Page 157 of Sinful Lord

Somehow, Melina was able to send an email to her family. She asked to be rescued.

This is her reply to the question I asked before I left.

She doesn’t want to be mine.

“All I ever did was care for her,” I whisper, dropping my head.

“No. I’m not fucking falling for it,” Rian huffs. “Not even for a second. If you cared for my sister, why the hell would you lock her up? Huh?”

Fighting through my growing agony, I force myself to look up at the raging king. He shakes the pain from his hand. My blood paints his knuckles.

“I could ask you the same question.”

That freezes him. But only for a moment. Then his fury takes over again.

“She was safe at home,” he bellows.

“She was safe with me,” I return. “But now she’s all alone. And that’s your fault.”

The reminder seems to snap Rian back on track. He glares over at Maksim and the old Russian nods in silent agreement.

“Enough of this,” the young king sneers, his tone flattening. Lowering his gun to my kneecap, he glares at me without mercy. “Where is she?”

“A house on Wannsee lake,” I quickly reveal, not because I’m scared of any pain he might inflict upon me, but for the sake of Melina’s safety.

I wasn’t lying. She’s all alone. And I only care about her safety, even if she doesn’t care about me at all.

“Give us the address,” Maksim demands, taking out his phone.

But I find myself shaking my head.

“No. You’ll have to take me with you. I need to see her one last time. Just to tell her—”

“That’s out of the fucking question,” Rian interrupts. “Now give my uncle the address or I blow you kneecap to hell.”

“Please…”

“Rian, I—”

Before Maksim can finish, a loud thud draws his attention away from me. Rian whips around too. Together, they aim their weapons into the darkness.

For a tense moment, no one makes a sound.

“Who is it?” Rian finally calls out.

“Let me help,” I silently croak, my fingers flexing as I try to break from the rope confining me to this chair. But it’s no use. Neither men hear me as they stalk towards the danger.

Then, a new voice enters the fray.

“What’s got your panties all up in a bunch?”

Considering the circumstances, the words are so casual it’s jarring. Hell, I almost manage to convince myself I’m imagining things… until Rozalia pops around the corner.

Gabriel follows in her footsteps.

They both stop dead when they see me.

“You’re supposed to be out finding Krol,” Rian growls.