Chapter One Hundred And Thirty Five

Theo's POV

The evening sky burned in hues of crimson and violet, but I barely noticed.

Sofia was gone.

And so was Thomas.

I gripped the edge of my desk, my jaw clenched so tightly it ached. The clock on the wall ticked away the seconds, each one slicing through my patience like a dull blade.

Where the hell was she?

I grabbed my phone and dialed, barely giving my men a chance to pick up before barking, "Where is she?"

A beat of silence.

Then a hesitant voice answered, "We're still looking, sir. There's been no-"

I slammed my fist onto the desk, the sharp crack of wood splitting the air. "Not good enough." My voice was low, dangerous. "You had one job. One. And you're telling me you still have nothing?"

"We're tracking his movements-"

"I don't want updates. I want results!" I roared, breathing heavily. My pulse pounded in my ears. "If she's not back by midnight, every single one of you will be dead."

A thick silence hung in the air.

The man on the other end of the call swallowed audibly. Good. He should be afraid.

"Yes, sir," he stammered. "We-we'll find her."

I ended the call with a sharp click, my jaw tightening until pain radiated up my temples.

My men were supposed to be the best. Efficient. Ruthless. Yet hours had passed, and they still had nothing.

I shoved away from my desk, pacing the room like a caged animal. The weight of my gun rested heavy at my hip, but it did nothing to ease the storm raging inside me.

Sofia was gone.

Taken.

By him.

Thomas was my twin brother. The one I never knew existed.

I could feel the burn of the secret, the weight of it pressing down on me like a vice. How the hell did my mother hide something so big, so crucial from me? All these years, I had no idea. She never said a word, never mentioned him. Not a single hint, and I had believed everything she told me.

The realization hit me harder than anything else.

I was standing on the edge of a cliff now, and Thomas was the force that would push me over. The fact that he had been hiding in the shadows all this time, plotting, waiting for the right moment-it made me sick.

I was still pacing when my phone rang again. My heart leapt in my chest, but I didn't let the hope rise too high. It was too early for good news.

I grabbed the phone without hesitation, snapping it to my ear. "Report."

The voice on the other end was sharp, a slight edge of urgency in the tone. "Sir, we've found one of Thomas's men."

My pulse quickened, but I fought to keep my voice steady. "Where?"

"Near the docks, about two miles from here. He's lying low, but we've got eyes on him."

"Get a team down there. I want him alive," I ordered, already heading for the door. "And make it fast. No screw-ups this time."

"Yes, sir."

I slammed the door behind me, barely noticing the cold wind that greeted me as I stepped outside. The city felt like a warzone, each corner filled with enemies, but nothing mattered right now but Sofia.

I was done waiting. I couldn't afford any more delays. If Thomas thought he could use his damn game of chess to win, he was sorely mistaken.

I didn't need a plan. I didn't need patience.

I needed answers.

And I wasn't going to stop until I got them.

I pulled up to the docks in record time, the roar of my engine deafening in the otherwise quiet night. My men were already surrounding the area, tense and ready. I didn't waste time with pleasantries.

"Where is he?" I growled, locking eyes with the first soldier I saw.

"He's holed up in an abandoned warehouse nearby. We've got eyes on him, but he hasn't moved."

"Good. I'm going in."

The warehouse was dark, the only light coming from the weak glow of a single lamp hanging in the corner. My boots echoed on the concrete as I moved swiftly, my men following closely behind. I could feel my pulse thrumming in my ears, the anticipation of finally getting close to Thomas's operation gnawing at me.

I knew one thing for sure: I wasn't letting this bastard slip away.

We reached the man in the corner of the room, his hands bound and his head hanging low. He wasn't looking up, not until I yanked his head back, forcing him to meet my gaze.