Chapter 23

Tonight, the mansion feels more like a fortress, each tick of the clock amplifying the silence. I’m pacing the expansive living room when Elena bursts through the door.

Without missing a beat, I launch into her. “Where the hell have you been? And where’s Maura? I asked you to keep an eye on her, Elena.”

Elena, completely unfazed by my towering frustration, raises an eyebrow and places her purse on the console with exaggerated care. “First of all, Luk, you need to calm down. And second, Maura’s not a child that needs constant supervision. She went to try and solve this enigma, to figure out who is behind the attempts on her life. She’s taking matters into her own hands.”

The defiance in her tone and the challenge in her eyes only serve to stoke the fire already burning in my belly. They also force me to confront a fact I’ve been avoiding. Maura’s spirit, her dogged pursuit of the truth, is part of what draws me to her. It’s a trait I admire, even when it scares the hell out of me.

“She’s definitely headstrong,” I concede, my voice gruff with pride and concern. “But this isn’t some game. The stakes are life and death. She shouldn’t be facing this alone. And I don’t, in the slightest, appreciate her evading you and the guards to run off on her own—yet again.”

Elena crosses her arms, standing her ground as if she’s the older sibling schooling me. “Maura doesn’t back down, not from you, not from anyone. It’s one of her strengths.”

I want to argue that there’s a difference between self-assurance and recklessness, but Elena’s jawline tells me she’s not done.

“And you love her for it,” she continues, softer now but with no less intensity. “She’s out there because she can’t stand the thought of anyone else getting hurt. Not you, not me, not anyone. Maura’s fighting for us as much as for herself.”

I feel the heat of my anger cooling in the face of Elena’s unwavering logic. She’s right, damn her.

“But her phone’s off. What if something’s happened to her?” The worry that’s been gnawing at me breaks free, coloring my voice with fear.

Elena’s expression softens, her earlier fire replaced by genuine concern. “Hmm, that’s odd. But she’s smart. Maura knows what she’s doing, and she’s on her way home now. The guards picked her up a little bit ago.”

Her words, meant to be reassuring, only serve to underscore the urgency of the situation. Maura is out there yet I’m in here. My place is by her side, protecting her, fighting alongside her.

“Maura’s competency isn’t the issue. The fact of the matter is that there are people out there who want to kill her. I need to find her.”

As I turn to leave, Elena’s voice stops me cold. “What’s your plan? Are you going to tear down the whole of Chicago to track her down? I already told you. She’s on her way here; the guards have her.”

I pause, realizing that in my rush of fear and anger, I hadn’t thought things through. “I can’t just sit here, wait, and do nothing,” I admit, the words tasting like defeat.

Elena nods, a knowing look in her eyes as if she’d been expecting such a moment. “Come with me to my computer room.”

I follow her through the mansion to a room that starkly contrasts with the rest of the opulent decor. Elena’s command center is a tech enthusiast’s dream—a sleek, modern setup with multiple monitors displaying various data streams, a high-end computer system that hums quietly in the background, and an array of gadgets that would be more at home in a spy movie than in a Chicago mansion.

“What is all this?” I ask.

Elena, booting up her systems, doesn’t look up. “Let’s just say I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve. Now, let’s see how close she is.”

Elena’s fingers fly over the keyboard; her focus is absolute as she navigates through screens with practiced ease. I watch, feeling oddly out of my element in this digital realm she commands so effortlessly.

“Maura was digging into her father’s will. She shared with me that she discovered something troubling. It seems Sharon stands to inherit everything if Maura is out of the picture,” Elena says, her voice steady despite the gravity of her words.

A cold fury settles in my chest, a confirmation of my darkest suspicions. “Sharon’s been suspect number one all along in my book. But I needed hard proof,” I tell her.

Elena pauses her work, turning to face me with a serious look. “It sounds like Maura might’ve found exactly that, which means Sharon just became even more dangerous.”

The mere thought of Sharon acting on her vile intentions, of Maura being in danger because she came too close to the truth, ignites a boiling rage within me. My fists clench at my sides with the need for action and retribution.

“She should have been home by now. I don’t have a good feeling about this, Elena,” I growl, the words barely containing my anger.

Elena nods, her expression grim but determined. “I’m on it. I have a few ways to track phones, even if they’re turned off.”

As Elena gets back to work, studying her screen full of codes and maps, I’m forced to stand back, my self-control slipping through my fingers like sand. I’m not the leader of a vast empire at the moment, not the alpha who commands respect and fear. I’m a man terrified for the woman he loves, rendered nearly powerless by the plotting of a greedy, vindictive adversary.

“What exactly are you doing?” I ask, my impatience getting the better of me as I watch Elena’s concentrated effort on the screen.

“I’m tracking the last known location of Maura’s phone,” she responds, not looking away from her task. “I’ve installed heavy-duty encryption on all of our phones for protection. Even though I designed it, breaking through is going to take a minute.”

I’m torn between admiring her foresight and frustrated at the delay. My gaze is glued to the screen, and my body is taut with anticipation.

After what feels like an eternity, the screen shifts, displaying a detailed map of Chicago with a small, blinking dot in the center. “There she is,” Elena announces with a hint of relief in her voice. “Or was.”

She zooms in, the dot unmoving on a street near a towering skyscraper downtown. “What does this mean?” I demand, my heart rate spiking.

“It means her phone was turned off here—or it was left behind,” Elena explains, her tone somber.

My gut clenches with a familiar dread. This isn’t a good sign, not by any stretch. The location, the sudden silence from Maura’s phone—it all paints a grim picture.

Just then, the two bodyguards assigned to escort her and keep her safe burst into the room. “Mr. Ivanov, sir, we have a situation.”

“We need to move—now!” I say without giving them time to explain. “Gather a team. We’re going there.”

“Hold on,” Elena says, her fingers poised above the keyboard.

“What is it?” I ask through gritted teeth, barely managing to keep the fury out of my voice.

“I’m going to hack into the traffic cameras around that location. Maybe we can spot something useful,” she explains.

I nod, giving my silent assent. “Do it.”

Elena’s expertise comes to the forefront as she navigates through layers of security with calm efficiency. Within minutes, she’s in, and the live feeds from several traffic cameras fill the screen. I can’t help but express my admiration. “I’m impressed,” I admit, watching her work.

She shoots me a quick wink, not slowing down for a second. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

We watch the screens intently, Elena rewinding the footage to the moments after Maura’s last call. My heart races as Maura’s figure emerges from the building. She moves quickly—her urgency is evident even in the grainy footage—and heads straight for a black car that pulls up to the curb, one that looks very similar to our security sedans.

“There!” I point at the screen. “Zoom in on that car.”

Elena obliges, enhancing the image until the details become clearer. The man behind the wheel comes into focus, and a cold rage settles over me as I recognize Rory.

“Sharon has her,” I hiss, the realization hitting me like a physical blow.

Elena looks at me, her expression bleak. “What’s our next move, Luk?”

I take a second, my mind racing. “We’re going after them. We’re going to get my wife back, no matter what it takes.”

I grab my phone, dial my men, and give a command that brooks no argument. “Prepare for an assault. No holds barred; no quarter given. We’re bringing her back by any means necessary.” My tone is pure steel, leaving no room for questions or hesitation.

I walk past the two guards as I leave Elena’s tech room. Looking each straight in the eye, I tell them, “We will discuss what happened today at a later time. Right now, I need you to gear up and help me get her back.”

I head straight to the war room, rightfully named for what is kept within its walls. I strap on my vest and choose my weapons carefully, loading each one and cocking them, ensuring the safety is on once I do so. As I pack extra ammunition into my cargo pants, a torrent of emotions crashes over me. It’s in this moment of clarity, amid the storm of preparation, that I truly understand the depth of my love for Maura. The thought that I hadn’t fully acknowledged these feelings before, that I could lose her without ever having fully embraced that truth, gnaws at me with a ferocity that’s almost too much to bear.

Fully equipped, I step out of the war room, only to find Elena waiting for me, her expression taut.

“What is it?” I ask, sensing the urgency of whatever she’s holding back. “Tell me.”

Elena exhales heavily. “There’s something you need to know. Something I swore to keep secret, to let her tell you herself, but it’s too important to keep from you.”

Impatience and worry twist inside me, a volatile mix that threatens to explode. “Out with it.”

She meets my gaze, her resolve crumbling under the weight of her next words. “Maura’s pregnant, Luk.”

The world seems to stop for a moment; the news takes my breath away. Pregnant? Maura is carrying our child, and she’s out there, in danger, because of Sharon.

The stakes, already sky-high, catapult into the stratosphere. This isn’t just about saving the woman I love anymore; it’s about protecting our future, our family.

I steel myself, the newfound knowledge fueling a fierce determination within me. “Do or die,” I whisper, more to myself than to Elena, vowing to bring Maura home, no matter the cost.

Elena nods, her eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. “We’re with you. The family’s with you.”

I head down the hall, every step purposeful. The mission is clear, and the objective is singular. Rescue Maura and ensure the safety of our unborn child.

There is no other option.