Chapter 82

NOLAN’S POV

I felt a dull throbbing pain in my head as I slowly gained consciousness. My throat was dry, and the metallic taste of blood sat stubbornly on my tongue.

I turned my head slowly to look around the dimly lit room I was in. My wrists were tied behind my back, the rope biting into my skin. 

Dimitri was slumped unconscious beside me, dried blood staining his temple. Our men were tied up across the room, still unconscious. 

Where the hell were we?

I sat up slowly, trying to piece together the last thing I remembered. We were closing in on the location of Raul’s sponsor. Months of intel had led to that warehouse. As we circled the perimeter, we got grenades thrown at us scattering our formation.

And then toxic gas got thrown at us that turned everything black.

Dimitri stirred beside me.

“Dimitri,” I called.

He sat up looking confused. "What the...?" He asked with a grunt as he pulled on the ropes.

I kicked him in the shin.

“Damn it, Nolan,” he said, flinching. “What the hell was that for?!”

“To wake you up to look at the shit you got us into,” I said, giving him a blank look. 

“Do you remember anything?” I asked, looking around the room.

He winced. “Just... the grenades, the noise, and the gas. Then nothing.”

He looked around at the unconscious crew members in the room. “Shit.”

“Yeah. Shit,” I said coolly. “So much for your ‘foolproof plan’

“It was foolproof,” he snapped back. “They weren’t supposed to know we were coming.”

“Then fucking explain this,” I snapped. “We walked straight into a goddamn ambush. That doesn’t happen unless someone talks.”

He frowned, trying to think about what could have gone wrong. “Could’ve been a coincidence. Maybe a lookout—”

I let out a deep sigh. “They were ready for us, Dimitri. This wasn’t just a lucky hit. They were waiting for us.”

Dimitri looked away. “There must’ve been a leak. I swear—”

“You swore you had this shit locked down,” I cut in. “You had one fucking job, Dimitri."

“You think this is my fault?” he shot back, eyes narrowing.

“I know this is your fault,” I said coolly. “Your plan. Your men. Your intel.”

“Fuck you, Nolan.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You already did that when you led us into this mess.”

Before he could respond, the heavy metal door swung open. 

Six fully armed men walked in, dressed in black, and faces masked.

Behind them, was a face I recognized a little too well. Raul’s sponsor.

I straightened, pulling against the ropes instinctively as he moved with measured steps and settled himself in a chair positioned in the center of the room without saying a word.

Two of the armed men grabbed me, yanking me to my knees in front of him. I stared up at him. “Who the hell are you?”

He tilted his head. “I thought you were competent. Turns out I was wrong, huh?”

“Cut the crap –”

I didn’t finish my sentence before one of his men punched me in the face. 

“You see, you’re on my turf. Which means my rules.” He said with a scoff. “You don’t get to talk shit to me.”

I let out a laugh as I looked him in the face. “No shit, that’s why you’ve got your minions doing the work for you.”

“Nice try, I’m not giving in to your stupid games,” he said as he leaned back into his chair. 

“You’ve been ducking my radar for months,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “Every time we get close, you vanish.”

“That’s because I only get found when I want to be found,” he replied with a smirk.

“You mean when you’ve set a trap.”

He spread his hands casually. “And you walked right in without resistance. That part was... satisfying.”

“You need a medal for that?” I asked sarcastically. 

He chuckled, shaking his head. “You really don’t get it, do you? This isn’t just about outsmarting you. This is about ruining you.”

I stared at him, blood dripping from my lip. “You’re going to need more than these theatrics for that.”

“You’ve built a little empire. Tough guy with powerful allies and loyal men. But you’ve got a weakness. You all do.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And what’s that?”

He smiled thinly. “You trust too much. That’s always the beginning of the end. You surround yourself with people you think would die for you. But guess what? In the end, everyone would look out for themselves.”

I didn’t blink. “You really do enjoy talking in riddles, don’t you?”

“Not at all.” He stood again and walked a slow, deliberate circle around me. “You know what I admire about your type, Nolan? You believe you’re untouchable. You really do. You walk into rooms like this thinking you’ll get out. That’s cute.”

I snorted. “I’ve gotten out of worse.”

He leaned close, his breath brushing my ear. “Not this time.”

I clenched my jaw. “You’ve been messing with my business. Destroying shipments. Taking out my men. Why?”

His smile turned sinister. “Because it was the perfect distraction.”

“You picked the wrong person to screw with.”

“No, Nolan,” he said, leaning forward. “I picked exactly the right one.”

I yanked against the ropes. “What the fuck do you want?”

“Oh, Nolan…” he exhaled, almost mockingly. “I’m here to ruin you.”

“I don’t even fucking know you,” I said looking at him blankly. 

“And that’s the point, Nolan.” he paused. “You’re not supposed to.”

“You just look like some attention-starved bastard. You clearly don’t know who you’re dealing with.”

“I know exactly who I’m dealing with. That’s why this is so fun,” he said.

I narrowed my eyes. “You’re doing this for someone, aren’t you?”

His smile deepened. “Ah. Now you’re thinking.”

He stood from the chair and walked around the room. “This will be your burial site, Nolan. My boss will be exceptionally pleased.”

I stared at him. “You’ve got a boss?”

He laughed. Not just a chuckle. A deep laugh that bounced off the walls.

“Of course,” he said. “What the hell would I want with you? “I’m just the executioner.”

I gritted my teeth. “Then who the fuck is pulling the strings?”

He tilted his head. “I would’ve said you’ll meet him soon enough. But you’ll never.”

I lunged against the ropes. “Then tell me who the hell he is!”

He slowly raised a pistol and pointed it at my forehead, a wicked grin forming on his face.

“I can do you one last favor before I finish you off,”  he said, lowering his gun. “You should’ve vetted your inner circle more carefully.”

I froze. “What the hell does that mean?”

He stood and walked a slow circle around me.

“You just told my boss to take care of your wife,” he whispered behind me.

“What?” 

I thought about his words…that phrase…

Take care of my wife?

My mind rewound—Nolan’s mom folding onesies. Anna laughing. My hands on her belly. Me walking out the door. Ivan standing behind her. Turning to Ivan.

“Keep her safe.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

Ivan.

He was always there.

He’d driven her to the clinic.

He knew the routes.

He was at the house.

He was always at the house.

The realization suddenly hit me..

It was Ivan.

A loud gunshot rang through the room, cutting through my spiraling thoughts.

I gasped, looking down as blood seeped through my shirt.