Page 62 of Innocently Imprisoned By the Bratva

But as we exit the store, laughter still on my lips, I notice out of the corner of my eye a black van parked suspiciously nearby. It has no windows, and a man stands outside of it, his eyes right on us.

"Anoushka," I begin, my voice trembling slightly. "Do you think that van looks… odd?"

She glances at it, her brow furrowing. "Maybe, but let's not be paranoid."

How can I not? Most of the men are out on the mission. Anoushka and I are all alone, wandering the streets without any bodyguards.

What the hell were we thinking? I should never have allowed Anoushka to convince us to go on this shopping trip without security.

As if on cue, the van comes to life, the engine roaring as it speeds toward us. My heart leaps into my throat, adrenaline surging through my veins as I instinctively grab Anoushka's hand.

"Run!" I shout, fear gripping me like a vice. But before we can take more than a few steps, the van screeches to a halt beside us, its side door sliding open.

"Anoushka!" a man snarls, lunging forward and grabbing her. I scream, my grip on her hand slipping as she's dragged toward the van.

"Let her go, you bastards!" I yell, my panic momentarily giving way to pure rage. I lunge toward them, desperate to save my friend, but another man grabs Anoushka from the first one and pulls her into the van.

The van's tires screech against the pavement as it takes off, leaving me standing there in disbelief. My heart races with determination, and I know I can't just stand here and let them take Anoushka away. In an instant, my legs are moving, propelling me after the van as fast as I can manage.

"Help!" I scream, trying to draw attention from a passerby. "Somebody, please help! They've taken my friend!"

As I run, I fumble in my pocket for my phone, quickly pulling up Lev's contact and sending him an SOS alert through the automated system he taught me. Just the click of a button, and he’ll have my location and GPS system. I can only hope he gets it in time and comes rushing to our aid. The thought of what they might do to Anoushka terrifies me, and I push myself harder, determined not to lose sight of the van.

"Damn it," I mutter under my breath as I spot one of the men leaning out of the side door, obviously intent on grabbing me too. Thinking fast, I slip my phone into the waistband of my pants, shoving it toward the small of my back where it's less likely to be found.

"Get away from me!" I shout at the man, but he quickly wraps a strong arm around my waist and yanks me off my feet, dragging me into the van.

Chapter 23 - Lev

The moonlight glints off the snow as we creep through the Aspen woods toward Lenny's massive log cabin. My breath plumes in the freezing air. Boris glances back and puts a finger to his lips, signaling silence. I nod, my nerves on edge. We've done ops like this countless times before, but each time still feels dangerous.

We reach the perimeter fence. The snow falls lightly on the pine trees, casting a serene, almost deceivingly peaceful atmosphere around Lenny's Aspen holiday home.

"Are we ready?" I ask, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.

"Always," Damien nods briefly.

Boris signals to his men. One of them clips a device to the metal links, frying the security system. A minute later, the gate swings open. We share a knowing look; this is personal, and failure is not an option.

We rush through, boots crunching on the snow-dusted driveway. At the front door, an associate picks the lock in seconds. Too easy. As we slide inside, the hairs on my neck stand up. Something's off. It’s too quiet here. There isn’t a single light on. There are no security guards, no gatekeeper, and no watchman.

"Split up," Boris orders quietly. "Search every room. Find the money and any sign of Lenny."

"Got it," Damien and I murmur in unison. I gesture to my men. We disperse, each taking a different direction. As I search the rooms, I can't shake the feeling that my gut is trying to warn me about something. Lenny might be short-sighted, but he's not stupid.

He wouldn’t leave this house without any security measures, would he? Not when he knows we’re on his tail. This makes it too easy as a target.

Why would he allow that?

The men fan out, clearing each room efficiently. Tension coils in my gut. Where's the cash? Where's Lenny? We find nothing but empty guest bedrooms and a massive kitchen.

Back at the foyer, Boris meets my gaze, jaw tight. "He knew we were coming," I mutter.

“You think?” Damien looks at me, like I just stated the obvious.

“Let’s just take another look around,” Boris tells us. “We have come all the way after all.”

We nod. “Check drawers, cupboards, under the bed, any hiding place you can find,” Boris instructs us.

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