Page 48 of Forced By the Bratva Beast

Gulping down the liquid, I let it quench my thirst. My next inclination is to try my luck, pitching it at Christopher’s head, but he’s already thought about that, grabbing the glass out of my hands. “Don’t even think about it.”

“What do mean you’ve come to relieve him of his Bratva duties,” I ask, my voice clearer, and adding more minutes on the clock. Approach the subject with impartial curiosity. Dr. Perri did teach me something.

“What I mean is, the Russians need to go. It’s time for the Italians to reign in Chicago like they once did. This town is full of them, and I’m here to overthrow them.”

“I see,” I say gaining confidence as Chris stands by.

“How do I come in?” I inquire.

“You’re a nice opportunity. One we can use as leverage to draw your husband right into our trap.”

“He’s not stupid. He’s going to see through your game,” I say confidently because if I’m going to die, then I at least want to go out swinging.

“Oh yes, he is. My good sources tell me he’s on the way,” Bruno counters, baring his teeth.

“This plan couldn’t be working out any more perfectly if I planned it,” Chris slides in, his conceited response sparking my anger.

“Yep. The Russians are walking right into our trap.” I pray for Andrei’s safety, but I don’t let it show, clamming up as themen talk between themselves. I never expected to feel this way about Andrei… didn’t want to, but this ache in my heart tells me there’s nothing I can do about it.

Chapter Twenty-Four – Andrei

Bruno and Christopher weren’t smart enough to take Sophia to a place that was off the map. The place they took her was right under everyone’s nose. Fuming, it cuts me to the bone in a way that shocks me.She’s all alone, probably only Ava will be looking for her….

Dimitri calls me five minutes later with the location and a plan. “They’re keeping her on Parkview Boulevard in Flowerfield.”

“There? Fools. Meet me out front in ten with ammo, I’ll bring the team,” I direct, Makar with me in the office as I open the side panel where I keep an emergency stash of guns for situations like this.

I hand him an AK-47, while I put on my bulletproof vest. Makar and I suit up silently like clockwork, already knowing the drill. “If they hurt her, Makar.”

“I know, Boss, I know. We’re going to get her out of there.” He slaps me on the back as the rest of my associates stream into the office and I hand off guns and bombs one by one. We run a tight operation and everyone I need is rounded up in less than fifteen minutes.

Dimitri is out front with his own team. “I have a master plan. They’re going to know we’re coming. Bruno is a Mafia boss. He has some degree of smarts.”

Staring at him for a second, I nod, not having the time to go over the finer details with him.

“Let’s roll out. This place is a house, and from the floor plan, it looks like it’s got two floors. Leave no stone unturned to find her. Likely they have her in the basement. Be prepared to shoot to kill. Oh, and you’re part of my team, so I expect all of you to come out alive, but if you don’t, know that this is the Bratva. Long live the brotherhood!”

“The brotherhood!” my associates cry out in unison as we pile into the black SUV. Traffic is smooth, and it’s one less burden to deal with, but I am pushing limits on the freeway, wanting to get to Sophia.

“We’re close.” I study the map, the red dot pulsing on the screen of my cell phone. “It’s on the right, and it’s got a gate. Vikir, use the detonator.” Vikir is good for a break and enter. Makar crawls forward as the driver stops a block back from the gate and a couple of my men get out to ensure there’s no interference. We’re taking a gamble because it’s still daylight.

“Back soon.” Dressing in all black, I watch as the nimble Vikir takes his duffel bag to the gate, placing a detonator bomb on the gate itself. Who needs a number?

“This should be fun,” Makar says, a smile on his face, one I don’t match. There’s nothing to smile about for me as I think back to the hotel and what I should have done. Sophia made me soft in the heat of the moment and that’s what I feared might happen, but it’s too late to cry over spilt milk. Vikir steps back into the middle of the street with a tiny black box. He pulls a lever. A plume of smoke and tangerine lights up the sky as I hear the gate whine as its hinges break.

“Perfect. That’s our cue.” Vikir runs back, slinging the van door open as we advance forward, and I accelerate to the front door. I don’t see why the place is gated. It’s only a middle-class weatherboard house, nothing special located in a quietsemirural area, and the rest of the houses are a good distance apart.

Cutting the engine, I don’t see any lights on, but I know they’re in there. Wanting only to kill, thinking about what Chris might have already done to her, I vow to keep my head. If I don’t, I won’t be successful in rescuing Sophia. Makar and I sneak up the two flights of stairs as two of my men duck low, heading over to the window to check inside.

My chest heaves as I flatten my back against the front door, Makar doing the same on the other side. I see Dimitri working from outside the house, his car at the bottom of the driveway. I trust him. His plans never fail. Ever. “There’s movement,” one of my guys reports back as I bite down on my bottom lip, while Makar picks the lock in record time.

With my gun cocked and only the few men I brought with me in tow, our eyes adjust to the dark, moving through the foreign territory, switching on the lights as we skulk from room to room. Keeping my eyes trained for any sudden movements, we receive our rude awakening when we reach the living room.

Like ants, men emerge from behind the big-screen TV, another room, the kitchen, and from behind the couch. Shit. They flock around us, their guns cocked at our heads. We’re outnumbered. Fuck. It’s a risk, but if we fire back, we run the risk of all of us winding up dead. Taking stock of the situation, sweat drips from my body; Makar waits with his back to mine. We know when it’s best to surrender.

“Don’t move,” one of them commands, but I can’t see his face. It’s masked along with the other cowards.

“Okay, okay, don’t shoot. Easy,” I say carefully, wondering how many of them I can take. Makar shakes his head, understanding what I’m assessing. Feeling out of control, all Iwant is to know Sophia and the baby are alright. Seconds later, I get my wish as Bruno and Christopher carry Sophia out, and I scan her to see if her body’s marked in any way.

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