Venom's Alliance: Loyalty's Fracture

Chapter 08

Easton's POV

"I found your Bambi."

Those words echoed in my mind, and I wasted no time – I left the country to find her. Maldives was her location, my angel was there, and I couldn't wait any longer. I had to see her again, have her back in my arms.

After a rather "persuasive conversation" with Oscar, he spilled the beans about her name change. Tracking her down was easy once I had that information. I had my hands full with other matters, so I sent Jake to handle it. Kept Oscar breathing, though, as bait. The moment she showed up, his time would be up. He owed me, and I intended to collect. An eye for an eye.

"Would you like more wine, Mrs. Volkov?" A sugary voice chimed in. I glanced at the blonde attendant with brown eyes. She was attractive, no doubt, and that's why she got the job. But she wasn't her; no one could replace her. I couldn't deny my weakness for beauty, though, so I offered a polite smile. "No, thank you."

My mind didn't need wine; it needed clarity. Soon, I would reunite with my long lost love.

As the plane landed, my personal phone erupted with over 60 missed calls from Jake. Panic surged for an instant, fearing the worst, but I took a deep breath and hit the call button.

"What took you so long, man? I sent you the video. You've got to see this. Your Bambi might just be a fox – a clever and sleek one at that."

I wasted no time and swiftly opened the video he mentioned and started watching. The voices were hushed, nearly whispers, making it hard to catch the words. Then it happened. She took down a man three times her size, dropping him to the ground, and snatched his gun. In the blink of an eye, she aimed the gun at his head.

I couldn't believe my own eyes. Shocked and intrigued, I watched as she made the man sit in a chair and systematically shot every camera lens.

Jake was right – she was no mere Bambi. She was something else, but she was still my innocent angel. I was sure she was scared; that's why she acted like this. Her aim was on point, but it might be just luck.

"Talk about unexpected," Jake chimed in, his tone oozing excitement. He was clearly enjoying the spectacle.

I couldn't stifle the worry that crept into my voice as I asked, "Why is there only one man? Where is she now? Did she manage to escape again? Why aren't you with her?"

Jake's sigh held a hint of disapproval, as if he could read my concern. "Come on, brother. It's me – Jake Lloyds. No one slips through my fingers. She's safe. The exterior cameras didn't catch any movement. They're still inside. Look at the sky, Easton, it's dark, and they're in the middle of the forest. Unless a 4x4 appears out of thin air, they're not going anywhere easily. Plus, you left Oscar in pretty bad shape. He won't be able to move more than a few steps. I have someone I need to take care of I can't be there,"

He had a point—the darkness outside, the clear sky adorned with stars, was a clear indicator of the late hour. After a deep, steadying breath, I replayed my thoughts.

"What makes you so certain they're still there? They might have dodged the cameras, and Oscar can still move, so he should be fine." Regret for sparing Oscar's life was beginning to creep in, a sour taste in my mouth.

I could almost sense Jake rolling his eyes on the other end, though I couldn't afford to focus on that now. My priority was her.

"They didn't. Now, get your ass in the car and head over there. I've got something to handle here." A crash followed by a pained grunt punctuated his words, a typical occurrence on a Tuesday for Jake.

I ended the call and slid into the waiting black SUV. My heart alternated between racing anxiety and the anticipation of reuniting with my angel. The engine's purr did little to soothe my nerves as I gripped the steering wheel, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts.