Undone

Chapter XIX

He now stood at the entrance to the cage. Dimitri was frantically tugging against his metal restraints, trying to get away. "I-I won't tell you anything," he said bravely, though his stammer betrayed him. Wolves could smell fear and it was rolling off the Russian in waves.

"Really?" Jeremy asked, taking the few steps necessary to face Dimitri head-on. He moved so quickly, the other man didn't see the blow coming. His fist, when it hit Dimitri's face, instantly broke his nose, blood spurting everywhere. His howl of pain didn't move Jeremy at all. "What was Roman's instruction to you?"

"Screw you!" Dimitri yelled.

Jeremy punched him again, harder, his hand connecting with and breaking some of his captive's ribs. The sound of snapping bone made him feel marginally better, as did the other man's cry of agony. Dimitri doubled over as much as he could considering his position, but Jeremy didn't give him any reprieve. He struck him again and again, his clenched fist connecting with strategic parts of the Russian's body, his attack designed to cause the maximum pain. By the time he'd exercised a fraction of his anger, Dimitri had lost consciousness, his head lolling to the side.

Jeremy stepped back and glanced at Nick. "Get some water and wake him up."

Nick moved to follow his instruction while Jeremy watched Dimitri's swollen, bloody face. He'd make him talk if it was the last thing he ever did.

"We're all upset and the bastard deserves everything he gets, but if you keep that up, he won't remain alive for long," Logan said, moving to Jeremy's side.

He knew Logan was right but he'd be lying if he said it hadn't felt good. He glanced down at his bloodied knuckles, having hardly felt the impact.

Nick returned with a bucket of ice cold water and threw it over Dimitri. The Russian sputtered awake, groaning. Jeremy approached him threateningly, and a pair of fearful, engorged eyes looked up at him. "W-Wait," came a ragged whisper. "Please. N-No more."

"You'll talk?"

Dimitri gave an imperceptible nod. "Whatever you want to know."

Sweet triumph coursed through Jeremy's veins. "Start at the beginning and don't leave a word out. I'll know."

Dimitri swallowed, then grimaced. Clearly the taste of blood in his mouth was fowl. "C-Can you at least untie my arms?"

"Talk!" Jeremy snarled, and Dimitri jerked in fright.

"Roman's been w-watching you for m-months," he sputtered almost immediately. "When you became involved with the doctor he saw it as the perfect o-opportunity to trap you."

Jeremy frowned. "Trap me?"

He nodded. "He w-wanted to prove to the Council that you weren't as n-noble as they all thought. That you were f-flouting the rules you expected everyone else to u-uphold." Dimitri licked his bloody lips. "After we visited you, Roman was u-upset. He'd hoped to catch you then, but you'd m-managed to smuggle the doctor away. H-He had to leave the country, but made me stay to keep an eye on her. When I told him she was p-pregnant—"

"You told him what?!" Jeremy roared.

The Russian shrank back against the wall, expecting another blow. Jeremy stepped forward to do just that, but Clay grasped his arm. "Let him talk."

His hands clenched reflexively, his jaw working as he strove to control his anger. "What else?" he commanded in a clipped tone.

"W-When Roman found out she was pregnant, he ordered me to k-kill her, but not before you knew she was carrying your c-child. He wanted you to suffer when she d-died."