Page 48 of Disgraced (Russian Sinners 3)

Sergei

The moment I got the notification that Dimitry and Nikolai entered my compound, after they'd been gone most of the day, I came out. I gave them the address where Anastasia was being held. It was a supposed tip from the streets. With each day, I succeeded in digging my grave deeper.

I waited in the parking area as the car approached. A shootout must have happened because the car was pretty much destroyed. Windows busted, and the side of the vehicle was covered with bullet holes. Initially they were going to leave as soon as they rescued the woman but things must have gone wrong. They were planning to come back only in the event she wasn’t able to go back home.

Nikolai was driving but Dimitry wasn’t in the passenger seat. For a fraction of the second, my heart stopped, anguished with worry, but then I saw him in the back seat. Before I could even debate why he would sit in the backseat, I saw her.

“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath. Nikolai parked the car next to me. With a nod, Nikolai exited the vehicle, shutting the door lightly. Dimitry did the same thing.

Anastasia Manciatti slept in the backseat. She looked like she had been to hell and back. The young, carefree woman I saw in the hotel lobby almost a month ago was gone.

Fuck!

She slept with her knees pressed against her chest, her body curved into a ball. Her arms were wrapped around her as if she was trying to protect herself even while sleeping. She was still in the same clothes I kidnapped her in. Dimitry’s jacket was placed on her but it didn’t cover her enough, not to see all those bruises. They’d be forever etched in my mind.

I should have gotten her a change of clothes. Goddamnit!

Her ivory skin had purple bruises all over her, even on her cheek and her neck. Didn’t I fucking tell those men to keep her safe? It didn’t look like she was safe at all. With the gut-wrenching fear, I wondered what she had been through. I tampered my rage, taking a deep breath in and out. I did it to save Scarlett, although at this moment it seemed like a poor ass excuse.

And this guilt burned like acid through me. I have violated everything my brothers and I stood for. By the time this ordeal was over, I might lose everything and everyone. And I couldn’t say that I would blame my brothers for finally washing their hands of me. I deserved nothing better.

“Brother,” Nikolai greeted me grimly. His eyes turned back to Anastasia’s sleeping form surrounded by shattered glass and bullets everywhere.

I swallowed hard. “Is she alright?”

Dimitry joined us, his face a mask of fury and rage, reflecting what I currently felt towards myself.

“She will be,” Nikolai answered somberly. “She’s strong.”

“We busted into the house as one of those fucking bastards was getting ready to rape her,” Dimitry’s voice was pure ice, although he spoke low to ensure we couldn’t be overheard or wake her up.

“Fuck,” I gritted through my teeth. I was worse than those men because I handed her over. All this was my fault.

Misha, one of Dimitry’s men, came over to join us. His eyes shifted to the young woman’s form and pity crossed his face.

“Is she okay?” he asked in a low voice.

“She will be,” Dimitry replied. “Can you grab the bag quietly out of the trunk and put it in the bedroom we designated for her? When she wakes up, I’m sure she’ll want to get cleaned up. We’ll be staying a few days.”

“You got it,” Misha threw another worried glance at the woman, then went to fetch the bag.

“We killed a good number of them,” Nikolai spoke up, his eyes darting to the woman. He was very protective of women, which was understandable. His sister has been through some bad shit. “I can’t believe after two weeks of whatever she endured, she still fought against them.”

Dimitry’s eyes softened as he looked at the woman. A shocking revelation, Dimitry never softened towards anyone. Sometimes I wondered if this life we lead completely wiped out any soft emotion from him.

He likes this woman. He likes her a lot,I realized.

He was gone most of the morning. What could have happened in such a short time? I scoffed to myself. It didn’t take me long to fall for Scarlett. I observed my oldest brother and was sure he liked Anastasia Manciatti. He might not even realize it himself. It was the first time I had ever seen my brother watch someone with longing and hunger.

Yes, I will need an even deeper grave. Unmarked grave. Shit!

“Now what?” I asked my brothers.

“She’ll be under our protection till Boris’ execution,” Dimitry answered. We all shared a look and didn’t need words to agree. We all knew it was her best chance at staying alive. And I had quite a bit to make up to Anastasia. I handed her to Boris’ men, gave them leverage. I could be the main culprit if this shit got even worse.

Movement in the car had all three of us turning our eyes to Anastasia. Her green eyes were quite striking. She watched us all warily and I couldn’t blame her. The last two weeks must have been a nightmare for her. The worst part was that I could have prevented it. I deserved whatever life dished out my way because what I had done was unforgivable.

Dimitry strode over to the car and opened the door. Anastasia’s eyes watched his every move. With a quick glance down at herself, a little frown showed up on her face and her hands moved to remove the jacket placed on her.

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