Reign of a Billionaire : A Dark Mafia Enemies-to-Lovers Romance

Chapter 64Louisa

Two weeks had gone by since Kingston came to Russia and rescued me.

I observed the Nikolaevs and the Ashfords seated around the table, Kingston’s grave expression marring his features. He hadn’t shaved since we’d been back, and I couldn’t help but notice that the scruff suited him. Dressed in jeans and a white T-shirt, he looked a little intimidating and a lot hot.

We hadn’t made a lot of headway on locating my sister. Nico Morrelli had offered to help us track down every Marabella Agreement ever made, and knowing his skillset, I took him up on it. My sister wasn’t the only victim of Perez’s and my mother’s schemes. There were many innocent boys and girls who needed to be found and saved.

“Kingston said he’s taking you out on a date,” Lara whispered, smiling smugly. The two of us sat on the carpet, our backs against the couch as we watched the living room at the Nikolaevs’ Lisbon home buzz with life. Kids found their cliques and played without paying any mind to the adults while the two of us observed it all. “And that it’s something neither one of you has ever done.”

My lips curved up, happy to see Lara slowly but surely coming into her own. We still had a very long road ahead of us, but together, we’d get through it.

“Can you give me a hint?” I whispered back. “Just so I know what to wear.”

She smiled. “Wear something nice.”

I scoffed. “That’s not telling me much.”

“What are you two whispering about?” Aurora asked from the other side of the room, drawing everyone’s attention our way.

“Nothing,” we answered at the same time, our cheeks flushing with the obvious lie.

Sasha stood from the table and reached his wife, Branka, in a few short steps, engulfing her into his bulky embrace. The guy was built from stone. I truly believed he missed his calling. He should have been an MMA fighter.

“So, are you two going to get married?” Sasha asked casually.

I glanced around, curious who he was talking to when I noted everyone’s eyes were on me.

“Leave her alone, Sasha,” said Aurora, coming to my aid. “You’re turning into a gossiping old hag.”

He grinned. “At least I’m a hot hag.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Lara muttered loud enough for everyone to hear, and laughter filled the room.

“I must say, I’m curious myself,” Royce chimed in.

Kingston and I shared a look. “When we find Liana.”

“When we find Liana,” I repeated.

I wasn’t alone anymore. I had a family—a very big one—but until we found Liana, our lives wouldn’t be complete.

So we’d wait. Together.

I tucked Lara in, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

She admitted she was too old to be tucked in, but some days, she needed that reassurance. We all did, and I saw no harm in it.

“You’ll be careful, right?” she asked, her voice full of trepidation.

“Always,” I promised. “Kingston’s bringing a knife and a handgun. I’ll have a gun too.”

“What if you⁠—”

“Shhh.” I pressed my finger against her lips. “Nothing will happen to us. And I’ll send you a message every hour.” I glanced at her nightstand. “Your phone’s charged up?”

She nodded, her tension slowly easing.

“You look pretty,” she said as I stood up. “Kingston won’t be able to keep his eyes off you.”

I chuckled. “Thank you for helping me pick the perfect outfit.”

Blowing her one last kiss, I made it out of the room and closed the door softly behind me. But instead of heading to the study where Kingston was, I made my way down to the basement.

It was my first visit since we’d been back, and I had spent the last few hours mentally preparing myself for this confrontation.

I made my way into the dungeon alone, my steps soundless against the hundred-year-old stone. Maybe it was my glutton-for-punishment tendencies or a fruitless hope to extract more information that would help me find my sister sooner.

“I need to see Sofia,” I said, giving the two guards stationed outside my mother’s cell a tight smile. The guys exchanged hesitant looks before I added, “Either open the door or step aside.”

One of them nodded while the other opened the door and I slipped inside, holding the hem of my pink bohemian dress off the ground. My gun holster strapped around my thigh played peekaboo—some habits were hard to break—as I made my way deeper into the dark space.

My eyes slowly adjusted as the dark, cold, and destitute dungeon came into view. Just like the one from my nightmares. Just like the one from Kingston’s. Except this time, Sofia Volkov was the one chained to the wall.

Without her fur coat and expensive clothes, she looked harmless. Like another victim suffering the wrath of evil men. Except she was the evil here, confined to a room where she could do no harm.

I came to a stop a few feet from her, locking my eyes with her, every memory of my torture coming to the forefront of my mind. I’d come to terms that it’d be something that would remain with me for the rest of my life.

“Hello, Liana.”

“It’s Louisa,” I corrected her. A vein in her temple pulsed in response, but she remained silent. I was doing this for my twin. For my man. For our future children. “Hello, Sofia.”

Her lip curled with a sneer, but her rejection no longer hurt. There was no love lost between this woman and me. That ship had sailed a long time ago.

“You’ve finally found your bravery.” There was a hint of pride in her voice, and I fucking hated it. I never wanted to be anything she wanted, because that meant I’d ventured to the wrong side.

“We’re scouring through your Marabella Agreements,” I stated casually.

She scoffed. “You won’t find anything about your sister in those.”

“Why are you so sure?”

“Because I’ve already gone through them.”

I didn’t think she was lying. “Well, we need to find those other victims too. We’re going to save them all.”

Behind me, the door opened and her eyes darted over my shoulder. I didn’t need to turn around to see who it was. I could feel Kingston’s eyes on my back as he moved to come stand behind me.

His hand came to rest on my lower back, lending support and strength. He always knew what to do, and I loved him even more for it. I leaned into him, a calm strength washing over me. He was the reason for my sanity, for my life, for my healing.

I’d be all that and more for my sister once we found her.

“I want to know all the theories you’ve come up with relating to Liana,” I stated calmly.

When she remained silent, I asked, “The video? The one that you’ve shown me for years while”—I swallowed hard—“torturing me.” There was no mistaking what she was doing to me. “Who was it?”

Yes, it was photoshopped according to Santiago Tijuana, but someone had to have endured that to be used for the video.

She shrugged. “Some girl.”

I balled my fists, fighting the urge to punch my own mother. “What girl?”

“I don’t remember her name.” This wasn’t helping her case at all. “Last name Freud-something.”

My brows knitted. “Dr. Freud?” I blurted. “It has something to do with Dr. Freud?”

“I don’t know any Dr. Freud.” Just another puzzle piece thrown our way.

“Why did you keep showing me that video?” I asked instead. “You said it was my sister.”

She smiled—that crazy, twisted smile. “You needed an incentive.”

I hardened myself. All she did was hurt me, again and again. “Tell me what you know about my sister,” I gritted.

“Why?” she asked, her voice raspy.

“Because she’s my sister,” I gritted. “She’s my other half.” This woman—who gave me birth and was supposed to be my mother—had been sick in the head for far longer than I’d been alive, the loss of her first child—Winter—destroying her fragile mind. But it didn’t excuse her behavior toward me. It didn’t excuse her abandonment of my twin. “Because I’m going to get her back, and you’re going to help me by telling me everything you fucking know.”

She smiled, her first warm smile in a long time. “Maybe all those years of electroshock therapy made something out of you.”

“Fucking watch it,” Kingston growled from behind me, ready to pounce, but the moment my hand took his, he stilled.

“You always preferred Lia to me,” I stated, feeling nothing with those words. She no longer mattered to me, only my sister did. “You should want me to save her.” Sofia wasn’t the only manipulative bitch here. She’d taught me well, and I’d use any means necessary to find my sister. “Now tell me what you know and maybe you’ll get to see Lia before you waste away in this dungeon.”

She started to laugh, the sound slightly hysterical.

“If you’re her best chance at survival, your sister’s already dead.” My heart clenched for my sister who was paying for this woman’s sins.

“But I’m not alone,” I said coldly. “I have Kingston and his entire family by my side.”

She scoffed. “A lot of good that will do you. You need someone from the other side.”

“Other side?”

“There was one thing you were right about.” Her subject changes gave me whiplash, but I held on.

“What’s that?”

“I had to play their tunes so she’d stay safe.” My hands shook, trying not to imagine everything my twin was going through. “Every time I looked at you, you reminded me that you led her straight into their hands.”

I might have come into my own with Kingston, but I’d be lying if I said those words didn’t hurt like bullets. Every one of them dug into my skin, leaving behind more invisible marks. My mother might have fixed my scars cosmetically, but the invisible ones were worse.

Kingston came around me and pointed his gun at Sofia’s forehead. “You might want to reconsider your words.”

I brought my hand to his forearm and squeezed. “She’s egging you on.” Turning to face back to her, I asked, “What did you mean by needing someone from the other side?”

She shrugged. “A family that participates in human trafficking.” An idea filtered in, and suddenly, I knew exactly who or what family would help me as my mother’s next words spread fire through my chest. Giovanni Agosti. “I should have made you my regular fuckboy, Ghost.”

Rage crawled up my neck and over my cheeks, burning my ears. I brought my hand to Kingston, meeting his eyes in silent understanding. The kill was his, but the blood was mine. It was time that someone killed for him.

He let me take his gun, the cold metal stark against my burning fingers.

Those eyes feral on me, unlike anything I’d ever seen before, I didn’t look away. “Goodbye, Sofia.”

Then I pulled the trigger, the bullet finding its target between her eyes.

Blood splattered across my dress and a tormented scream left my throat as I fell down onto my knees. Not for her. Not for me. For him, my Kingston, who’d saved me so many times.

Big arms came around my waist, pulling me up to my feet and offering me their strength. The familiar masculine scent of musky cologne cut through the fog, the feeling of safety seeping into me.

I buried my face into his chest and started to sob.

Our story began with blood; it was only fitting that it ended with blood too.