Page 57 of Bratva Baby

But all I hear is more incoherent crying, a crash in the background, and muffled shouting. My blood runs cold. Grigor must sense my alarm because he casts me a sidelong look as he drives. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Cecily,” I manage, pressing the phone closer to my ear. “She’s… Something’s wrong.”

“What do you hear?”

“Cecily!” I call again, louder this time. “I can’t understand you. Tell me where you are!”

Her sobs continue, and then the call abruptly ends, leaving me holding the silent phone. My stomach twists in terror. I meet Grigor’s eyes with dread clawing at my insides.

He glances between me and the road. “What happened?”

“I don’t know,” I whisper, voice shaking. “She’s in trouble.”

Chapter 24 - Grigor

A scream unlike any I’ve ever heard rips through the car’s interior as Seraphina slams her phone onto the console. “He hurt Cecily.”

My pulse surges at her words. “Your father?” I ask, though I already know the answer.

She nods and takes in a ragged breath.

I grit my teeth and stomp on the accelerator. “We’re heading there now. I’ll send a text to my brothers, let them know to meet us at your father’s.”

A wave of trembling passes through her body. “He told me once he wouldn’t harm Cecily if I did what he asked. I can’t believe I fell for his lies.”

I tighten my grip on the steering wheel. “We’ll deal with your father and his men, whatever it takes.”

She sucks in another shaky breath, nodding. “You think we can get Cecily out before he tries something worse?”

“That’s the plan,” I assure her, forcing a note of confidence I’m not entirely sure I feel.

My phone buzzes with a text from Dmitri, confirming he’s gathering the rest of our men but might arrive a few minutes behind us. My gut warns me that a few minutes could be an eternity in the wrong situation.

“Whatever happens, thank you for doing this,” Seraphina tells me between sniffles.

“I’m doing it for you,” I reply. “And for Cecily, who’s innocent in all this.”

I just hope we’re not too late.

A few minutes later, we reach the iron gates of her father’s estate. They stand open, without a guard in sight. An uneasy feeling coils in my stomach. I kill the engine and search the mansion’s facade for movement. All is still, but that doesn’t fool me. If this is a trap, it’s already set.

I exit the car, gun drawn, glancing back to ensure Seraphina stays close. Her expression is bleak but determined. She clutches a small pistol she’s pulled out of her purse, though her hands tremble. I rest a hand on her shoulder. “Stay behind me. If things go wrong, find cover.”

“I just want Cecily. I can’t lose her.”

“You won’t,” I vow.

The front door stands ajar, reminiscent of an invitation. I push it open and step into the mansion’s foyer with silent steps. The gloom presses in around us with a single chandelier overhead providing a faint glow. I note the lack of staff, the lack of any normal signs of activity. My instincts scream that something is off.

“Cecily!” Seraphina calls, her voice echoing through the halls. “Cecily, where are you?”

No answer.

I point toward a corridor leading to the right. “We’ll check each room. Keep your eyes open.”

She falls in step beside me, and we move carefully through the hallways. My mind flashes with images of the last time I confronted her father here, when I pierced his hand with the letter opener and relished in the way he howled. Now, I suspect he’s intent on returning the favor.

We round a corner into a large sitting room. The furniture is arranged in neat rows, and the windows are draped withheavy curtains. It’s empty, silent. I let out a slow breath, looking around for any sign of movement.

---