Dominic’s POV
The city felt wrong tonight. Every hour without him was another brick on my chest, crushing me slowly.
I stood with my hands braced against the window, my reflection a pale, gaunt stranger staring back at me. The hollows under my eyes were darker now. My shirt was wrinkled, tie half-loosened.
Sleep hadn’t come in days, not since I’d seen that first video of Ethan bound and gagged.
Lucas had done what he could, but even his skill had limits. The kidnappers were too careful, too clean. Every time we thought we’d found a thread, it unraveled into nothing.
And now, my refusal to meet their first demand had escalated things.
The phone calls had grown more aggressive. The last message had been a simple, chilling promise. “The next time you hear from us, it will be his scream
