Chapter 33

As the fair lights flickered behind us, Dimitri and I walked hand in hand toward the car, the warmth of his fingers grounding me in the moment. The night air was crisp, carrying the lingering scent of caramel and popcorn.

"I have to admit," Dimitri mused, glancing at me with a smirk, "this was better than I expected."

I grinned. "See? Normal can be fun."

He hummed in response, his thumb grazing the back of my hand in absent affection. But just as we neared the car, a blur of movement caught my eye.

Before either of us could react, a figure emerged from the shadows, grabbing Dimitri's arm. Instinct took over—Dimitri yanked back, shoving me behind him in one swift motion. My heart pounded as I took a step back, ready to react.

Then I saw who it was.

"Laurel?" I gasped.

Dimitri relaxed slightly, his sharp gaze narrowing at the man before him. Laurel, one of his most trusted bodyguards, was breathing hard, his dark clothes blending into the night.

"I needed to get to you fast, boss," Laurel said, his voice low but urgent.

Dimitri exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face. "You have a damn habit of showing up like this, Laurel.”

Laurel's eyes flickered toward me briefly before settling back on Dimitri. "Boss, there's a problem. It's Elena."

I stiffened beside Dimitri.

"What happened?" Dimitri's voice dropped into a dangerous calm.

"She's been taken." Laurel's tone was grim. "We don't have all the details yet, but she was last seen leaving the company building. She never made it home."

My stomach twisted. Elena.

It's been two days of peace for us yet there's something happening behind our back.

Dimitri's expression didn't change, but I felt the shift in his energy—a quiet, deadly focus settling over him.

"Do we know who?" he asked.

“Not yet, but we're working on it. There was no ransom demand, no warning. It wasn't a random attack, boss.”

Dimitri's jaw clenched, his grip on my hand tightening before he let go. I knew what was coming.

"You're going after her," I said softly.

He turned to me, his gaze unreadable. "I have to, darling."

I nodded, already knowing my place in this. "I'll go back to the villa."

Dimitri hesitated. "Ophelia—"

"It's safe," I interrupted, lifting my chin. "And you need to focus. If Elena is in danger, then you can't afford any distractions."

His eyes searched mine, a war waging behind them. He hated leaving me, I could tell.

"Laurel will take you back," he finally said, voice tight.

"I'll be fine," I reassured him.

Dimitri exhaled, then reached for me, pulling me in for a brief but intense kiss.

"Lock the doors. Don't open them for anyone but me."

I nodded against his chest.

He lingered for a second before pulling away, turning to Laurel.

"Get her home safe."

Before Dimitri could step away completely, Laurel reached into his pocket, pulling out a set of keys. He tossed them toward Dimitri, who caught them effortlessly.

"Take my car, boss," Laurel said.

Dimitri studied the keys for a brief moment before nodding.

"Good thinking."

Laurel gave a tight smirk.

"Always."

Despite the tension in the air, I caught the brief exchange of trust between them. Dimitri didn't hesitate to take the keys—he trusted Laurel with his life, and vice versa.

"Be careful, boss, " Laurel added, his tone edged with concern.

Dimitri's lips curved into a smirk, but his eyes were cold. "They should be the ones worried."

Without another word, he turned and disappeared into the night, the keys clutched in his hand.

I exhaled, my heart still racing. Laurel motioned toward the car we had arrived in, his movements still slightly stiff from his injury.

"Come on, let's get you back, Madam."

I hesitated, watching the direction Dimitri had gone. But I knew staying here wouldn't help. Taking a deep breath, I nodded and followed Laurel to the car.

As Laurel drove through the quiet streets, I sat in the passenger seat, my mind racing. The weight of what had just happened pressed heavily on my chest.

Elena wasn't just Dimitri's secretary.

She was his mother's only sister.

His aunt.

I had learned the truth months ago, though Dimitri rarely spoke about it. To the outside world, Elena was nothing more than his highly competent and fiercely loyal assistant. But in reality, she was one of the last connections he had to his mother.

And now, she was in danger.

I gripped my hands together, my nails digging into my palms. Dimitri had to save her—he would save her. There was no other option.

"You're quiet, Madam," Laurel noted, his voice breaking through my thoughts.

I glanced at him, taking in the exhaustion lining his face. His injured shoulder still bothered him, though he did his best to hide it.

"I just…" I hesitated before admitting, "Elena's important to him. More than most people realize."

Laurel nodded once. "She's family."

I swallowed, feeling the weight of that word. Family. Dimitri had lost so much of it already, just like me. Elena was the one person who had remained—a silent but steady presence in his life.

"She raised him after his mother died, didn't she?" I asked softly.

Laurel's hands tightened briefly on the wheel.

"She did what she could. His father wouldn't let her take him away, but she stayed close. She made sure he wasn't completely alone."

That was just like Elena—quietly protecting, always in the background. And now, someone had taken her.

Laurel sighed, shifting slightly, likely to ease the discomfort in his shoulder.

"I get why you're worried, Madam," he said. "But boss isn't the kind of man who lets people he cares about get taken. Just like what happened to you the other time."

I nodded, my chest aching with the need to do something. But all I could do now was wait.

"Who do you think took her?" I asked after a moment.

Laurel exhaled through his nose, his expression darkening. "Someone who knows exactly who she is to him. That's what worries me."

A chill ran through me.

This was't just an attack on Elena.

This was an attack on Dimitri.

Whoever took her knew what they were doing. And if they had the audacity to go after someone Dimitri cared about, then they weren't afraid of him.

Which meant this was far from over.

As the villa's gates came into view, I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm.

Dimitri would save Elena.

He had to.

As the car pulled through the villa's gates, I felt a small wave of relief. The night had been nothing short of overwhelming, but at least I was somewhere safe now.

Laurel parked smoothly, shutting off the engine. He didn't say anything right away, just exhaled deeply, his fingers tapping once against the wheel before he turned to me.

"We're here, Madam." he said.

I nodded, my hand reaching for the door handle, but something nagged at the back of my mind.

Dimitri had told me before—no one else knows about this place besides me.

Then… how did Laurel know where to go?

I hadn't given him directions. I hadn't even mentioned the villa's location. Yet he had driven here without hesitation, as if he had been here before.

The realization sent a cold chill through me.

I turned to him slowly, my pulse spiking.

"Laurel, how did you—"

A sharp sting pierced the side of my neck.

I barely had time to react before a wave of dizziness crashed over me, my limbs turning sluggish. My vision blurred at the edges, and I barely registered Laurel's expression—his jaw tight, his eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place.

Regret.

"I'm sorry, Madam." his voice reached me distantly. "I had to do this."

I tried to speak, tried to move, but my body refused to listen.

The last thing I saw before darkness took over was Laurel's shadowed figure reaching for me.