the worse situations. Not today. In this moment, I was nothing. I had no power. No authority.
What the fuck do I do next?
I blinked and mentally shoved myself back to reality. My heart thundered in my chest.
“Get this helicopter to go faster,” I growled.
“Y-yes, sir.”
Perhaps, we sped up. I didn’t know. Blood rushed in my ears. My knees went weak. Thank God I was sitting. I might’ve passed out. I’d never felt so weak in my life. My hand trembled.
I told her I would protect her. I told her no one could ever go against us.
I swallowed hard as continuous panic swirled through me. All my money, men, nukes, the massive empire that I’d spent years building...and now I sat on a helicopter, half-naked and splattered with French blood.
Mysh.
My hands shivered. I was still holding the rocket launcher.
Please don’t hurt her. Please...
Chapter 21
Emily
Jean-Pierre’s limo sped through the street. It stank of more perfume and even sex. I didn’t know what he’d been doing in here earlier, but it definitely needed to be cleaned.
Several police cars flashed their lights and led the way.
The Butcher had complete control of Paris this morning. Kazimir had underestimated this man. He had more power than Blue had reported in the file.
How am I going to get away from them?
Meanwhile, Jean-Pierre sat on my right. Rafael was across me with other men. The whole time, Rafael watched me with anger in his eyes.
I turned back to Jean-Pierre—the Butcher. On my side, he tapped the bud in his ear. “Yes. I’m fine.”
He must still be talking to Louis.
I was glad I’d read Blue’s report on them. It had been the best timing of my life. The more information I knew about them, the more I could find a way to escape.
Jean-Pierre pressed the bud in his ear. “Yeah. We’re a block away in the limo, heading to Shalimar’s.”
Who’s Shalimar?
Rafael spoke up, “Tell him the restaurant, not the woman.”
Jean-Pierre scrunched his face in confusion. “What? We’re going to the woman not the restaurant.”
The restaurant or the woman? What the fuck are they talking about?
Rafael frowned. “Giorgio wants steak-frites—”
“Eden is gone.” Jean-Pierre glared. “I don’t give a fuck what Giorgio wants—”
“When’s the last time you ate?” Rafael asked.
Jean-Pierre shook his head. “I’m not hungry—”
“I’m overriding you. Let’s get some food and regroup.”
“We don’t need to regroup.”
Rage blazed in Rafael’s eyes as his voice rose. “We do, because we fucking kidnapped the Lion’s chick!”
I gulped in fear.
Just when I thought Jean-Pierre and Rafael were going to fight in the limo, he touched the earbud and calmly said, “Louis, we’ll meet at the restaurant. Giorgio’s hungry and Rafael wants to...regroup.” I didn’t know what Louis’s response was, but Jean-Pierre rolled his eyes. “I figured Kazimir would bring all his people out here.”
Kaz is getting the Bratva in Paris? Good. Protect yourself. I’ll sneak away.
“No,” Jean-Pierre said. “Don’t kill his men. They could help find Eden. Do you have an eye on Kazimir?”
I turned his way.
Where is he?
Jean-Pierre frowned. “I thought we killed the guards. Fine.”
The conversation must’ve ended.
Jean-Pierre took the ear bud out of his ear and turned toward the window.
The sun hovered over Paris.
What is he thinking now?
I twisted the sheet in my lap, trying to calm myself.
Jean-Pierre took out his phone and tossed it to me. “Call your brother.”
Yes. Thank God.
I picked up the phone with shaking hands, turned it on, dialed, and waited.
Maxwell, you better answer! Please. I need you.
When Maxwell picked up, I let out the longest breath in my life.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Loud music sounded on the other line. I had no idea where he was. It had to have been a party. Feminine giggling came next.
“Shell-o?” Maxwell stuttered. From the word and tone, I knew he was drunk.
Shit.
“What does my Em need?” Maxwell chuckled. “Are you missing daddy?”
Jesus Christ. How much did you drink?
“Maxwell, are you with Misha?” I asked.
“Hells yeah!” Maxwell yelled over the music. “I’m in Paris. I heard you were here too. Misha is scared. I told him it’ll be fine.”
What was he doing here?
Maxwell continued. “We’re in the motherfucker strip club, making it rain. Well, they don’t really make it rain here.”
“What? Strip club?”
“We’re giving them cases of money. Dollars. Naw. What we giving them? Yeah. Yeah. We franc’ed up. Two-hundred-kay. Something light on these chicks. Heard you were here, so—”
“Go outside.”
“What? Come on.” Maxwell laughed. “Go outside? Away from the naked women? Is it an emergency?”
“Yes!”