Page 30 of Surprise Quadruplets for the Mob

“Dammit,” I mutter, reluctantly withdrawing from Abby to answer the call, if only to stop the ringtone from waking thebabies. The intensity of our almost-kiss lingers between us, leaving a tingling sensation on my skin as I reach for my phone.

“Excuse me,” I mumble, trying to hide my irritation as I swipe the screen and press the phone to my ear. “What?”

“Boss, it’s Lev. We’ve got a situation,” he says quickly, his tone urgent.

“Okay, I’m coming.” I end the call, turning back to Abby. But where I had every intention of taking her face between my palms and continuing right where we left off, I notice she’s taken several steps back from me and has her arms crossed defensively, looking away. A clear indication that she doesn’t have the same intent as I do right now.

I purse my lips in disappointment, but remain where I am, just out of reach.

“Everything alright?” she asks, her voice soft but laced with worry.

“Hopefully, yes. But I need to take care of this,” I assure her, trying to keep my own anxiety in check. I don’t want to scare her, but whatever has Lev so worked up must be serious.

“Of course.” She bites her lip as if holding back a thousand questions. I know she wants to ask what’s going on, but she respects my need to handle things without getting her involved.

“Stay here with the babies, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can.” My words are both a request and an order, my concern for her safety paramount in my mind.

“Alright, Maksim,” she agrees, her gaze lingering on mine for a moment longer before she looks away, her fingers gently brushing over the sleeping infants.

I leave the room, my heart heavy with unspoken words and unresolved feelings. As I stride down the hallway toward the main living area, my thoughts race, attempting to piece together what could have prompted Lev’s call. I trust him implicitly, and I know he wouldn’t interrupt me without good reason.

***

The fluorescent light above me flickers, casting a sickly hue over the cramped office. Sweat beads on my forehead as I clutch the arms of my leather chair. Lev stands in front of me, his jaw clenched and muscles tense. Alyosha sits across from me, fiddling with his laptop, his gaze darting between the screen and me.

“Spit it out, Lev,” I demand, my voice hoarse with worry.

“Boss, there was an incident at Maggie’s office,” Lev begins hesitantly, avoiding my eyes. “It was vandalized while she wasn’t there. We had men following her, of course, but no one was guarding the office at the time.”

For a moment, the room seems to spin around me. Abby’s sister’s life could be in danger because of my carelessness. I grit my teeth, fighting the urge to slam my fist into the desk.

“Fuck. How could this happen? Where were our men?”

“Outside the building. They were watching her, not the office. It’s my fault, I should’ve been clearer with my orders.” Lev’s admission is filled with guilt and self-blame.

“Stop beating yourself up,” I snap, my temper flaring. “We need to focus on fixing this shitstorm.”

“Right, boss,” Lev says, straightening himself up.

“Have you talked to Maggie? Is she okay?” My heart races at the thought of Abby’s sister being caught in the crossfire because of some thugs who are trying to get at me.

“She’s fine, Maksim,” Lev reassures me. “We were with her. She’s safe and sound at your second safehouse now.”

“Thank fuck for that,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair. “Has her husband returned? Do we need to watch him?”

“No, she says he’s scheduled to be in Singapore for several more months.”

Alyosha clears his throat, finally joining the conversation. “Boss, I’ve been scanning through any security footage we have access to, but so far, there’s nothing concrete,” he says apologetically.

“Keep looking, Alyosha. I want answers.” My voice is steel as I issue the command.

“Understood, boss,” Alyosha replies, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

Lev’s voice is tight as he elaborates on the damage. “They took every single computer from her office, Maksim. And it looks like a fuck ton of paper files are gone too.” He swipes through photos on his phone, showing me the chaos left in their wake.

“Jesus Christ,” I mutter, my knuckles white as I grip the edge of my desk. The shattered glass and upturned furniture make my stomach churn with fury.

“As if they couldn’t just download the hard drives,” Alyosha scoffs as he types. “Amateurs.”

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