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“What are you doing here?!” I ask, my heart twisting as I stand up. I’m not frozen anymore, but that doesn’t mean the dread is gone.
Castor is here… even after Leo said he wouldn’t be. Something is wrong.
“I’m here for you,” Castor says, reaching out a hand to me as I stumble towards him.
“Where’s Leo?”
“Out chasing a distraction. He should be fine… I hope. But if we don’t leave right now, I can’t promise the same for us.”
Bile catches in my throat, causing me to stop before I can reach Castor’s outstretched hand.
“… What have you done, Castor?” I ask, holding out hope that this isn’t what it seems like.
“Nothing you wouldn’t want, Sophia. Trust me. I didn’t set a trap for your precious Leonid Barinov… but Retsos did. And he did it so that he could come get you. The bastard knows you’re here, Sophia. And I’ve come to make sure you don’t leave with him.”
34
Leo
“What do you mean you don’t have eyes on the brownstone yet?!”
Dread and fury cut through me as I race down a crowded sidewalk, pushing aside anyone who dares get in my way.
“Traffic is at a standstill. Apparently, bombs went off at four different intersections, all around midtown. No one is able to get in or out, at least, not unless they’re on foot.”
The second we heard about the explosions, I connected the dots. But I was too fucking late.
It’s all too clear now that I’ve been led on a wild goose chase all day. A frustrating distraction orchestrated by the Greeks to keep me away from Sophia.
They’re coming for her, and I’m a big enough fool that I might just let them get away with it.
“Send men on foot, send them on motorbikes, I don’t fucking care. Get someone to that brownstone now!” I shout, hanging up just as I turn down an alleyway shortcut that I hope will get me there faster.
But no matter how quickly I run, there’s no way I’ll be able to make it on time. Before they set off their strategically placed bombs, the Greeks were able to lead me all the way over to Colombia University.
Whatever tip Roman had gotten about the bomb threat at Yankee stadium, it was rotten. We didn’t know it at the time, but we spent hours sweeping the fucking place just to come up empty… well, except for a note.
Another riddle. Another threat. This one led us to West Harlem.
There was no bomb there either. Just another note. Another riddle. Another threat.
I knew something was wrong, but I couldn’t stop myself. When I left Sophia at the brownstone this morning, I promised to do my part. Coming home empty handed wasn’t an option.
Sure, it was obvious that the Greeks were leading me into a trap. But I was fine with that. As long as I could see them, I could fight them.
But my judgement was clouded. It wasn’t me they were after, it was her.
Fucking hell.
My heart clenches as I race through a one-way street that’s completely frozen with traffic. People have come out of their cars to complain about the hold-up. Through their open doors, I can hear the news reports.
“Four bombs have gone off… hundreds injured… sixteen confirmed dead…”
It only makes me run faster.
Whatever hope I had that we might be able to work with these monsters is gone. If they get Sophia, everything is over. She’ll be their prisoner. I know these type of men; they only listen to what they want to hear, and if she says something they don’t like, they’ll use her just like Retsos did… or they’ll discard her.
Then, we’ll just have a bunch of Greek fucking terrorists running around, causing chaos, pulling down my empire from the inside.
