VORACIOUS- 18

~Demetrius' POV~

I was running, pushing my legs to the limit. I wouldn't let them get me; I couldn't let them get me. I continued to flee; my muscles burned in agony when I refused to take much needed rest. Only one goal registered in my brain.

Sophia.

By now I had lost all my guards, I was alone ranger, fighting for survival.

The various gunshots that echoed through the trees reminded me that I needed to keep on moving, they were coming in fast, all I needed to do was be faster.

I knocked countless branches from my path, resulting in various cuts to my skin. Running in a suit proved a huge struggle and I began to slow down until I decided to discard off the heavy blazer. As I continued to sprint blindly through nature, I could hear the twigs tearing though my shirt, ripping and creating holes in the fabric, I shivered slightly as the cold air hit my exposed skin.

I needed to find civilization, the longer I remained in the secluded forest, the less hope I had of making it out of here alive.

Fabio knew how to play games, he knew how to trick those who went against him, I was fully aware of his cynical tactics, only this time I wasn't expecting it.

There was a single man, he was armed and covered, it happened as soon as I came out of the plane. I wasn't expecting it, at least not this early. I watched unnerved as he came charging at me, gun raised and safety turned off.

Before he could come anywhere near me, my eight guards were already in front of me, a protective wall that I doubt would be broken.

Even though Fabio had decided to personally hire all my guards for me, I wasn't very trusting of him, so I went behind his back to hire some of my own.

"Move out guys, Fabio's orders." I waited with a smirk for the man to realize that these were in fact not Fabio's employees, but my own. When he finally did, I heard a reaction I was not expecting.

My men stood still, guns drawn, waiting for the man to make his move.

He shocked me by taking out his phone. "Fabio was right, send in more." I narrowed my eyes at the masked man, wondering what he was up to.

"Send some to the Mavros residence also, I have a feeling there will be even more there. Don't forget, when you get there, kill them all and take Sophia."

Sophia.

At the mention of her name, something sparked within me, without thinking I launched myself at the man blinded with rage, the gun in his hand was the least of my worries.

"What have you done to my wife?" Keeping a firm grip on the man, I pulled off his mask and sent a heavy fist to his jaw and began to choke him.

"What have you done to my wife?" I shouted at the man again, letting him go as he sputtered and coughed for air.

I glared at the sadistic smile on his face. "She's perfectly fine...Fabio has her now." I kept pounding, continuously throwing bone crushing hits to the man's face, I was sure I had broken his nose, but I wanted more. "I am going to make you wish you were never alive!" My bloodstained hands only fed my fury, making me angrier. She's with Fabio. His words replayed itself constantly in my mind, I was relentless. Pounding the man and rendering him motionless, I was sure I had killed him at that moment, but looking down upon the slow rise and fall of his chest I couldn't help but feel disappointed, I wanted to kill him.

A series of gunshots forced me off the unconscious man, there was more of them, much more. It was a trap. That man intentionally came on his own. He was a distraction, a sacrifice.

"Boss we need to leave immediately." I was rushed into a dark car, it was small and old, not something I would usually drive in, but I needed it in order to blend in.

We drove fast through the streets of Rhodes; the laws of the road didn't seem to matter as we attempted to escape the men trailing after us. They weren't far behind, but I didn't doubt we would lose them.

"Take a right." I ordered.

As the car turned, I felt a sudden jolt and the car began to shake. "What happened?" I asked, my eyes wide, they were no longer within eyesight, but I knew they were close.

"They've hit us, punctured a back tire, Boss."

"Dammit." I slammed the dashboard in frustration when the car began to lose speed.

"There's a forest ahead of us, I suggest you get away through there, hopefully civilization is nearby." Martin advised; he rarely does speak, but I was grateful he did at the moment.

"Go quick, they should be here in seconds." It was too late, a round of gun shots announced their arrival and I wasted no time in running into the forest.

Without looking back, I was aware that Martin had stayed to delay Fabio's men. I wasn't the least bit sentimental; he has sworn to protect me at all costs, and that is exactly what he was doing. I was grateful to him, but I wouldn't allow that burden me.

I needed to get back to Athens immediately, I had to find Sophia, the thought of Fabio even laying a finger on her angered me and I don't know how much longer I can spend not knowing where she is and how she is faring.

The sound of gaining feet and distant shouts had become a memory. It was completely silent. I dragged my feet along the mass of soil and fought the nagging temptation to rest. I had been trekking this forest for goodness knows how long, and I wasn't sure how much longer I could manage.

Just as I was about to collapse onto the mass of earth, I heard voices, it was faint but it told me that civilization was near.

Feeling my adrenaline kick in, I ran in the direction of the voices, each step I took brought me closer to freedom.

Speeding through the forest, I breathed in a sigh of relief when I spotted a few houses, I was within touching distance.

"Wait! Wait!" I shouted desperately to a couple of women that were walking past.

Both of them turned around, staring at me with a questioning look. "Can we help you?" One of them asked, she was the older lady out of the two with graying hair, she looked in her mid-sixties.

I knew that both women were a little skeptical as they glanced at my torn clothes and cut filled hands. Clearing my throat, I spoke, unaffected by their judgmental stares. "Sorry to disturb you ladies, but I was wondering if you could tell me where I am."

"Afandou village, of course." The younger lady looked at me, laughing quietly to her friend, I tried to remain calm, but there is only so much mistreatment a man can take.

"Thank you very much, ladies, you've been a great help." They didn't respond and continued to give me dirty looks, ignoring them, I immediately started to dial my secretary's number.

"Mr. Mavros?" She spoke on the other line.

"Yes, Amelia, I need you to send a car to Afandou village and I want you to get my jet ready, I want a flight back to Athens as soon as possible."

"Of course, sir, I'll have a car sent to you immediately." As I was about to end the call, I remembered something very important.

"Amelia, I want you to make sure that the driver of the vehicle, is dressed as causal as possible, not any of their usual suits."

"Yes sir." I knew she was confused by my behavior, but she didn't question me.

Hanging up the phone, I saw five missed calls from Sophia, quickly calling back, I waited anxiously as it rang and rang without an answer. She doesn't go anywhere without her phone. The man was right, she's with Fabio. I had to get to Athens now, even if it meant walking, I had to save her, I had to see my wife.

The flight to Athens was full of tension, I was so worried. I had no idea what to expect when I arrived at the house, and sitting in a plane for an hour and a half did nothing to ease that anxiety.

For the first time in my life, I felt an unfamiliar gnawing in my heart, it was painful. I was clueless as to what it meant, but I knew for sure it had something to do with Sophia.

Entering the house, I knew I had to only expect the worse, Fabio is a sick man, ruthless and merciless and as I cringed at the disturbing scene in front of me, I knew his goons had definitely been in the house.

He was aware that I had gone behind his back to hire my own bodyguards, and he had punished me for it.

In a heap lay my own employees, their bodies lifeless and bloodied. He always aimed to create mystery and a dramatic end to innocent lives.

A yellow piece of paper hung on the still hand of one of the men, cautiously going closer to the bodies, I peered at the note, it was the same one I left Sophia, but there was something else written at the bottom.

'Game On Cousin'

Furious, I took out my phone and dialed a number I never thought I would need again.

"Dimitri speaking."

"Alexander, I need your help."

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