Chapter 23

Without warning, a thug lunged at Zen, aiming the blade at his side. But Zen was faster. He sidestepped the attack with fluid precision, grabbing the thug’s wrist and twisting it with enough force to disarm him. The switchblade clattered to the ground as Zen delivered a swift elbow to the thug’s face, sending him sprawling.

Zen clenched his jaw, he had thought Natasha would want the best for herself and now she had led him straight into a trap. "In the end, you ended up like everyone else," he replied, his voice laced with disappointment.

Before Natasha could respond, the man standing next to her stepped forward, a sneer on his face. "Touching, really. But we’re not here to chat. You’re coming with us, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll cooperate."

Zen’s eyes flicked to the man, sizing him up. "And if I don’t?"

The man chuckled, pulling out a switchblade, the sharp edge glinting under the light. "Then things get messy."

Zen’s expression didn’t change, but there was a dan