Page 62 of Surprise Quadruplets for the Mob

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The waiting really is torture, with me anxiously checking my phone every couple of minutes just to make sure I haven’t missed a call or text from Maks. After three hours pass and I’ve nearly given up, my phone finally vibrates with a text on the small end table next to the sofa, making Maggie and me both jump at the same time.

“Who is it?” she asks, sounding as anxious as I am. “Is it him? What does it say?”

“Oh my God, I’m trying to read it,” I mutter, nudging her away when she starts looking over my shoulder. “Just a second. Yes, it’s Maks. He…oh wow. He wants to see the kids. He says he’s sending Alyosha over again to pick me up and I need to bring the babies with me.”

She immediately frowns. “I don’t like that. What if he goes crazy again when he sees you? What if he gets violent? And why doesn’t he just come over here himself, anyway?”

“He’d never hurt the babies,” I say, because I know that much is true. “And I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t actually hurt me either, but getting a chance to talk again will be worth the risk.”

I’m less sure about that, but I send the reply before I have a chance to talk myself out of it. Or before Maggie does.

“What did you tell him?” she asks, still frowning.

“I told him I’ll be ready in an hour.”

She sighs and shakes her head. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“Yeah,” I exhale a long breath of my own. “So do I.”

The next hour flies by compared to the way time was dragging earlier, and I barely have time to bathe the kids and get them dressed, not to mention fixing my hair and throwing on a clean outfit of my own before Alyosha pulls up in the driveway.

“Wish me luck,” I say as Maggie helps me get the kids bundled into the car.

She gives me a big hug and holds me tight for a few moments. “Be careful. Call me if you need anything. And if anything seems off or weird or whatever, please call me immediately.”

I’m tempted to make a joke about how her mothering instincts have gone into overdrive since she had her twins, but I doubt that would be helpful. Instead, I hug her back and promise to let her know if anything suspicious pops up, then climb into the back seat next to my babies.

“Hey.” I smile and wave at Alyosha, hoping for a more welcoming vibe from the man than I got during his previous visit. “Thanks for coming to get me. And thanks for setting this up, too.”

“Not a problem.” He briefly makes eye contact with me through the rearview mirror. “I’m just the messenger here.”

The side streets roll by in a blur and my anticipation grows as we get closer to the safe house. What will Maks say? Will he apologize? Will he expect me to apologize?

We stop at a red light and I’m staring absently out the window when a flurry of activity around the car catches my eye. Before I have time to say something or do more than let out a frightened scream, all four doors fly open and masked men are dragging Alyosha, me, and the four car seats out right here in the intersection.

I’m struggling against the strong arms holding me, screaming at the top of my lungs for help, for someone to call the police, but I’m powerless against the brute force and muscle that are overpowering me. The kids are crying, too, their little voices shrill with fear.

“Get away from them,” I scream. “Don’t touch my babies! Maks will kill you for this, I swear to God.”

The arms that are wrapped around me, keeping me from running, tighten. One of the men laughs. “Shut her up. Get them in the van. Go. Go. Go!”

The only thing I can identify about his deep voice is his thick Irish accent.

A hand clamps over my mouth, then it’s replaced by a strip of duct tape before a hood is slipped over my head. I struggle and kick as they toss me into the back of their van, but it’s no use.

There’s no way I’m getting free now. Even if I could, I’ll never leave my babies with these monsters.

Chapter 28

Maksim

“Boss! Boss!” I can hear Lev yelling for me barely a second before he and Dimitri burst into my office, both clearly upset and out of breath.

“What the fuck is going on?” I ask, already up from behind my desk and reaching for my gun. “Are we being raided?”

“No,” Dimitri says, shaking his head and pushing my arm down. “No, but it’s bad.”

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