Page 46 of Sexting the Silverfox

“I am helping her. She’ll be safe in New York while we negotiate with Arkady Abramovic,” he replies.

“Arkady Abramovic?” I ask.

“The firstborn and de facto leader of the Chicago Bratva,” Grigori cuts in. “I’m told his father has taken ill. For the past couple of years, Arkady has been pulling the strings in this city, and he’s the one who has his sights set on my daughter. I will handle the negotiations while Anton and Vitaly will make sure their sister is protected.”

“From what I understand, this Arkady prick is only coming after Audrey because he wants to take a bite out of your turf,” I say, raising my chin in defiance.

“It’s none of your business,” Grigori snaps.

“Anything pertaining to Audrey is my fucking business.”

Anton sighs deeply. “Give it up, Jason. He’s going to take Audrey away. There’s no stopping that.”

“Wanna bet?” I hiss as the four mooks barge into the apartment, slamming into me like linebackers.

I try to fight them off, but I’m met with ironclad blocks and an elbow shot that damn near tears my jaw off. I curse under my breath and try again, but Anton is compelled to intervene, shoving me against the wall. He whips out a gun and presses the muzzle against my temple. “Don’t move a fucking inch, or I swear to God I’ll shoot you,” he whispers. “Don’t make it worse.”

“Fuck you!” I growl.

The four goons go through the living room and kitchen first, then wander through the hallway until they find the master bedroom at the far end. Grigori stays back, hands casually resting in his pockets as he looks at me. “Mr. Winchester, I suggest you calm down. No one can protect Audrey better than me,” he says.

“Why are you doing this, Anton?”

“It’s not like I had a choice. I tried to go under the radar, but there was always the risk of Papa finding out,” he says in a low voice. “Don’t move, Jason, I’m serious. Stop fighting this. Audrey’s safety is paramount.”

“How in the hell is she going to be safe with the very people she ran away from?”

The men burst through the bedroom door, and Audrey screams. I’m compelled to struggle and help her, but Anton’s gun reminds me that I can’t move. Not without getting my brains blown out, anyway. I don’t know these people, but Audrey did warn me that they are ruthless fuckers, especially when Grigori is present.

The man is a fucking menace, and I can see that clearly now. He’s a psychopath, a man who thrives when everyone around him is deathly afraid yet still reveres him like a god.

“LET ME GO!” Audrey screams as she struggles, but she is no match against four massive bodyguards.

They quickly slap a pair of cable ties around her wrists and drag her out of the bedroom. Fury takes over, the fury of a helpless man, as I have no choice but to watch as they take my woman away. Audrey tries to reach out to me, but they hold her back and gag her, apparently for good measure. I’m roaring on the inside, burning up as the blood flashes hot through my veins.

The horror in her eyes stabs my heart.

“I’m sorry,” I manage as I watch Audrey get carried out of my home, the one place where she thought she’d be safe, the one place I promised her would be safe. “I’m so sorry.”

“Hello, sweetheart,” Grigori briefly salutes his daughter as they take her away, then pauses at the door. “I’d advise you to keep your distance, Mr. Winchester. I have plenty of bullets to spare if you try to intervene. I implore you to think about your own daughter.”

I freeze, suddenly reminded of precisely how fucking dangerous this man is. It’s an impossible situation.

My survival is everything if I’m to do anything to help Audrey in the future, and my daughter needs a father. I’m torn and inwardly raging, yet all I can do is try to measure my breaths and try not to lose control.

“I don’t care who you are. If you threaten my family again, I will show you who I am, Mr. Fedorov, and trust me when I say you have no idea who you’re dealing with.”

“Nor do I wish to find out. So why don’t we just go our separate ways?” Grigori replies although I can tell from the look in his eyes that he is quickly starting to realize that he may have underestimated me. “It’s better for everyone.”

“Not for Audrey, it isn’t.”

“Audrey is no longer your concern,” Anton tells me. “Protect yourself and your daughter. My sister is with her family now.”

Grigori leads the way out, and Anton lets go of me with one final warning glare—I need to keep my distance. That’s what he’s telling me in the absence of words. I give him a slight nod, but I’m sure he can tell I have no intention of letting them take Audrey back to New York by force.

Anton leaves and closes the door behind him.

Chapter 19

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