Chapter 7 - The Ransom Call
Darian struggled to sit up, wincing in sheer agony as his fresh stitches pulled painfully tight.
"Don't move," Nadia warned, rushing over to support his broad shoulders.
The secure phone continued its obnoxious, shrill, relentless ringing.
"Only three people in the world have the number to this specific bunker," Darian said, his eyes darkening with suspicion.
He reached out with a trembling hand and pulled the heavy receiver from the wall mount.
"Speak," Darian ordered, putting the phone on speaker mode so Nadia could hear.
Arthur Pendleton's cultured, incredibly arrogant voice echoed clearly through the cold room.
"I am so very glad to hear you are still alive, Darian."
"It would be a terrible shame if you died before we could properly conclude our business."
Darian's grip on the plastic phone tightened until his knuckles turned completely white.
"You made a fatal mistake tonight, Arthur."
"I am going to burn your entire empire to the absolute ground."
Arthur chuckled, a sound filled with pure, terrifying, unearned confidence.
"You are in no position to burn anything, my boy."
"I know exactly where your secret safe house is located."
Darian froze completely, looking up at Nadia in absolute shock.
"That is impossible," Darian muttered under his breath.
"Nothing is impossible when your most trusted lieutenant is secretly on my payroll," Arthur replied smoothly.
Nadia felt a cold, terrifying chill run straight down her spine.
Darian had been betrayed by someone inside his own exclusive inner circle.
"What do you want, Arthur?" Darian demanded, his voice shaking with pure rage.
"I want the girl," Arthur stated flatly, without a hint of emotion.
"Send the beautiful maid out to the pier, and I will let you live to fight another day."
Darian looked at Nadia, his expression completely unreadable and stoic.
He was a ruthless mobster who had sacrificed countless innocent lives to build his empire.
Handing over a lowly maid to save his own life should have been the easiest decision in the world.
May you like
"Go to hell, Arthur," Darian snarled aggressively, slamming the phone back onto the receiver.
Immediately, the blaring sound of perimeter breach alarms filled the entire bunker.
