Page 79 of Ruthless Daddies

“We can’t let this slide,” Nikolai says, his tone sharper than mine. “Vadim thinks he can play games with us, and the longer we let him think that, the bolder he’ll get.”

“That’s not all,” Dmitri adds, finally stopping his pacing. He leans against a stack of crates, his arms crossed. “Someone tipped him off.”

I let his words hang in the uncomfortable silence.

I glance at Dmitri, raising an eyebrow. “You’re sure about that?”

“Positive,” he says, his voice tight. “Vadim’s men knew exactly when and where to strike. Someone fed him that information.”

The men shift uneasily, glancing at one another.

“A snitch,” Nikolai mutters, his jaw tightening. “Perfect.”

I take a step closer to the group, my gaze sweeping over each of them. “If someone here has something to say,” I say, my voice low but deadly, “now is the time.”

Silence.

I let the moment stretch, watching their faces, their body language. Most of them look uneasy, but none of them meet my gaze for long.

“This is a dangerous game we’re playing,” Dmitri says, pushing off the crates. “And whoever’s feeding Vadim information is risking all our lives. Including yours.”

“Enough,” I say sharply, cutting off the growing tension. “We’re not here to accuse blindly. But make no mistake—if I find out someone here is working against us, you won’t live long enough to regret it.”

The men nod quickly, their faces pale.

“Vadim is testing us,” I continue. “These aren’t just random attacks anymore. Vadim is making his move, and three of our own paid the price for it. Boris, Gleb, and Anton. Good men. Men who followed orders, worked hard, and trusted us to protect them.”

My gaze sweeps across the room, pausing on each face long enough to let the weight of my words sink in. Some meet my eyes, others glance away, their discomfort evident. Good. They should be uncomfortable.

“They died because someone wanted to send us a message,” I continue, my tone hardening. “But here’s the thing—we don’t take messages. We deliver them.”

A murmur runs through the group, low and tense. I hold up a hand, silencing it immediately.

“Vadim thinks he can intimidate us. He thinks he can hit us where it hurts and get away with it. But we are not weak, and we do notforget.”

My voice drops lower. “Let me make one thing very clear—we are going to find out who gave him that information. And when we do…” I let the sentence hang, my meaning crystal clear.

The men exchange glances, their unease growing.

“And we’ll respond. But we do it on our terms. Clear?”

“Yes, sir,” the men murmur in unison.

“Good,” I say, turning to Nikolai and Dmitri. “We’re done here. Let’s go.”

As the men disperse, Dmitri steps closer, his expression grim. “You know I’m right,” he says quietly.

I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. “I know,” I admit. “But we can’t go accusing our own men without proof. Find the leak first. Then we deal with it.”

“And we will, like we always do,” Nikolai says.

I open my mouth to say something when the unmistakable crack of gunfire splits the air.

The first shot is distant, muffled by the thick walls of the warehouse, but the second is louder, closer.

“What the—” Nikolai starts, but I’m already moving.

“Get down!” I bark, my voice echoing off the concrete walls.

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