Page 64 of Innocently Imprisoned By the Bratva

"Damn it!" Boris curses, slamming his fist into the wall.

"Let's not waste any more time," Damien brings us back to focus, his gaze moving between Boris and me. "We have two people to save and one snake to crush."

***

"Alright, we need a plan," Boris states, his voice authoritative as we gather around the table in our makeshift headquarters in our private jet on the way back to Pilladelphia. I can feel the tension and urgency radiating from all in the Bratva. We're united by a single purpose: finding Pippa and Anoushka.

"Staring at this map won't make them appear," Damien remarks dryly, tapping the screen displaying Pippa's last known GPS location. "We need to track down Lenny's hideout."

"Let's start with what we know," I suggest, my mind racing through possibilities. "Lenny has connections to several shady businesses in the area. It's possible he's using one of them as a front."

"True," Boris agrees, his brow furrowing in concentration. "But we can't afford to waste time checking out every single one. We need to narrow it down."

"Right," Damien says. "Let's use our network. We have eyes and ears all over the city. Someone must've seen or heard something."

"Good thinking," I reply, already pulling out my phone to send a message to our most trusted contacts. I type quickly, each word fueled by determination and rage. "Spread the word—we want any information on Lenny's whereabouts, and we want it now."

"Meanwhile, I'll work on tracking Pippa's GPS signal," one of the tech-wizards chimes in, fingers flying across his laptop keyboard. "It's been a while since she sent that text, but maybe we can still trace it back to her current location."

As we work, I can't help but think of Pippa's laughter, her warm presence filling my days with light. I imagine her bound and scared, and it’s a frightening, scary thought. I think of Anoushka, my sister, my light. What if he breaks them?

"Got something," Boris announces, his eyes scanning a message on his phone. "One of our informants spotted Lenny visiting an abandoned warehouse near the docks earlier today."

"Sounds promising," I say, my pulse quickening. "Let's gear up the moment we land and pay that place a visit."

"Wait," Damien cautions, holding up a hand. "We can't just barge in there without a plan. We need to be smart about this."

"Fine," I snap, impatience boiling under my skin. "What do you suggest?"

"Surveillance first," he replies, his voice steady. "We'll scope out the place and see if we can spot any signs of Pippa and Anoushka or Lenny's goons. Once we know what we're dealing with, we can formulate a plan of attack."

"Agreed," Boris says, nodding. "We'll move as soon as we have enough intel."

Chapter 24 - Pippa

It’s dark in the van, and it takes a sharp turn. I get rammed to the side.

“Who are you?” I ask, trying to sit upright. “Look, you won’t get away with this, I swear.”

But my words fall on deaf ears as the man closest to me, his face a mask of indifference, roughly grabs my wrists and binds them with coarse rope. He then proceeds to place a gag over my mouth. The smell of stale cigarettes and sweat fills the cramped space, making my head swim. Panic bubbles in my chest, threatening to spill out in a muffled scream. I clench my jaw, refusing to show my fear.

We drive for what feels like forty-five minutes. There seems to be traffic outside, and I feel my heart drop to my stomach. If only this van had windows. There are people out there, going on with their lives, while I’m stuck in here, bound and gagged.

Memories rush back from my last kidnapping, the trauma reliving in my mind. Yet, this feels different. These men seem more dangerous.

Lev was harmless. Is harmless. He’s got a kind soul, a pure soul. This time, I don’t know what monsters I’ll be facing.

This can’t be happening to me… again.

***

After what feels like an eternity, the goons yank me from the van, their rough hands gripping my arm as they drag me out. The sun is setting now, and I look around absolutely petrified. We’re in what looks like an abandoned loading dock of some sort. There’s a fence around the perimeter, and no cars in here.

I turn my head left and right, looking for Anoushka. Another van pulls in. I stop, fighting against the goons who are trying to steer me toward a garage door. I need to find Anoushka.

The van comes to a stop. Men exit and open the back door. They push Anoushka out.

“Anoushkaaa!” I try shouting, but my voice comes out muffled. They grab Anoushka and bring her to her feet. I look at her knees. They’re bleeding from where she grazed them when they threw her out of the van.

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