Page 4 of Deadly Vows

“It’s a dead end,” Anton said, his voice dripping with frustration. “No one’s here.”

I clenched my fists, the bitter taste of failure burning my tongue. “We need to get back. Regroup and come up with another plan.”

The drive back to the mansion was even more tense than the journey out. Every second felt like an eternity, each mile a reminder of how far away Talia and the children were. I couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

I called a meeting with my council. Dimitri and my vors gathered in the art gallery. The tension in the air was so thick I felt like I could reach out and grab it. The gallery, usually a sanctuary filled with masterpieces, now felt like a war room.

I stood before them, my expression hard. “We followed a lead, but it was a dead end. Vic has Talia and the children, and we have no idea where they are. We need to find them, and we need to find them fast.”

They all nodded, their faces grim. Each of them knew what was at stake.

“Everyone needs to reach out to their contacts,” I continued. “Go underground, grill our informants and anyone who might have information. I want to know every place Vic could be hiding. Every connection he has, every debt he owes.”

Dimitri stepped forward, his eyes determined. “We’ll find them,pakhan. We won’t stop until we do.”

I nodded, a fierce resolve settling over me. “Good. We start now. Anton, coordinate with Denis. Keep pressure on the police to follow any leads they get. The rest of you start making calls. I want updates regularly.”

They dispersed, each moving with purpose. I watched them go, a sense of hope peeking through the desperation. We would find them. We had to.

Dimitri stayed behind, his eyes meeting mine. “We’ll get them back,brat. Vic won’t get away with this.”

I nodded, my jaw set. “He won’t. And when we find him, he’ll pay for what he’s done.”

I looked around the gallery, taking in the paintings that had once brought me contentment. Talia and the children were out there, somewhere, and I would move heaven and earth to bring them home. “Contact Adachi. Get the Yakuza to help us with the search.”

“Good idea. He has a far reach and a lot of men.” Dimitri pulled out his phone and made the call.

I glanced at a large painting on the wall depicting a stormy sea. It had always been one of my favorites, symbolizing thetumultuous nature of life and the resilience required to navigate it. It felt like a mirror of my mind tonight, chaotic and relentless. The need to get back to the mansion was overwhelming.

The drive was quick, and as the night stretched on, the mansion buzzed with activity as calls were made and leads were followed. I paced the halls, my mind racing. But with every passing moment, my resolve grew stronger. I settled into the office, determined to end this nightmare.

Anton lingered, fatigue shadowing his features. “Denis is pushing the police hard. They’re checking every known hideout, every lead. We’ll find them.”

I nodded, appreciating his unwavering dedication. “Thank you, Anton. We need everyone on this. Every connection, every resource.”

As dawn approached, Dimitri sat across from me, his face weary but his eyes alert.

“We need to double our efforts,” I demanded. “I won’t rest until Talia and the children are back safely. Vic will regret the day he was fucking born,” I growled.

My phone pinged with a text from Tommy:Heard more chatter. Possible location closer to the city. Will confirm.

Hope flared within me. It wasn’t much, but it was something. Another lead, another chance. I showed the message to Anton and then steeled myself for the next phase of the search. Failure wasnotan option.

Chapter 3

Talia

The cold, hard floor had not been kind to my back, and the rough wooden boards had imprinted on my skin. I used my jacket to cover Sasha and Maxim last night so they wouldn’t freeze in the drafty room. I shifted slightly, careful not to wake Sasha, who lay nestled against me, her little body seeking warmth and comfort. Maxim was already awake, his eyes too serious for a boy his age, darting between the door and the window. The early morning light peeked through the cracks in the boarded-up window of our dreary prison.

“Maxim,” I whispered, trying to catch his attention without alarming him, “come here, sweetheart.”

He shuffled over, his brave facade cracking a little as he knelt beside me. I gently touched his shoulder, feeling the tension knotted in his small frame. “I need you to stay calm for Sasha. Can you do that?”

He nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line. “I will, Talia. I promise.”

“Good boy,” I said, forcing a smile. “Now, listen carefully. We need to find a way out of here. There’s a tree outside this window. If we can get the boards off, we might be able to climb down.”

His eyes widened as he glanced at the window. “But how?”

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