The sound of a fist colliding with a jaw echoed like thunder in the expansive, marble-floored living room of Nikolai's penthouse. Scar Face stumbled backward, the sheer force of the punch sending him sprawling to the floor. The silence that followed was deafening, pierced only by the distant hum of traffic and the low, almost menacing sound of Nikolai rolling up the sleeves of his crisp black shirt, methodically, like a surgeon preparing for an operation.
Alejandro stood off to the side, his arms crossed and his brows furrowed in frustration. Konstantin and two other Bratva men watched quietly, their expressions tight, as if even breathing too loudly would set Nikolai off again.
"I gave you a simple instruction," Nikolai said, voice calm. Too calm. The kind of calm that made the air colder, heavier. "Stay by her side until you return. That was it. Not difficult. Not open for interpretation."
Scar Face didn't speak. He kept his eyes lowered, resisting the urge to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth. He knew better than to offer excuses.
Nikolai stepped forward, towering over the fallen man. Then he crouched, gripping Scar Face by the jaw, squeezing just enough to make his point clear.
"You've worked for me for ten years. Ten loyal, spotless years. Not a single mistake. Not until now. You chose now of all times to fuck up. Rose is gone. Vanished. And we have no idea where she is."
Konstantin cleared his throat, shifting slightly. "Sir, I already have men stationed at every airport, every station, even the bridges. They couldn't have gotten far."
Nikolai didn't even look at him. "Did I give you permission to speak?"
Konstantin fell silent instantly, his mouth snapping shut.
Alejandro sighed and ran a hand through his tousled hair. "That's enough, Nikolai. Sitting here, blaming each other, throwing punches, it's not bringing her back. She's out there somewhere and we don't know who has her or what they want."
Nikolai slowly stood, fixing his icy gaze on Alejandro. "Shut up, Russo. You lost her too. You don't get to talk to me like that."
"Blaming me isn't helping," Alejandro snapped, his temper rising. "You want to brood and punch walls? Fine. But don't pretend you didn't fail too. If you were so worried, you should've been the one standing beside her. Not Scar Face."
The room thickened with tension as the two men locked eyes, fire burning between them like a fuse waiting for a match.
Nikolai's jaw clenched. His voice was low, cold. "You're walking on thin ice."
"Then maybe I should jump in the water. Because clearly no one else is thinking straight. Whoever took her, they knew about the love she has for that carnival. About her fear of the dark. That wasn't coincidence."
Nikolai arched a brow. "And how many people know about that?"
Alejandro exhaled, his voice steady. "Me. Salvatore. The maids at his mansion. The butler. That's it. And none of the staff have any motive or vendetta against Rose. Which leaves Salvatore."
Nikolai went still, the name triggering a dangerous glint in his eyes. He hated coincidences. Especially when they aligned too perfectly.
"Then he's our prime suspect. I don't give a damn about his reasons. If he has her, I'll make him pay. Slowly. Alexei," he turned to his second-in-command, who had just arrived, tension etched into his features.
"Yes, sir?"
"I want Salvatore's location, and a report on everything he did before the announcement of the pre-Halloween festival. I don't believe in coincidences. This was a trap to get her away from me."
Alexei nodded swiftly and exited the room to begin the trace.
---
Meanwhile, miles away, hidden deep in the shadows of the Hudson Valley, a nondescript van rumbled down a forest road no GPS would ever find. It was the kind of road forgotten by time, where cell signals died and even the stars seemed distant.
Inside the van, the air was suffocating. The scent of gasoline and pine needles clung to everything, mixing with the metallic tang of fear. Rose lay motionless on the floor, her wrists and ankles tightly bound with zip ties. A thick black blindfold had been pulled down around her neck, her curls matted and tangled.
Her head throbbed violently. Every pulse of pain was like a drumbeat in her skull. Her tongue felt like sandpaper in her mouth, dry and heavy. Whatever they had used to drug her—it was strong.
Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim lighting. She wasn't alone. Two men sat near her feet, dressed in all black. The driver and another man sat up front. All four were silent, focused, like this was just another job.
She shifted, testing the restraints. The movement was barely a whisper, but one of the men caught it instantly. He turned, his eyes gleaming like a predator sensing its prey.
He grinned. "Rise and shine, princess."
She blinked. Her voice came out slurred. "It... it's night."
"Oh, we know. But you should be sleeping."
The man leaned down toward her, holding something in his gloved hand. Her instincts screamed at her to fight, to thrash, to do anything. She tried. Her legs jerked. Her arms twisted. But she was too weak. Her body betrayed her.
The cold sting of a needle pierced her neck. Pain flared. Then blackness.
---
Alejandro had driven to Salvatore's estate, ignoring the guards that gave him nervous looks. He pushed through the towering doors and strode across the polished floors with murder in his eyes.
Salvatore was seated in his luxurious lounge, sipping wine, a violin concerto playing softly in the background.
"You son of a bitch," Alejandro growled. "Where is she?"
Salvatore didn't even flinch. "I presume you're referring to Rose?"
"Don't play games. You were the only one who knew about the carnival and her fear of the dark. Who the fuck else would go this far?"
Salvatore stood slowly, placing his glass down. "Alejandro, I may be many things. But abducting a woman? That's beneath me."
Alejandro advanced, his hand twitching near his belt. "If I find out you're lying, I will burn this place to the ground. With you in it."
Salvatore smiled coldly. "Then you'd better pray someone else has her."
---
Somewhere deep in the forest, the van came to a halt. The driver stepped out. "Damn it I shouldn't have drunk so much soda." He walked behind the trees boots crunching on gravel. They were far from civilization now, tucked away in a place no one would stumble upon by accident.
Inside the van, Rose remained unconscious. But this time, she was dreaming. In her mind, she saw flashes of the carnival, her red curls bouncing as she laughed with Alejandro, the lights, the candied apple, the haunted house.
And then darkness.