The Compromised

Chapter 44 Hunt

My head hangs in defeat as I sit in the back of the van with the bag still over my head. It feels like we have been driving for at least an hour and I can't stop thinking about Diego. Is he alive? He lost so much blood. Even if Marco got to him there wasn't enough time.

Diego told me he loved me, he knew he was going to die. My eyes have no more tears left, I'm just full of hatred.

We get to the designated location and I'm pushed out of the truck and my ankle almost breaks because I'm still in my heels. I hear one of the men smack the other in the head and I'm led into a room with the bag ripped off my head.

I squint as my eyes try to readjust to the room lighting and my gaze is met by my narcissist father. My adrenaline kicks in, my heart palpitating through my chest. My wrists are still tied behind my back and I can help but spit at him.

One of the men standing behind my father goes to walk towards me but he stops them with the silent motion of his hand.

"You killed a couple of my men" he speaks Russian even though he can speak English as well, wiping my spit off him.

"I'll kill the rest" I sneer at him.

He lets out a chuckle, "ah not quite the lady they were expecting to run into" he lights a cigar.

"I will kill you" I smile at him, I've completely lost any sanity I thought I had left. "You took him from me" my teeth grit.

"Ah yes the Italian. You know I built this empire when I was 21" he always talks about himself, no matter what is going on he reverts back to himself.

You could achieve so much but it would never be good enough for him, you would never be as good or know as much. The type of father to scream at a 4 year old every chance they could, the type of father that didn't want a daughter so he left whenever he wanted.

The emotional and physical abuse on every visit to see him made me the strong yet broken woman I am today. Being near him gives me PTSD, he is always the victim, trained me to always feel I was in the wrong and causing issues.

"You took him from me!" I dismiss him and repeat myself.

"He was never yours" he leans forward with a smile.

My eyes blink fast, I can't be here with this man.

"You killed mother" my eyes pool like I'm 5 years old again.

His smile quickly fades and he stands pointing his finger at me, leaning into my face.

"Watch your fucking mouth!" He slaps my face with gritted teeth.

"She hated you" I laugh and spit the blood from my lip and he wraps his hand around my hair and slams my face into the table.

"Don't talk about your mother!" He now screams again into my face.

"She always said you were better off dead" I breathlessly lie knowing it's getting a rise out of him.

He hits me this time with a closed fist. That made my eyes water, a tear escapes and runs down my cheek.

"Look what you made me do!" He slams the table with a smile.

"You know you're my only child. A female," but still my child" he hates women.

"You were meant to inherit all of this, this is why I brought you here. It's your duty to learn how to run things like a man" he belittles me and I don't feel like I could endure another hit.

"I'll die before I inherit anything of yours. Having your blood in me is punishment enough" I glare at him hoping he will finish me off quickly.

"Well your little friend didn't make it so we will be going home before you know it, you have no choice" he smiles and hand gestures me to be taken away.

I'm dragged into a what looks like a prison cell of a room and I'm grateful I at least have a toilet. There's no escaping this room, I keep pacing but the window is barred shut. Tears fill my eyes as I think about Diego again, he is gone. I miss even his cold glances, his hesitation knowing I'm bad for him. This is my fault.

No one is coming.

Diego's POV

"Diego, wake up" I hear a voice pull me from my dream.

My eyes slowly fight themselves open, fuck me I'm exhausted.

"He's awake!" Another voice has me trying to adjust my vision.

"Fuck" I let out a moan as I try sit up and see Marco and Stefan.

I'm in a hospital bed with tubes running through me and everything hits me like a train.

"Where's Nikita?" Marcos gaze meets mine, he is hesitant.

"We can't find her" he stands annoyed.

"I put men on every border and no one has crossed. We don't know if she's alive" he sighs heavily.

I rip the tube out of my arm in temper and throw it.

"She's no fucking use to him dead!" I snap.

"How long have I been here?" My bare chest is bandaged up across my shoulder. I try moving, my face winces in pain but I don't fucking care I'm going to find her.

"5 days" Stefan includes himself.

"You lost so much blood we had no choice but to bring you here" Stefan stands with Marco.

"Get the car" I put the same pants I came in with on and Stefan leaves.

"I'll have every one of their heads on a platter" my body is tensing in anger, I feel so weak but the adrenaline is keeping me going.

"Sir!" A little nurse walks in.

"You need to rest!" She insists pointing me towards the bed.

"Don't" is all I can let out without going into a fit of rage.

Her face flushes red and we walk straight past her.

"We have every man out there looking. My guess is that he is staying to make sure the last shipment is going forth without you" Marco fills me in on the trip back.

"They threw her phone on the road before they left. We found 8 shells and blood around the area" Marco briefly looks at me.

"I'll storm every fucking town if I have to" I run my hand through my hair.

"Get the word onto the streets" being in the car is making me nauseous, to be honest I don't know if it's the car or the thought of her not coming back to me.

End of Diego's POV