12. Volatile Predator

MADELINE

Caught.

Abducted.

The concept had never crossed my mind until now. Although my father had been an exceptional instructor, teaching me various forms of combat, he had never truly explained the harsh reality of falling into the clutches of a predator.

And Victor Racini was undeniably a sinister, intimidating, and unpredictable predator.

He was also an actor, having abandoned his upbringing for a more glamorous existence. The irony of him being the one to abduct me left me with countless questions. What was his motive? My guess was that he aimed to thwart the West Coast takeover attempt. I was nothing more than a pawn.

However, he was engaged in a perilous and intricate game. I had overheard enough gossip about the recent nightclub murders just a few miles from my apartment. His father's men had been slain, gunned down in the streets. His father, presumed dead, had been shot. Perhaps this was merely an act of revenge. How deeply involved was my father in all of this? My fat