Page 87 of Forgotten Vows
Something poignant about hearing this acute loss reinforced the idea that was growing on me more and more now that I’d be proposing and marrying Raisa soon. Now that I’d be more of a family man, withmyfamily, notthefamily, I’d need to make sure I didn’t take unnecessary risks.
Before we resumed talking about security measures for this wedding, another scream cut through the air.
This one was sharper. One of pure fear.
“Luka!”
It was Gabriella.
She sprinted down the side aisle, her face etched with fear. With horror. As she grew closer, I saw the anger in her expression too.
We were running to intercept her. We didn’t need to think. Dropping into action, I ran with Luka and the soldier, hurrying to protect her and flank her.
But Raisa wasn’t there. She’d been eyeing the stained-glass artwork with Gabriella while we talked. I’d just seen them. Both of them, waving their hands like the candles’ smoke bothered their noses. Right by the nuns?—
I whirled around, my gun up and ready to be fired at the first visible threat. Luka shielded Gabriella with his arm around her body. The guard covered them both as more Dubinin men rushed up to us.
“Where is she?” I roared. “Where are they?”
Those nuns. I kept wondering why they seemed so tall from across the church. Raisa had to dodge and lean to make eye contact with me, as used to this pull between us that had us needing to know where the other was no matter what.
Raisa was gone.
The nuns were too.
“Where is she?”
More Dubinin men rushed through the church, seeking her out.
“Gabriella.” Luka framed her face and stared at her. He wasn’t comforting her, but ordering her to snap out of hysteria. “Where is Raisa?” As he spoke, he roved his gaze over her, taking inventory and checking that she was unharmed.
“They took her!” She heaved in a deep breath and swallowed. “They took her out back. Both of us. They grabbed us over there.” She pointed a finger near where I’d seen them last. “And those nuns. Those fucking nuns!”
A petrified woman running to escape the church gasped at her as she passed us.
“They weren’t nuns!” Gabriella lost the hysteria and now scowled with fury. “They were men disguised as nuns, and when they kept getting closer I thought it was because we were in their way for a prayer or whatever. But they were just there to take us.”
“Who?” I stared at her, begging her to know so I could rush after them. The guard with us spoke into his radio, ordering more men to go down the block behind the church. “Who was it? Where did they take her?”
“Men,” she said. “No names. Raisa fought them back and struggled to get free. She broke out of one holding her to punch the guy who’d grabbed me. Then she told me to run and I did. She told me to get help, but before she could run, they grabbed her again and stuck her in an SUV out back. Black Expedition. Blacked-out windows.” She cringed. “I don’t know anything else. It looked like all the cars we use.”
“Did you see the men?”
She shook her head, frantic to share what she could. “No. Those veil things were blocking so much of them.”
“Focus,” Luka urged. “What did they sound like? Did they speak with an accent?”
“Not Spanish. Like you guys. Russian.” She licked her lips and clutched Luka’s arm. “But I think my bracelet broke off. The one you gave me.” She stared at him with hope. “Doesn’t it have a tracker?”
He kissed her cheek. “Good girl.” To me, he said, “Get Emil on it now.”
I nodded, not wasting a second to call my cousin and get him here.
He led Gabriella out of the church, to keep her safe in the car, but I couldn’t leave yet. Joining the men running to the back of the church, I tried not to panic as I scoured the alley. The Dubinin soldiers out back shook their heads and confirmed they didn’t have anyone. A couple cars were in pursuit, but until Emil could find the tracker on Gabriella’s bracelet?—
“Ivan.”
I ran over to where a man pointed at the pavement. There lay Gabriella’s busted bracelet, the gems cracked and the wire bent.
