Kemp shoved Elise and Gideon unceremoniously into the center of the living
room.
Elisended hard, half-kneeling on the polished hardwood floor.
Her gaze followed the long legs d in tailored ck suit pants, up to a sharply handsome face-chiseled features, cold eyes.
Mr. Fitzgerald?
Elise''s bravado evaporated. Anxiety twisted in her chest, and her lips trembled as she tried to speak.
"Mr. Fitzgerald? Why... why are you here?"
Victor loungedzily on the couch, idly flicking a lighter between his slender fingers, his tone offhand and dangerous.
"That depends, Ms. Harrison. Tell me what exactly have you done to bring me here?"
Elise went pale, forcing herself to sound calm. "I... I don''t know what you''re talking about."
Victor nced at his watch, voice clipped and icy. "You''ve got fifteen seconds. Don''t waste my time."
Gideon had never met the infamous Mr. Fitzgerald of Capitolion, but he''d heard plenty of rumors: ruthless, arrogant, untouchable, and utterly without scruples.
Squaring his shoulders, Gideon stepped forward, trying to shield Elise.
"Mr. Fitzgerald, we''ve done nothing to offend you. I don''t understand why you''re barging in here and throwing your weight around for no reason."
Victor''s eyelids lifted, his gaze slicing through the room like ice.
Those narrowed, razor-sharp eyes sent a chill straight through Gideon''s bones.
Victor''s patience snapped. His voice was frigid. "Isadora was kidnapped. Was it you?"
Elise''sposure finally cracked.
So this was about Isadora.
She rushed to exin, words tumbling out. "No, Mr. Fitzgerald, it wasn''t me. I was kidnapped at the same time that night. How could I possibly have done it?"
Gideon''s jaw tightened, his expression grave.
“Elise is a good woman, and I''m one of Capitolion Solstrand''s top surgeons. We both have a strong sense of ethics. There''s no way we''d do something so vile." Victor let out a low, mockingugh, the corner of his mouth curling in contempt. "Funny. Two people with such strong morals sure know how to have fun in bed. Only an idiot like Magnus would buy your act."
Elise''s hands twisted together so tightly her knuckles went white.
She could deny involvement in the kidnapping until herst breath.
But what she and Gideon had done just now-Victor knew every sordid detail.
If Magnus ever found out, she''d lose everything.
Victor''s eyes flickered withzy boredom as he jerked his chin toward Kemp. Kemp nodded and strode out.
A momentter, two men in ck dragged the kidnappers into the room.
Someone yanked the cloth gags from their mouths. The two looked like they''d been beaten nearly beyond recognition-faces swollen and bruised, clothes torn and filthy.
The one with the scar, finally able to speak, burst into panicked tears at the sight of Elise and Gideon.
"Ms. Harrison, Dr. Gideon—it was you who promised that if I did this job, I''d leave Capitolion rich and safe! Please, let us go. We''re done, we won''t do it again!"
The other man, bigger and equally battered, nodded frantically, voice breaking. "We''re done, please, don''t hurt me, I''m sorry, I swear-"
Victor''s face darkened as he slowly stood, step by step moving toward Gideon.
Each footfall radiated a silent, deadly menace.
Gideon was already trembling, panic in his eyes as he stumbled backward.
The next moment-
Crash!
Victor''s foot mmed into Gideon''s chest, sending him flying into the ss liquor cab.
The cab shattered instantly, crystal shards spraying across the room.
Gideon choked out a mouthful of blood, agony twisting his features as if his chest had been torn open.
He tried to speak, but blood filled his throat, choking him with the taste of iron. Victor''s Italian leather shoe pressed down on Gideon''s face-slowly, deliberately. With a sudden, brutal force, Victor ground Gideon''s cheek into the broken ss, slicing open his skin. Blood pooled and trickled down, stark against the gleaming floor.