Page 65 of Innocently Imprisoned By the Bratva

She looks at me, frenzy-eyed. I strain against the hold of the goons, desperate to reach Anoushka and make sure she's okay. The fear in her eyes ignites a fire in my chest, and I refuse to let them keep us apart. "Let her go!" I manage to shout through the gag, my voice hoarse but determined.

Anoushka's eyes meet mine, and in that moment, I see a mix of relief and worry flicker across her face. She knows we're in deep trouble.

They drag her in my direction; her hands, bound in front of her, reach out toward me, a silent plea for help. The goons laugh at our futile attempts to resist, enjoying the power they hold over us. Rage boils within me as I watch them mistreat Anoushka, and something inside snaps. With a surge of adrenaline, I wrench myself free from their grasp and charge toward her, ignoring their shouts and attempts to restrain me.

I reach Anoushka’s side and realize how futile my move is. With my hands tied, I’m good for nothing. Tears come to my eyes, and Anoushka shakes her head at me, telling me not to cry.

The goons grab me, and together, they shove Anoushka and me forward through the garage door.

We enter and it looks like some kind of hideout. The damp air clings to my skin, carrying the unmistakable scent of briny water. I glance around, searching for a clue to our location. Are we near the river? How far have they taken us?

We stand there and a sound of a shutter opening draws my attention. I crane my neck, and my knees begin to tremble… Lenny.

"Welcome to your temporary accommodations," Lenny sneers, his eyes gleaming with malice as he slowly walks toward us. "I hope you like it because you two are going to be here for a while."

Neither of us says a word, gagged as we are. He motions at his men to remove the rags from our mouths.

As the gag is removed, I draw in deep gasps. Anoushka coughs and splutters. My tongue feels heavy, drained.

“Hello, Pippa,” Lenny comes and stands in front of me. “My house has been a mess since you never came back.”

My eyes narrow at Lenny's smug expression, and I clench my jaw to contain the fury bubbling inside me. “What do you want, Lenny?” I ask through gritted teeth.

He leans forward and grabs my chin, peering into my eyes. “Revenge,” he hisses, just like a snake.

"Leave her alone!" Anoushka yells, her voice dripping with disdain as she walks closer to me. The men hold her back. "You think you’re going to get away with this?”

"Ah, the ever-feisty Zolotov sister," Lenny retorts, his lip curling in disgust. "You know, your family has caused me nothing but trouble. If they would've just let the embezzlement issue go, none of this would've happened."

I can't help but roll my eyes at his pathetic attempt to justify his actions. "So, what, you're blaming them for your own criminal activities? That's rich."

"Rich is what I needed to be," he snaps, anger flaring in his eyes. "I had gambling debts to pay off, and the only way to do that was to take what I could from the Zolotovs. They were never supposed to find out."

"Gambling debts? Seriously?" Anoushka snorts. "How cliché can you get, Lenny? You really should work on your villain backstory."

"Shut up!" he shouts, turning to face Anoushka. To my horror, he slams a hand across her face. The slap echoes through the room and Anoushka falls to the ground, clutching her jaw.

“Anoushka!” I scream, running to be by her side. I crouch on the floor, my hands still tied behind my back. My heart tears for her. I wish I could reach out and caress her pain away.

She sits there, stunned, not moving. Lenny’s goons come and grab us both, bringing us back to our feet.

“You bastard,” I scream, turning back to Lenny.

Lenny looks at me, surprised. "I thought you were the sweet one, Pippa,” he tuts. “But since you seem so upset, I might as well explain it to you. You don't understand the kind of pressure I was under. You don't know what it's like to owe money to dangerous people. People who would do anything to collect."

"Sounds like a personal problem," I mutter, unable to resist the urge to poke at his already bruised ego.

“Well, it was. But since the Zolotovs made my business their own, I think it’s time I involve them now, don’t you?”

Anoushka and I exchange glances, petrified of what he might say next.

Lenny smirks, looking between Anoushka and me as if we're prizes he's just won. "You know what? I think I've got a plan." He paces around us like a predator circling its prey. "I'll use little Anoushka here as a bargaining chip," he says, grabbing her arm roughly. "The Zolotovs will pay anything to get their precious sister back. For each day they don’t agree with what I want, I could take a finger, or a toe. If they really make me wait around, how about her tongue?"

My blood runs cold at the mere mention of Anoushka being harmed. "How dare you!" I scream, struggling against my restraints. "Touch her again and you'll wish you never set foot in this country!"

"Well, that's the spirit, Pippa," Lenny chuckles. "I don’t think you really have much bargaining power here, do you?” He eyes me up and down.

"Let Pippa go then," Anoushka demands, her eyes blazing with fury. "She has nothing to do with this."

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