Fear

"Ah, the famous Sofia McCommer! I have been hearing about you for so long, but never had the chance to meet you. But today, I must say, I feel lucky," the third man said, flashing me a rakish smile. A small golden tooth shone in between his set of upper teeth.

The strong Russian accent of his left me a hint of who he was.

Marcus Petrosyan. The bastard uncle of Adrian. And Monet's another pawn after Russell Checknov to bring us down.

"Meet my dear friend and trusted ally, Marcus Petrosyan. You must've heard of him before, haven't you, little one?"

Yes, the man who was set to destroy my Adrian.

I gritted my teeth recalling the attacks he had run on us.

"A beautiful prisoner you got there, James. Now I understand why my infamous heartless dear nephew suddenly got so smitten with a woman," commented Marcus. The way his reddish eyes trailed down my body, vile rose in my throat.

Milton let out a snort as a smirk tugged up the corner of Monet's lips.

"I'm glad you liked the little bird in my cage."

As if all the fear suddenly vanished into the thin air, I held Monet's gaze in a burning glare. My fists curled behind my back.

"This bird isn't gonna be caged here for long, Monet. Because my father and Adrian are gonna come here soon. So you better be prepared for your doom," I hissed out.

Alex threw a glance that held a warning. But my blood was boiling in my blood to care for anything at that moment. As if all the fears and sufferings had reached their limits, and now there were only two things. Rage and hatred.

As if my outburst didn't have a single effect on him, he just tilted his head. "Trust me, I don't want anything more at this moment than for them to come here. I have a lot of things to settle with your father, so I will handle him. But that Larsen boy," his narrowed dark green eyes darted to Marcus, "he has been a nuisance for me. Always there whenever I attempted to get a hold on her, saving her from me. And I don't want anyone in my path, Marcus. Definitely not a powerful billionaire who has law and system in his pockets. Take care of him."

"Oh, I will. Trust me. My dear brother's son won't live for long." Marcus chuckled.

A dread ran down my spine.

What was he planning to do?

"Now that we have her, both Adrian Larsen and Leonardo McCommer will be here soon. Then you handle her father and I will finish my birth enemy's son," he added, his lips curled into a dirty smile.

"No, you won't! You won't even be able to touch a single strand of him, you bastard!" I snapped, tugging at the ropes around my wrists, to set free and wrap my fingers around his throat.

But lucky for him, my bindings were too strong.

"Watch your mouth, little one! I won't tolerate such language in my home. And definitely not against my friend," Monet warned, his tone was harsh.

He could torture a little girl and couldn't tolerate a swear?

I didn't know even psycho villains like him had manners.

"I don't mind though," Marcus said. Stepping forward, he crouched down before me. "A beauty with a sharp mouth, wonderful combination."

When he cupped my chin, I jerked away from his touch. But he then gripped my jaw and made me face him.

"Get your hands off her, Marcus! Don't you dare touch her!"

As Alex tried to reach me using his knees, Milton came forward and kicked in his gut, making his back pin against the wall. He let out a groan of pain.

"Alex!"

"Shut up!" Milton snapped.

"See? Now you don't want that to happen, do you? So why don't you be a good girl and cooperate?" Brushing his filthy thumb over my jaw, Marcus whispered. "Because I can promise you, once we take care of your boyfriend and Dad, I will keep you safe from James. I can take you to Russia along with me. Now I can't let a beautiful girl like you die in that cruel way, can I?"

Disgusted, I jerked away from him again. "Stay away from me!"

"Sofia!" Alex called out, trying to balance himself and come to help me even when he was tied.

"Stay where you are!" Milton pushed him back with his feet again. Then curling his fist around his hair, he leaned down to Alex's eye level. "If you don't want the special treatment like last night, you better keep your mouth shut!"

"Let him go!" A yell escaped my lips. "I swear I will kill you, Milton! Keep your hands away from my brother!"

My eyes burned at the helplessness I felt at that moment. But I had to keep strong. I couldn't let them show my weakness.

"Okay, enough of this!" Monet's voice boomed across the small room. "Milton, let's get done with what we are here for. Stop wasting time!"

At his boss' order, Milton swiftly stepped away from Alex while Marcus was lazy in his movement. But he did leave my breathing space, thankfully.

As two more men strolled in with a tripod and a camera, I moved closer to Alex using my knees. When those eyes in pain met mine, my heart twisted down my ribcage. Rage boiled through my veins.

"D-don't worry. I'm fine," he uttered, between a cough.

I shook my head. "You're not! Look what they have done to you." Letting out a shaky breath, I turned to Monet. "What the fuck do you want from us? Let us go! Because you're not gaining anything by torturing us like that! You hear me? Nothing!"

My lower lip trembled with fury. I struggled with the ropes again, but to no avail. I was helpless.

And as if I didn't say anything, Monet didn't even acknowledge my words.

"Alright, let's start shooting. Make sure they get our message very clean and clear," he said to the cameraman who set the camera on the tripod before us.

What was he talking about? What message?

"Don't worry, I will make sure they get our message clean and clear," replied Milton, stealing a smirk from Marcus.

At Milton's nod, when the cameraman went to start the camera, Monet's voice rang in the air.

"Stop!"

"What happened, boss?" A brow of Milton quirked.

Rubbing his jaw, the psycho man surveyed us with a calculating gaze. "Don't you think something is missing?"

"What?"

Alex shared a look with me, his features held concern.

"That boy has several marks on him to show his misery to his father, but her?" Monet pointed a finger at me. "She lacks them. Now we can't keep any insufficiency in our hospitality to these McCommers, can we, Milton?"

My heart stopped in my chest. Fear gnawed inside me.

But not letting it show, I held a straight face as my eyes met Milton's. A smirk tugged up his pale lips.

"Well, I can arrange that," he said, stepping close to me.

"No! Don't touch her Milton…."

Alex's voice overpowered the buzz in my ears when Milton's hand met my jaw, sending darkness before my vision for a moment.

A whimper of pain soon slipped my lips as he pulled at my hair, before another smack hit my face, making me fall on the ground on my side. A gasp escaped me at the throbbing pain in my head and face. The metallic taste in my mouth made me nauseous.

"Sofia! No, please! Don't hurt her!" Alex screamed. "I beg you, please! Please, leave her alone!"

A kick soon followed in my stomach, knocking the breath out of my lungs. The pain was so intense, not a sound escaped my lips. Nor could I breathe for a moment.

From the corner of my blurred vision, I found Marcus holding Alex back, before pushing him against the wall.

Tears slipped down my cheeks as Milton pulled at my hair again and held my face towards the camera.

They were filming all of this. Our torture, to torture our family.

I didn't want my family to see this. I didn't want HIM to see this.

"L-let go of me!" I hissed, trying to pull my face away from the camera. But he only tightened his fist around my hair.

Another pain jolted through my scalp.

Still, I struggled to free myself in Milton's hold. While he flashed a sick smile towards the camera, before glancing at Monet.

"Satisfied, boss?"

Rewarding his dog with a nod, he said, "Very." Then he turned to the cameraman. "This should be enough for now. You can leave."

When the cameraman and the other man who came along with him left, Monet looked at me. Not a flicker of emotions was there.

"I wish I could see your father's face when he sees this little gift of mine. But never mind, I will fulfill this wish soon when he will be on his knees before me, begging to me for his family's life. But I won't be able to do anything about it. See, little one? Karma is a bitch." Dead eyes held mine. "An eye for an eye, a family for a family."

Family?

"Let's go, Marcus, Milton. Let's see what Leonardo McCommer and Adrian Larsen say about this video, how Sinister Petrosyan reacts to this. I'm sure you will love your brother and nephew's reaction very much," he said, already turning to the door. "A reaction that's gonna come very soon."

With that, he walked out of the door with his minions on his trail. But not before Marcus sent me a look over his shoulder. A look that promised a visit soon.

***

Adrian's POV

"Don't worry, we will get Max out of their hands soon," I said. My tone sounded sympathetic and gentle to my ears as I spoke to my future father-in-law. Which was pretty surprising to me that I was talking to a mob boss in that calm manner.

Even showed compassion. Not to forget I accompanied him to find his elder son, who was also a part of the mafia gang.

Just a few days back, I wouldn't have believed if someone had told me I would stay under the same roof with them and also help them in things. Because with the passion I hated them, the people involved with the mafia world, I used to even hate to utter that word: criminal.

But because of the girl who now ruled over my heart and life, I was doing things I never even imagined in my worst nightmares. And I would go beyond the boundary for her if I had to.

I was aware how important her brothers were for her, her entire family. Even her irritating friends. Already Alex was out of reach, no one could trace him down, though I had an idea what happened to him. And now Max was also missing.

After he got some leads about Alex, he, along with some of his trusted men went to rescue Alex from Monet. But later it turned out to be another trap of that fucker James Monet. Apparently, he delivered false news of Alex to him and when Max went to look for his brother, an entire team of Monet's men surrounded him and took him away with them.

Later one of the men who went with Max, who luckily survived Monet's men, informed us about it. And whilst Robert was out of the town, my so-called father being busy to handle his bastard brother and Tim and Dominic being occupied with the safety of the mansion, I had no choice but to accompany Leo along with his and my men to try to find Max.

But even David, the man I hired to get information on Sofia, couldn't find Max's location. He was in Monet's captive, where I was sure Alex was as well. And we had to return without any success.

"I can't believe they were doing all this behind my back and I wasn't aware of it. At least I didn't expect this stupidity from Max. How the hell could he allow Alex to make such an unacceptable plan and put his life at risk!" Leo said, gritting his teeth. Dark shadows under his eyes proved the burden on his shoulders.

When Robert found out about Max's disappearance, as well as Alex's, he revealed everything to Leo without any delay. But it was too late, Monet had already played his game.

Hesitantly, I put a hand on his shoulder. I didn't realize showing sympathy to someone and giving support would be so hard until now.

But somehow, there was a concern in me for the two brothers. If something happened to them, my tigress wouldn't be able to handle it.

"I know whatever they had done was insane, but this isn't a time to curse them for that. We should go inside instead and think of a way out to get them back safely."

I took a swift glance at my wrist. It's been four hours since I left the mansion, since I left her behind. No matter how much I wanted to stay with her, not let her out of my sight even for a moment, I had to leave.

Not because I was trying to become a good son-in-law, I didn't care what Leo and his family thought of me. But I cared about my tigress. And she cared for her brothers. I did it for her, just like I was tolerating that old Petrosyan.

Leo nodded, letting out a tired sigh. "You're right. Let's go inside. I need to discuss something with Sinister. By the way, is he back yet?"

I jutted my chin towards the mansion. "Let's find out. I need to check on Sofia too. It's been hours since I left."

With that, without waiting for him, I strode inside the mansion. The speed of my steps told the desperation in me to see my woman.

I just hoped she didn't bring another trouble to her in my absence.

As soon as I walked through the door that led into the vast living room, an ambience that echoed silence greeted me.

Halting in my tracks, I roamed my gaze around the area.

Everyone was gathered in the room.

With Dominic and Sinister Petrosyan standing in the middle of the place, discussing something in their language, several guards stood close silently. The two guards that I kept to watch over Sofia were right beside the small bar in the room, with their heads down and hands behind at their backs.

And the thing that caught my attention was the ladies huddled together on the couch. Laura rubbed Sofia's mom's back while she sniffled. Mom on the other side held her hand tightly in hers, worry latched on her features, matching to the others in the room.

Everyone was there.

Except her.

I looked around, but there wasn't a sign or sound of her.

Something clenched in my gut. My heart beat slowed down to an ominous speed.

"What's happening here?" Leo asked once he entered the room behind me. Each pair of eyes snapped to him, before they landed on me, and lingered.

Except Sofia's mom, who let out a sob and ran into her husband's arms.

Something flashed across Dominic's eyes as my gaze met his. And that, maybe the first emotion he showed in years.

An apology.

My fists clenched. My breathing came out harsh as a drop of sweat rolled down the back of my neck. And the one emotion that I thought didn't exist in me for years, gripped my chest in its vice-like grip.

Fear.

"Where is she?" I asked, with my eyes still holding Dominic's. I left her here on the watch of his and Tim.

Silence. A muscle of his jaw ticked, but no words came out of his mouth.

I took a deep breath, my fists shaking at my sides. A fire slowly ignited in my chest before I felt it raging through every veins of mine.

"I'm asking you again, Dom. WHERE IS SHE?"

Again silence.

"Where the fuck is my Sofia?" My voice boomed across the room.

The ladies as well as the guards flinched in their places. But my vision was seeing red to even care.

"She is gone," he replied, and I felt my fucking heart stopped beating in my chest. "Tim took her away with him. And… it seems like he was the betrayer of the house."