An Empire of Guns and Lies (18+)

Twenty- Five (venticinque)

I darted myself to the front of the room

"Where is she?" I asked my father he only shook his head I turned the to guards stationed at the door,

"Where the fuck is she?" They looked down at their shoes unable to answer me. I lunged myself at them Jaxon holding me back, he called on August and gave him orders to check every car that left the compound August nodded and left to gather his men.

I was shaking, unsure if it was from anger or fear or both.

I ripped myself out of his hold, he spoke over the crowd ordering everyone to leave and so they did.

In his office I was seated with my head in my hands as he briefed more men about the situation he sent different groups of them to different areas of the city to search for her or anything suspicious, he even went as far as to monitor the flights leaving the country as he had that power.

I left in the middle of him talking and went up to my room, I changed into something more tolerable than the short satin dress I wore I looked myself in the mirror unable to come to terms with the fact that I allowed her to be taken away in our house, this was supposed to be her safe space, I was supposed to protect her, repulsed at my reflection I punched the mirror sending shards of glass flying. A slight sting on my knuckles appeared from which small tributaries of blood flowed out, I went back downstairs and make some tea as I though that Jaxon could use it, I gently kicked open his office door to find it a mess, Jaxon was turning over everything he was furious.

I quickly set the tray on the couch and grabbed his swinging arms he looked at me with blood shot eyes.

"JAXON, calm down" I shouted to him, regret was the only thing recognizable on his face and it was only then while I held my shaking brother in my arms that I realized he loved her.

The words no more than a whisper "You two were in a relationship weren't you? You love her don't you Jaxon?" His head slumped down into my shoulder, I placed my hand on his head and cooed him to relax I was unsure if he was crying but I wouldn't be surprised if he was.

I understood the feeling of having the one you love taken away in front of you, we both knew that feeling to well, it eats you up from the inside and the only word echoing in your mind is useless, we had all this power and yet she still got taken, while I held Jaxon the door to the office opened and my father walked in his tie unloosed and now hanging from his neck I think he understood or rather he knew that Jaxon loved her, he sat on the couch without saying a word Jaxon only removed his head from my shoulder when a small ping of a notification sounded from his computer.

He opened his emailed and there was one unread message from a sender we didn't recognize, he clicked on it and our eyes widened in horror, projected on the screen was a picture of Iliana her hands were bound and so were her legs, there was a blind fold over her eyes and blood crusted at her lips.

I dared not to look over at Jaxon, as I felt the anger radiating from his body where I stood, in the email along with the picture of Iliana there was a short note that read:

"Your empire or your girl? Your choice"

Jaxon only said one thing to me

"Verena get Iven in here" I nodded and signaled my father to leave with me, Jaxon needed to be alone.

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