Page 63 of Innocently Imprisoned By the Bratva

"Any luck?" I ask over the comms, frustration creeping into my voice.

"Nothing," my right-hand man Daniil replies, his tone equally agitated. "This rat's nest is empty."

"Keep searching," Boris says, ever the voice of reason. "He has to be here somewhere."

“On it, Boss.”

Damien and I go in to join the others while Boris keeps asking for updates.

"Dammit!" I curse under my breath as another room turns up empty. The tension in the air is palpable, suffocating even.

"Focus, Lev," Damien's voice crackles through the comms. "We'll find him."

"God help him when we do," I mutter, fury driving me forward as I continue my search for the man who dared to cross us.

"Boris, Lev, over here!" Damien's voice cuts through the tense silence. I rush to join him in what appears to be a study, my heart pounding with anticipation. Boris joins me moments later. Our men surround us, peeking in through the door, curious at what’s happening.

"Look," he says, pointing at a pile of cash on the desk. Our eyes meet, excitement surging through us, but it's short-lived. We count the cash. It’s around a hundred grand. The amount is nowhere near the ten million Lenny stole from us.

"Where is that bastard?" I growl, slamming my fist against the wall. The pain barely registers, my anger far too strong.

"Guys, this doesn't add up," Boris chimes in. "Lenny knows better than to leave money just sitting out like this."

"Exactly my point." I glare at the pile of cash, my suspicion growing by the second. "He's playing games with us."

"Or leading us astray," Damien adds, his tone equally suspicious. "Trying to buy time or set us up."

"Wouldn't put it past him," I mutter, running a hand through my hair.

“But what is his end game?” Boris mutters under his breath, trying to think. “What is he playing at?”

“Pack the money,” Damien instructs two men. “The rest of you. Keep looking for hiding spots.

Some disappear, others remain by our sides. While the money is being packed, I check the shelves, the walls, and the floors, for concealed hiding spots. Just then, my phone beeps. I would have ignored it, but it’s the special alert I have set for family.

I glance down at the screen, and my heart lurches when I see Pippa's name.

"Hello! If you receive this message, I need your help. Can you access my GPS location?" her automated text reads, the urgency of the message sending a spike of panic through me.

Rage rises in me like bile. That bastard Lenny took our money, lured us here, and now he has Pippa too? If he lays one finger on her pretty little head, I'll skin him alive.

"Guys," I shout, my voice urgent. "I just got a text from Pippa. She needs help."

"Let me see." Boris snatches the phone from my hand, his eyes scanning the message before passing it back to me. “That son of a bitch!” Boris slams his fist on the wall.

Anxiety courses through me. Fear. If anything happens to her… For the first time in my life, I can’t think straight.

“Lenny's been using this house to distract us so he could get to Pippa!" Boris says.

"Damn him!" Damien growls, slamming his fist into the wall. "We need to move, now!"

"Agreed," Boris says, visibly fuming. "We'll find them and make Lenny pay for this."

"Anoushka, Robin, Genevieve…" I mutter, my heart dropping like a stone in my chest. "Boris, we need to make sure they’re safe too."

"Already on it," he replies, his voice strained as he quickly directs his men. "Check on the other family members!"

Less than a minute later, one of the men returns, his face pale and grim. "We've checked on everyone else. They're fine. But Anoushka… she's missing."

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