“This is Antonio’s place. It’s about a forty-five minute drive.”
“Fuck,” I growl when I see that it’s exactly where Charlie’s tracker says she is. Meeting him on his turf is going to make things a bit more difficult for me. “Send that to everyone. I want every fucking soldier on my payroll called in for this. We’re not leaving survivors on this one. Have them bring extra weapons. I’ll radio instructions on the way.”
Turning back to Artyom, I say, “Call Jack and have him head to my house. Tell him to get the surgery room set up and to prepare for gunshots and stab wounds.”
Artyom’s already dialing the number before I’ve finished speaking. Storming out of the mayor’s mansion draws a lot of stares, but I don’t give a flying fuck what any of them think. The mayor can come up with his own goddamn excuses for why there are several heavily armed Russians in his house.
Before I can get into the driver’s side, Artyom is there opening the door for himself. “I’m driving,” he says, ignoring the murderous look I give him. “You need to focus on the plan, and I don’t want you driving while you’ve got that earpiece in.”
I know he’s right, but I still bitch about it as I walk to the passenger side. “Don’t fucking drive like a grandma or I’m taking over.”
“That’ll be the fucking day,” he mutters, starting the car and peeling out down the street with a squeal of tires and a cloud of smoke.
“I want the drive made in thirty minutes,” I tell everyone on the radio. “Not fucking forty-five. When we get closer, I’ll give instructions on where to meet.”
Artyom drives as fast as I need him to, but it still doesn’t feel fast enough, even though he’s bumping it up to one-thirty on the straight stretches of road, only slowing down when he’s forced to.
The sound of Charlie’s voice in my ear sends a rush of adrenaline through me.Misha, they locked me in a room in the basement. It’s the first door on the right. They dragged Yuri off somewhere else. I’m not sure where,she quickly whispers.I don’t know when they’ll be back.
“It’s okay, baby. You’re doing great. We’re on our way. I just need you to hang on a little bit longer. Have they hurt you?”
I’m fine, she quickly says, a little too quickly. I know she’s lying, but I’m not sure how badly she’s covering things up.They hit Yuri really badly on the back of the head.
“He’ll be fine. He has a ridiculously hard head,” and the soft laugh she gives makes me feel immensely better, even though I’m guessing it’s more for my benefit than anything else.
I broke a guy’s nose. They call him Antonio, and he’s not very happy with me.
“Good girl, baby, but I need you to stay safe. No more fighting back. Just do whatever you need to do to stay safe. Do you understand? Whatever you need to do.”
Someone’s coming, she whispers, and it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.
“I love you, Charlie. It’s just a little bit longer, and then you’ll be safe. I promise.”
I love you, she whispers right before I hear the sound of a door being opened.
Chapter17
Charlotte
When Antonio steps into the dank room they’ve thrown me into, I try my best to act like I’m not scared, but I’m shaking so badly my whole body is shuddering. He gives me the kind of smile that lets me know nothing good is about to happen. He’s wiped the blood from his face, but his nose is still swollen. I’m guessing I look a lot worse than him. That punch he gave me has made the whole side of my face swell up, and I can only imagine what Mikhail is going to do when he sees it.
“It looks like I’ve managed to steal myself Mikhail’s sweet little fiancée,” he says, squatting down to get a better look at me. He lets out a harsh laugh before gripping my hair tight enough to make me gasp. “Is he sending his little bitch to do his dirty work now?”
I’m going to kill that motherfucker!Mikhail growls in my ear.
“Tell me about his business, Charlotte. What’s the Fedorov Bratva up to these days?”
Tell him whatever the hell he wants to know, sweetheart.
“I don’t know anything,” I say. “I don’t even know what the fuck a Bratva is.”
Charlie, don’t!Mikhail pleads with me.He’s a dead man anyway. He can’t hurt me.
Antonio gives me a smirk before I get a sharp backhand to my already swollen cheek. A scream escapes before I can stop it.
He’s fucking beating her!Mikhail growls to someone.Drive fucking faster! Charlie, baby, tell him you’ve seen shipments coming in. Tell him about the new business and funneling money. Tell him everything, baby!
I don’t open my mouth, though. I understand what Mikhail is saying, but I also know that Yuri isn’t in the next room squealing like a damn pig. I may not be a big, tough, trained soldier, but I don’t want to come out of this unable to look these men in the eyes. They’re willing to risk their lives for mine, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to betray them now. To be married to Mikhail means that I’m involved with this, even if it is a much smaller involvement. I won’t do anything to harm him or the men who work for him. It might be a stupid choice, and I’ll probably regret it, but I’ve made up my mind, and I’m standing by it.