SWNOVELS The Arrangement: Chapter 27
Adelina scrunches up her face, pushing the tiny espresso cup away with a dramatic shudder. ‘Yuck!’ she exclaims, her expression one of utter betrayal.
I can’t help but chuckle, having anticipated this reaction. ‘What? You don’t like it?’ I tease, already knowing the answer.
‘It’s gross!’ she complains, wiping her tongue with the back of her hand as if she could erase the taste.
Irina, standing a safe distance away, leans against the kitchen counter with a smirk. ‘Maksim, you’re playing with fire. Giving a child your rocket fuel could have unpredictable results.’
I shrug, still amused by Adelina’s exaggerated disgust. ‘It’s just a taste. Not to mention, it’s a rite of passage,’ I argue lightly. ‘Besides, after this, I doubt she’ll want coffee again for at least another ten years. All part of the master plan.‘
Adelina, now recovered from her taste test, looks up at me with big eyes. ‘Can I have juice instead?’
‘Of course, Princess,’ I say, ruffling her hair affectionately. ‘Irina, would you?’
Irina nods, already fetching a juice box from the fridge. ‘This should cleanse the palate,’ she says, handing it to Adelina, who takes it with both hands like a treasure.
‘See? All is not lost. You’ve survived your first coffee,’ I tell Adelina, who’s now sipping her juice with a satisfied air.
‘Yeah, but no more,’ she declares, setting her terms.
‘Deal,’ I agree, laughing. ‘No more coffee.’
Adelina glances up as if trying to see the second floor. ‘Time to wake Tory?’ she asks, as if she senses something’s off.
I check the time, seeing that it’s well past nine. ‘I think so,’ I agree, and prep a strong coffee for Tory, the kind that snaps you awake.
Coffee in hand, I head upstairs, but a cold draft stops me. The front door’s wide open—an unmistakable sign of trouble.
My mind races to Tory. I abandon the coffee, storming toward the open door. ‘Tory!’ I shout, eyes scouring the street for any sign of her, any clue.
Nothing. No guards. Just an eerie calm.
The instant chill of fear is unmistakable—a sharp signal that something’s terribly wrong. My eyes dart in all directions, searching the quiet morning for anything out of place, but there’s nothing. No one. Yet the open door screams danger louder than any alarm.
‘Irina!’ The urgency in my voice cuts through the stillness of the house. She’s by my side in seconds, her expression flipping to alertness as she reads the situation in my eyes.
‘Take Adelina to the safe room. Now,’ I command, my voice steel. ‘We might not be alone in the house.’ My mind races through scenarios, each more dangerous than the last.
‘But, Tory—’ Adelina’s small, scared voice interrupts us. She’s sensed the shift, the tension thick in the air.
‘I’ll find her, Princess.’ There’s no time for explanations, no moment to comfort. ‘Irina, get her to safety,’ I repeat, firmer this time, my gaze locking with Irina’s to convey the seriousness.
Irina doesn’t hesitate. She nods, a silent agreement of the plan and swiftly lifts Adelina into her arms. Adelina’s eyes, wide with fear, meet mine for a fleeting second before Irina turns, taking her away from the danger, away from the unknown.
As they disappear, a heavy silence settles over me. My heart pounds, not just with fear but with resolve. Whoever dared to breach my home, to threaten my family, will soon regret it.
I ease the door shut behind me, turning the lock with a quiet click. My heart’s racing, but my hands are steady as I retrieve one of the guns from its hiding spot behind a nearby painting. The familiar weight of it in my grip brings a cold comfort.
From somewhere in the depths of the house, the heavy door of the secure room clicks shut. A wave of relief washes over me for a split second—Irina and Adelina are safe, out of harm’s way. That’s one less weight on my shoulders, but the danger’s not over yet.
I move through the house slowly, every sense heightened, ready for any sign of an intruder. The silence is thick, broken only by my measured steps. The first floor reveals nothing, each room as empty as the next. But I can’t relax yet; the second floor awaits.
Gun raised, I take the stairs, each step deliberate, bracing for what might come. The need to protect my family, to end this threat, sharpens my focus.
My heart’s pounding as I head to the master bedroom, each beat loud against the silence of the house. I’m not sure what I’ll find, but I can’t help but throw a silent prayer to a God I’m not even sure I believe in. I hope to find Tory there, safe and asleep, and that I’ve overreacted. But every part of me is tensed for violence, gun raised, ready for anything.
I push the door open, my eyes scanning the room quickly.
The bed’s empty. Tory’s not here.
A heavy silence fills the room, and then, cutting through it, the distant rumble of a car engine fading into the distance. She’s gone.
Heart slamming against my chest, I rush to the window, yanking the curtains open in time to see a strange car turn the corner and disappear. It’s unfamiliar, not one I’ve seen before. Fingers tight around my phone, I dial my guards. Silence. No one picks up. It’s like they’ve vanished into the same void Tory has.
The room’s a stark reminder of what’s missing. Sheets rumpled from last night’s escapade, her scent still clinging to the air, painting a picture of normalcy that’s been brutally ripped away. I stand there, phone in hand, the echo of the car’s rumble a taunting goodbye.
I’ll do anything to get her back. Anything to protect Tory. This vow is a silent promise, not just to her, but to myself. Whoever has taken her has just started a war they won’t win.
I check my gun, ensuring it’s fully loaded and ready. The weight of it in my hand is a grim reminder of what I might have to do.
Reaching the side door, I open it cautiously and scan the surroundings. Nothing but stillness meets me, the silence almost taunting. I circle the house swiftly, every step calculated, my senses on high alert, ready to act at the slightest provocation.
Then, I freeze—a leg protrudes from the hedges. My grip tightens on the gun, my protective instinct, razor-sharp, ready to eliminate any threat.
Approaching the hedge, I discover the leg belongs to Charlie. He’s grimacing, a bloody wound marring his head, struggling to sit up.
‘What happened?’ I demand, crouching beside him, my concern spiked with anger as I grab his arm and help him into a sitting position.
‘Nick,’ he grunts, pain lacing his voice. ‘Hit me with his gun out of nowhere.’
‘Why?’ My voice is cold, calculating, every word sharp with the promise of retribution.
Charlie shakes his head slightly, confusion and pain mingling in his expression. ‘Don’t know. Aleksey sent him… to replace Ivan. Needed Ivan elsewhere.’
The pieces aren’t fitting together right. Aleksey, Nick, a sudden attack—it smells of betrayal.
I bark at Charlie to head straight to the safe room, to make sure Adelina and Irina are untouched by this chaos. Despite his injury, he nods, a pained expression on his face as he apologizes, clearly distressed by his failure to protect the house. His worry for what might come next is evident, but my focus is razor-sharp on the unfolding crisis.
Left alone, I whip out my phone, punching in Tory’s number with a sense of urgency bordering on desperation. The familiar ringtone echoes through the house, a beacon guiding me to her phone abandoned on the kitchen counter, plugged into the charger, innocently blinking up at me.
The stark confirmation hits me like a punch to the gut—Tory’s not here. The strange car I saw making its escape was carrying her away from me.
Rage floods my veins, a scorching torrent that demands satisfaction. They’ve dared to intrude into my life, to snatch away the woman I’ve come to love.
The knowledge that Tory was in the car, likely scared and alone, ignites a fury within me that’s unmatched. Revenge isn’t just a fleeting thought; it’s a concrete plan. They will regret this day, regret ever thinking they could take something from me and not face retribution.