“Don’t worry,” he said gently. “She won’t be a problem anymore.”
Then his hand lifted.
“Take her.”
Strong hands hauled me up before I could react. I fought, screamed, begged, but they dragged me away, my cries drowned out by Asher’s laughter fading behind me.
A metal door slammed shut.
No windows. No light.
I pounded on it until my fists throbbed and my ribs screamed.
“Please! Dominic—Marina—please!”
No answer.
Only the ticking countdown in my head.
My phone was still in my pocket. With shaking fingers, I pulled it out. There was only one name left to call.
I pressed dial.
It rang.
Once. Twice.
Then—
“Dimitri speaking.”
My finger hovered over Dimitri Ambramov’s name, frozen in place, while my entire body shook like it knew what this call would cost me. I had sworn—promised myself—I would never reach out to him again. Not in this life. Not ever. I had chosen a smaller existence with Dominic, one built on caution and compromise, hollow and poisonous but predictable. I told myself that was enough. That was my punishment and my reward.
But this wasn’t about me anymore.
This was about Ethan.
I pressed call.
“Dimitri… it’s me. Vivienne.”
There was a pause on the other end. Not silence—control.