The silence in the penthouse was deafening. I stood a few feet away from Damien, arms wrapped tightly around myself like a shield. My wrists still burned from the rope, and every part of my body felt heavy with exhaustion and fear. The man I loved was standing right in front of me, but for the first time since we met, he felt dangerously unfamiliar.
“Elena,” Damien said softly, taking one careful step toward me. “Please don’t do this. Don’t pull away from me right now.”
I took a step back, my voice trembling but determined. “I need you to let them go.”
He froze. “What?”
“Victor and Marcus,” I said, my eyes filling with tears again. “You have them, don’t you? I heard the call. You gave the orders. You have them somewhere right now.”
Damien’s jaw tightened. He didn’t deny it. “They kidn
