Chapter 24: Dark Obsession: Chapter 24

I wake up to an empty bed.

At first, I think maybe he’s just in the bathroom or downstairs making coffee. But as the minutes tick by, it hits me—Grigori’s gone. He left after he promised he wouldn’t.

I sit up, rubbing my eyes and checking the time. It’s late, well into the morning. My stomach knots, and I feel a mixture of confusion, sadness, and anger bubbling up inside me.

He promised.

I throw the blankets off and quickly get dressed, pulling on jeans and a sweater. I stomp down the stairs, my heart pounding in my chest.

I need answers.

I hear Lev and Luk’s voices coming from the den. They’re talking in low and somber tones, and something tells me they’re not having a casual chat. I barge in, crossing my arms and glaring at them.

“Where’s Grigori?” I demand. Both of them stop mid-conversation, exchanging a look before turning their attention to me. Luk clears his throat before standing a little straighter.

“He left,” he says, the words hanging heavy in the air.

My heart sinks. Although I already knew the answer, hearing it out loud hits hard. “Why?” I ask, though I’m not sure I want to know.

Lev shifts uncomfortably, glancing at Luk before speaking. “We confronted him. About you two. About your relationship.”

I feel like I’ve been slapped. The audacity of it, the nerve to go behind my back and question Grigori about us, about my personal relationship. My fists clench at my sides, anger surging. “You did what?”

“We had to,” Luk replies, his tone firm but regretful. “He’s been keeping it from us, and we couldn’t just let it slide, Elena. You’re our sister, and he’s—”

“He’s what? Not good enough?” I cut in, my voice cold. “Is that what this is about? You trying to control my life again? Telling Grigori he can’t be with me like I’m some fragile little thing who can’t make her own decisions?”

“That’s not what this is,” Lev tries to reason, but I’m not having it.

“Bullshit!” I spit, taking a step closer to them. “You didn’t trust me. You couldn’t handle the fact that I’m not your little helpless sister anymore, so you decided to sabotage the one thing I truly wanted.”

They both look at me, frustration and sadness flickering in their eyes, but I don’t care. My chest heaves, and I can’t shake the intense betrayal I’m feeling.

“So you drove him away?” I ask, my voice trembling with barely controlled fury.

Luk clears his throat, looking uncomfortable. “Elena, he made the decision to leave. We didn’t force him to go.”

“You didn’t have to,” I snap, glaring at both of them. “You made him feel like he wasn’t good enough for me, didn’t you? Like he’s some kind of disgrace for being with me!”

Lev’s jaw tightens. “That’s not what we said.”

“Oh, really?” I’m not buying a word. “What did you say, then? Because it seems like he’s left without so much as a goodbye.”

“Elena, we’re trying to protect you,” Lev says, his voice firm. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. Grigori is… complicated.”

“Complicated?” I laugh bitterly, shaking my head. “You think I don’t know that? You think I haven’t figured it out by now? I know exactly what I’m getting into. I’m not some clueless little girl anymore.”

“Stop twisting this,” Luk says, stepping forward. “We’re not trying to control you. We’re just looking out for you.”

“By treating me like a damn child?” I fire back, feeling my throat tighten with frustration. ‘I don’t care what you say,’ I snap. ‘I’m going to find Grigori. I’m not going to just sit back while he’s out there risking his life alone.’

Luk’s face hardens. ‘Grigori wanted to handle this on his own, Elena. That’s his decision, and we’re respecting it. You should, too.’

‘Respecting it?’ I scoff. ‘You basically pushed him out! Made him feel like he had no choice but to leave! How’s that for respect?’

‘Enough,’ Lev cuts in. ‘We know you’re upset, but this isn’t just about you. It’s about keeping all of us safe. Grigori made his choice, and we’re going to let him handle it like he wanted. But we’ll keep you in the loop. ‘

‘Gee, thanks,’ I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes. ‘How generous of you to finally let me participate in my own life.’

Lev and Luk exchange another look, then Luk sighs.

“You’re staying in the mansion for now. You probably already guessed that.’

I glare at both of them, my blood boiling. ‘Right. Lock me up like a damsel in a tower. That’ll fix everything.’

I storm out before they can respond, my hands trembling as I pull out my phone.

Once I get to my room, I sit down, quickly dialing Grigori’s number. It goes straight to voicemail, of course. No surprise there. My heart sinks, but I try texting him instead.

Call me. Please. I need to know you’re okay.

I stare at the screen, waiting for the little dots that indicate a reply to pop up. Nothing. I toss the phone aside helplessly.

There’s a knock on my door and I snap, ‘What?’ before realizing its Alexei.

‘Easy, sis. I come in peace,’ he says, pushing the door open with his trademark smirk.

I roll my eyes. ‘What do you want?’

‘To check on you,’ he says, leaning against the doorframe. ‘I overheard some of that conversation downstairs. Seemed pretty intense.’

‘They’re treating me like a child—again. Like I can’t make my own decisions.’

Alexei shrugs, stepping inside. ‘It’s what they do. They’re overprotective idiots. But they’re idiots who love you more than anything.’

I soften a little at his words. ‘I’m scared, Alexei,’ I admit quietly. ‘I don’t want to lose him.’

He nods, sitting down next to me. ‘I get it. But Grigori knows what he’s doing. He’s tough as hell, and he’s not going down without a fight.’

I stare at him, chewing my bottom lip. ‘But what if they’re right? What if Grigori does need to do this on his own? What if me trying to help just makes things worse?’

Alexei’s smirk softens. ‘Our brothers are right about one thing—Grigori is a lone wolf. He’s got to take care of this by himself. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be there for him in other ways.’

I raise an eyebrow. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Work from here,’ he says simply. ‘Do what you’re good at—hacking, finding intel. Keep your focus sharp. And keep him in your thoughts.’ He pauses, giving me a knowing look. ‘He cares about you. That’s clear as day.’

I let his words sink in. Maybe Alexei’s right. I can work from here, keep an eye on the cartel’s movements, and pass along any intel I come across. When Grigori finishes what he needs to do, I’ll be here. Waiting.

I sigh, leaning back against the headboard. ‘I hate feeling useless.’

‘You’re not useless,’ Alexei says, standing up and ruffling my hair. ‘You’re smart, stubborn, and helpful in your own way. Just give it time.’

I laugh a little despite myself, swatting his hand away. ‘Thanks, Alexei.’

He grins. ‘Don’t mention it. Just remember—this isn’t the end. It’s only a bump in the road.’

After he leaves, I sit there, staring at my phone, wondering if Grigori will ever text back.

I grab my laptop, settling on my bed. If Grigori is going after Molina, I need to get more information. Maybe I can find something useful that will allow me to help him from here. I boot up my usual systems, hacking into a few of my favorite channels for intel.

First up, Claudio Sanchez. It doesn’t take long before I find what I’m looking for—FBI surveillance photos of Sanchez in New York City, timestamped from this afternoon.

I need to find the real prize, however. I need to find Molina. I dig deeper, trying to trace his movements, but things get murky. The usual sources aren’t pulling up anything recent on him, just old data. I keep digging, my frustration building, until I finally find a new set of surveillance photos from today.

My stomach drops. Molina isn’t in New York. He was last spotted right here in Chicago; I recognize the café in the background of the pictures.

Shit.

It only takes a second for everything to click into place. If Molina’s still in Chicago, Grigori could be walking straight into a trap. He thinks he’s going to take out the head of the cartel in New York, but the real danger is right here under our noses.

I’m already putting a plan together in my head. I can’t just sit here. If I stay cooped up in this mansion while Grigori’s out there facing God-knows-what, I’ll lose my mind.

I start packing a small bag, heart pounding.

I wait until it’s late, well after midnight, knowing the house will be quieter by then. I manage to sneak down the hallways without running into anyone. My brothers must be sleeping, or else they’d have guards stationed all over the place.

Perfect.

The cool night air hits my face when I step outside, making me feel more alive. I pull out my phone, quickly ordering an Uber. My heart races with excitement. This is it; I’m finally doing something.

The car pulls up and I move toward it, but just as I reach for the handle, I feel a sharp jab in the side of my neck.

Everything goes black.

When I come to, my head is throbbing.

My vision is blurry, but I can make out the inside of a van, cold and dark. I try to move, but my hands are tied behind my back; my legs are bound. Shit. Panic sets in as the reality of what just happened hits me—I’ve been kidnapped.

I blink hard, trying to shake off the grogginess. My heart races as I realize the van is moving. I try to focus, but everything feels hazy. My thoughts are spinning. How could I have been so stupid? I thought I was going to save Grigori, but here I am trussed up like a damn Thanksgiving turkey.

I desperately try to pull my hands free, but they’re bound too tight. More panic flares and I shift, trying to sit up. That’s when I hear low, gruff voices from the front of the van speaking in Spanish. The now-familiar dialect sends a chill through me.

They must’ve been watching the mansion, waiting for an opportunity, and I walked right into their trap. I grit my teeth, feeling anger burn through the fear. They’ve got another thing coming if they think I’ll go down without a fight.

The van takes a sharp turn, and I jolt to the side, wincing as the ropes dig into my wrists. I have no idea where they’re taking me, but I know one thing for sure—I need to find a way out of this—and fast.