Born into Temptation (Devils Will Rise: Melnikov Legacy #4)

14. Vitaly

Chapter 14

Vitaly

I can’t stop staring at the photos of my son. It’s the newest batch of photos we were sent, and I can’t take my eyes off them. Maybe it’s a self-inflicted punishment, payment for letting my only son get kidnapped, or maybe it’s just that it’s the only link I have to him. Whatever it is, I can’t look away.

Despite the fact that his face is swollen and disfigured, I can tell he’s lost weight. One eye is swollen shut, and the other stares into the camera—lifeless and broken, but I swear I see a spark of defiance in that one eye. It’s the same shade of blue as his mom’s, and that detail alone is enough to bring me to my knees.

I’ve spared her from these images. It’s the only time I’ve ever lied to my wife, and I hated doing it, but it would’ve killed a part of her to see our son like this. I couldn’t do it, so when she’d asked me if I’d heard anything, I’d kissed her forehead and told her no and that it was a good sign that we hadn’t. She’d looked relieved, trusting me completely and clinging to the hope I was offering. I wasn’t the only one who’d lied. My brothers and I agreed that we’d spare the women this. When we get Val and Max back, they’ll see with their own eyes what’s happened to them, but they’ll handle it better in person, knowing they’re both alive and safe.

Walking into the office building we’ve been using as our meeting place, I’m not surprised to see Danil and Niki at one of the tables, both hyper-focused on the screens in front of them and looking like they haven’t eaten or slept in days. It’s the same look we’re all wearing. My appetite has never suffered before. I regularly snack, and it’s not at all unusual for me to bring goodies to a torture session, but for the first time in my life, the mere thought of food makes me feel nauseated. I can’t stomach it. How the fuck can I eat and sleep in a nice warm bed when I know my son is being beaten and tortured? The answer is that I can’t, so Katya finally forced me to take a sleeping pill the other night. Even then, I’d fought the effects for hours, only giving in when it was physically impossible for me to keep my eyes open. The next morning she wouldn’t let me leave until I ate every bite of the breakfast she’d made. She’s the kind of woman I’ll never be good enough to deserve, and I’m the kind of man who will always treat her like the queen she is because of it.

When Matvey walks over to me, I say the only thing I can think of. “How the fuck did you do this for two years?”

I see the sympathy in his dark eyes, and he’s the one person I trust to not bullshit me. He’s not going to tell me everything is going to be fine, because he knows firsthand that it might not be Yeah, things turned out great with Alina. We found her, and they were able to heal and have a happy life together, but he knows how easily it could’ve gone the other way.

His dark eyes stay on mine when he says, “The same way you’re doing it right now. I wasn’t given a goddamn choice in the matter, and to lay down and quit would’ve meant death for her, and I couldn’t fucking do that, so every morning I forced myself out of bed, I shoveled food down my throat, and breathed in and out all day long. For her . Just like you’re doing it for Val.”

“I feel like I can’t breathe,” I admit. “All I can think about is him and what might be happening to him right now.”

He nods, knowing exactly how I’m feeling. “Your mind is your enemy right now. Try to focus instead on killing these fuckers, because we will be killing them. Everyone leaves a trail, Vitaly, you know that, and Danil and Niki will find this one.”

“Thanks, brother,” I tell him, needing to hear the reassurance more than I want to admit. We’ve been scouring the whole damn city since the boys were taken, and so far the trail ends about twenty minutes from here. Every single CCTV camera in the area was disabled for five minutes, and by the time they start back up again, there’s no trace of the SUV we’d watched Val and Max get loaded into. The license plates were switched from other random vehicles, and there’s been no sign of the Amaya Cartel since the day it happened.

Walking over to Danil and Niki, I squeeze my nephew’s shoulder and hand him a bottle of water. He mumbles a quick thanks and then quickly puts his focus back on his screen. Taking the seat next to Danil, I don’t even bother trying to decipher what’s on his laptop. I stopped that when I was about fourteen and realized how pointless it was.

“Anything?” I ask.

He shakes his head, looking as worn out as I feel. “No.” Then he voices the worry that’s a constant in my head. “It’s been close to a month. Lorenzo isn’t going to be patient for much longer. It’s a miracle he’s held out this long.”

“It is,” I agree. “We need to give him something. We need to stall for more time.”

We both look over when the door opens and Lev walks in with Dominic. Sasha is behind them with Dominic’s cousins, Dario and Alessandro. Dominic has joined forces with us, giving us free rein to all his men and his territory. We’re united as one to find Val and Max, and none of us will stop until they’re found. Roman, Luka, and Damien are huddled over a large map of the city. Some of us work better without a screen, and seeing the city laid bare like this helps me to visualize where they could be hiding. We’ve already searched everywhere we can think of, though. We’ve been assuming they’re close by, or at least somewhere in the state, but now I’m starting to think they’ve been taken somewhere further away. Danil’s already looked at every airport nearby, and so far it hasn’t led to anything. Every single thing we try ends in a dead end, and we’ve all reached the end of our patience. Nerves are frayed, tensions are high, and, fuck, we could all use some good news right now.

Instead of any sort of divine intervention, it’s an entire day of pacing and hoping until I’m convinced I’m seconds away from losing my mind. It’s the sound of Dominic’s rapid Italian that pulls me out of my morose thoughts. I look over to see him speaking animatedly into his phone. I’ve been around his Italian family long enough to know that this could be anything from a breakthrough about Val and Max to something as simple as Tony telling him to remind us all that we need to eat and stay hydrated. When he ends the call and turns his head to look at Danil and me, my heart rate picks up speed, and I’m already walking towards him before he’s even spoken a word.

“We found Marty,” he says, a genuine smile spreading across his face. “He’s at a club about forty minutes from here. My guys are watching him until we can get there. They won’t step in unless they have to. For now, they’re watching him from a distance so they don’t spook him.”

“Thank fuck,” I say, relief rushing through me at the news. It’s the first good news we’ve had since they were taken. We knew there was something off with Marty, and Danil has since found evidence online to tie him to the Amaya Cartel. He’s working with them, and that means he knows them, possibly even been to their home, and that’s information we desperately need. None of us will have a problem getting it out of Marty in any way we can.

Danil and Niki quickly pack their laptops into messenger bags while the rest of us head for the door. I don’t miss the grin on Sasha’s face when I pass by him. I love my nephew to death, but his mind works differently, and nothing makes him smile like the thought of bloodshed. I clap him on the back when he steps in close.

“After Danil and I have had our fun, I can’t wait to see what you do to this fucker. We need information, though. I need your word that you won’t kill him until we get what we need.”

His nod is quick, his smile easy, and he even lets out a soft laugh. “You have it, Uncle Vitaly. Don’t worry, I can keep him near death for days. I give you my word that I’ll get him to talk.”

I guess a better uncle would work on taming the beast that lives inside Sasha, but I’d much rather feed it. My nephew is an asset to our family, and I couldn’t be prouder of him. Not everyone has the stomach for the bloody side of this job, but our family’s always handled it well enough. Some of us better than others. I watch Sasha and Lev share a look that can only be described as downright giddy while Danil nudges my shoulder.

“Ready to get a little payback?”

“Fuck yes I am, brother.” I look over at him, both of us knowing exactly what the other is going through. It’s a hell I wouldn’t wish on anyone, and I hate that he’s suffering with me. “Our boys are strong, Danil. They’re going to make it through this.”

I see his jaw tighten as he gives a slow nod. “You and I both know my son would rather be composing music all day than getting his hands bloody, but you’re right. They’re strong, and they’ll both do what needs to be done.”

Neither one of us is willing to sacrifice our sons for this, but agreeing to Lorenzo’s demands isn’t an option. It would be condemning our entire family to death, because a man like him doesn’t just take what he wants. He uses those you love against you. Our wives and children and grandchildren will always be at risk if we allow him into our territory. He will keep taking and making demands until there’s nothing left to give, and when that happens, he’ll put us down one by one and take over the whole damn city. Every instinct I have is screaming at me to do whatever the fuck he asks so I can get my son back, but if I do that, I’m putting a bullet in my daughter’s head, in my granddaughter’s, and in my wife’s. The only option we have is to find them, rescue them, and take this whole fucking cartel down.

I won’t allow for any other outcome. We rescue them, or we die trying.

Joining Matvey, I get in his Camaro and within seconds engines rev all around us as we take off one by one. We weave our way through the busy traffic until we hit the interstate. Ignoring the speed limit, we race towards the one man who can give us some answers.

The Black Tie is, honestly, not at all what I’m expecting, and when Matvey pulls the Camaro into the parking lot across the street instead of utilizing the club’s valet, I let out a low whistle and say, “Marty is just full of surprises, isn’t he?”

Matvey eyes the building while we wait for everyone else to park around us. “The Marty we met is the kind of guy who’d be holed up in a seedy titty bar, hoping like hell for a back-alley blowjob when the girls got off work. The Marty we’re about to walk in on is the one who’s being paid a shit ton of money from a Colombian cartel. I bet you anything he’s going to play the dumb card.”

“He’ll definitely try,” I agree. “They probably paid him a huge bonus and told him to keep his head down. Everyone knows we don’t hang out in strip clubs, and with this one so far out of the city, he probably assumes he’s completely safe.” I look at my brother and grin. “I’m going to enjoy watching this fucker shit himself when he sees us.”

“You and me both.”

When I see Roman get out of his car, we all follow suit and meet up in a group. We’re an odd mix, one that’s going to stand out. Dominic is the only one in a suit. The rest of us are in jeans and hoodies. I’m guessing The Black Tie isn’t going to appreciate the eclectic nature of our group. Well, that and the fact that Sasha, Niki, and Damien aren’t even old enough to get in.

“What’s the plan?” Luka asks, eyeing his dad.

Roman look across the street and gives his son a slight smirk. “We go in and grab Marty. We don’t want the cops called, so weapons stay hidden. Something tells me we won’t need them. Marty’s not used to violence. He makes deals, probably does a good bit of bribing, but he’s not the muscle.”

Lev glances over at his son. “Keep it hidden for now, son. He’ll cause a scene if he realizes what you have in store for him.”

Sasha nods, and then I swear it’s like the kid flips a switch and an easygoing grin appears on his face, making him look several years younger and not nearly as fucked in the head. I meet Lev’s eyes, and my brother just grins and shrugs a shoulder. He knows what Sasha is, but it’s never once fazed him. He loves his son unconditionally, the same as we all do.

“Well, this should be interesting,” Dominic mutters as we all start walking across the street. The valets are busy since it’s a Friday night, and aside from a few curious looks, they keep their focus on the long line of cars waiting to be taken care of. The large bouncer on duty tenses when he sees us. He’s outnumbered, and all the muscle coming towards him is making him feel very small right about now.

“Let me handle this,” Alessandro whispers. “People are less scared of Italians.”

We don’t bother arguing. He’s not wrong. With a big smile on his face, he turns on the charm and thickens his Italian accent when he steps up and holds out his hand.

“We’ve heard such great things about your club. Our friend won’t shut up about this place, so we thought we’d come out and see for ourselves.”

The bouncer warily takes Sandro’s hand and gives it an awkward shake. His eyes run over us, stopping on Niki’s face. “You gotta be twenty-one to get in here.”

Sandro just smiles and claps the man on the back. “I’m going to be honest with you. My nephew isn’t quite twenty-one, but he’s dying to see the beautiful women you have in there. I mean, you have to grow up sometime, right? I promised him a lap dance, and I really don’t want to go back on my word.”

The man hesitates, so Sandro reaches into his pocket and pulls out several hundreds.

“We will of course pay extra for your trouble.” He peels off enough hundreds for the steep cover charge and then adds in ten more. “Don’t you remember what it was like to be eighteen? He’s going to remember this for the rest of his life.”

Niki gives a shy grin, looking every bit like a nervous teenager, and the bouncer gives a soft laugh while he pockets the money. “Ask for Shayla, kid. She’ll ride your lap like you wouldn’t believe.”

Niki nods and when the bouncer sees the blush rising in his cheeks, he laughs even harder and smacks him on the back when he passes by on his way inside. We all nod our thanks to the guy who was nice enough to take a bribe and then step into the dark club. Since marrying Katya, I don’t hang out in strip clubs. I may own one, but other people run it for me. My desire to see other women naked died when I lifted my wife’s veil on our wedding day and I saw her beautiful face staring up at me. Even though I’m here for our son, I still feel guilty when I look around and see the dancer on stage and all the topless waitresses. I don’t feel a thing for any of them, but I still feel a stab of guilt for even being in the vicinity of another naked woman.

We scan the room that’s slightly too dark than it needs to be with music that’s several decibels too fucking loud, trying to find one particular douchebag in a room that’s full of them.

“There. In the corner booth on the right.” Matvey’s gravelly voice rises above the annoying music, and we all turn our heads to try and spot the man we’ve come here for.

“Look at that fucker,” Roman mutters from beside me. “I’m going to enjoy watching you beat the shit out of him.” He looks from me to Danil. “Let’s go find out where your sons are.”

Excitement rushes through me as we make our way through the crowd. When Alina was missing, the only time Matvey perked up was when he got to question someone. Even though I understood it then, I didn’t fully appreciate how much it kept him alive. Without my son, my whole world feels like it’s falling apart, but knowing that soon I’m going to be punching Marty’s smug face has something sparking back to life within me. It’s giving me a purpose, something I can actually do instead of just sitting on my ass and waiting while I slowly lose my mind with worry. It makes me want to give the bastard a hug. He’s about to provide some much-needed therapy and healing.

It takes Marty a few seconds to realize he has company. He’s too busy drooling over the giant pair of tits in his face to notice the group of men surrounding him. When he does manage to look up long enough to spot us, I watch his face turn from annoyance at being disturbed to genuine fear when he realizes who we are.

The woman, oblivious to everything except her desire for more tips, looks at us with a big smile on her face. “Sit down, boys, and I’ll give you a show you’ll never forget.”

“Not interested,” I tell her, ignoring the pouty look she gives me.

Sandro, who apparently stopped off at an ATM on his way here, hands her a hundred and tells her to get lost. She takes it, making a show of tucking it into the tiny thong she’s wearing. When we all keep ignoring her, she huffs out an annoyed breath and saunters off to find another client.

Once she’s gone, I sit on one side of Marty while Danil sits on the other. The rest take seats across from us while Dominic and his cousins stand guard behind us.

“Marty, you little fucker,” I say. “You failed to mention a few important details when you offered us your shitty deal.” I run my eyes over the shirt that’s decorated in sunflowers and the tacky gold jewelry he’s still covered in. “I see you weren’t lying about your godawful taste, though, so there’s that at least.”

For a second, he forgets about how scared he is and has the nerve to look offended that I don’t share his taste in all things floral and gold. I smile at his outrage and say, “We need to talk, Marty.”

“I don’t have anything to say to you.” He darts his eyes to the men surrounding him. “To any of you.”

“That’s unfortunate,” Danil says, “because we have so much to say to you.”

“We’re leaving this club together,” Roman informs him. “We’d rather do it quietly, but if you insist we carry you out of here like some temper-tantrum-throwing toddler, then we can make that happen.”

“It’ll be really embarrassing for you if I have to toss you over my shoulder in front of all these strippers. They’ll probably refuse to ever give you another lap dance just for being such a pussy,” Lev tells him.

We all laugh while Marty clenches his jaw and tries to look tough.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” he says. “And if you try to take me by force, some very powerful men are going to be very angry with you.”

“You mean the Amaya Cartel?” I ask him.

“They’re going to fucking kill you for this,” he hisses at us over the music.

“But we haven’t done anything,” Danil reminds him. “Yet.”

“I’m not an idiot,” he says, ignoring the raised eyebrow I give him. “You’ll kill me if I leave this club with you.”

I’m all set to play the nice guy and convince him we just want a little harmless chat in the parking lot when, to everyone’s surprise, it’s Sasha who leans forward and gives the man a disarming smile

“Honestly, we just want to have a little talk with you to clear a few things up,” he says.

Marty scoffs at him. “I remember you. You were the one who looked like you wanted to gut me at the table.”

I’m guessing that’s exactly what Sasha had been thinking that night, but we all keep our mouths shut while Sasha gives a carefree-sounding laugh. “Did that really work? I was trying so hard to look scary, but I wasn’t sure if I’d pulled it off.”

“It looked pretty real to me,” Marty says.

“Glad to hear all those drama classes in high school paid off,” Sasha says, and I have to bite my cheek to keep from laughing at Sasha’s bullshit. “The truth is I don’t have much of a stomach for violence.” He shrugs his broad shoulders and actually has the balls to grimace. “I don’t like blood, and that’s why I’m doing my very best to make sure we avoid anything like that tonight.”

Marty hesitates, proving what a giant dipshit he is. He obviously has no fucking clue that the cartel has kidnapped two of ours. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be considering stepping outside with us. He would’ve screamed and taken off running the moment he saw us.The Amaya family doesn’t fill him in on everything, but I’m hoping they’ve at least trusted him with enough to give us the information we need.

“If you step outside with us, I give you my word that no harm will come to you,” Sasha says, and the sincerity in his voice and the guileless look in his baby-blue eyes has me almost believing him. Jesus, my nephew could lure any woman into his creepy-ass van. It’s an unsettling realization, and I’d be worried if he showed any interest in sex at all, but he seems content to just kill the men we allow him to, and I know Lev’s worked hard to help him understand what’s acceptable and what’s not.

Too bad for Marty that he falls squarely on the acceptable side of things.

Sasha stands up and holds out a hand to Marty. When the man takes it, he helps him stand and then claps him on the back like they’re old pals.

As he leads him to the door, I hear him say, “Have you gotten a dance from Shayla yet?”

When Marty shakes his head, Sasha grins even bigger. “As soon as we’re back inside, it’s my treat. She’ll ride your lap, Marty, like you wouldn’t fucking believe.”

Marty smiles, excited for the Shayla dance he’s never going to get. I turn my head to face my brothers.

“What the fuck just happened?” I ask, knowing Sasha and Marty are too far away to hear.

“That gave me goddamn goosebumps,” Danil says.

“You notice how he parroted the bouncer?” Roman asks.

Luka laughs and nudges his dad. “He’s a fucking chameleon.”

“He’s getting better at it,” Lev says, watching his son with pride.

“Let’s catch up before Sasha decides he’s tired of playing nice,” Dominic suggests.

In agreement, we weave our way back through the crowd, waving off the girls who come walking over until we’re back outside.

“That was fast,” the bouncer comments with a laugh.

“He’s still working on his stamina,” I say, and then laugh when Danil calls me a fucker. Reaching back to wrap my arm around a blushing Niki, I say, “Don’t worry, kiddo. You’ve got Melnikov genes. The women are going to be begging you for breaks so they can catch their breath.”

“Jesus, Uncle Vitaly,” he groans, but he’s smiling when he says it.

Sasha convinces Marty that we should cross the street so we can talk in private, and as soon as he’s got him out of sight of the valets, he punches him in the side of the head, instantly knocking him out as he slumps to the concrete.

Looking up, he gives us a proud grin. “I can’t believe he fucking bought that.”

Lev laughs and helps him tie Marty up before throwing him in the back of an SUV while the rest of us get back in our cars and head to the closest warehouse. This one is far enough out of the city that we won’t have to worry about the noise or about getting caught.

By the time we get there, I’m jittery with excitement, too wound up to sit still, and I know everyone else is feeling the same way. Marty’s screaming around his gag when he’s hauled out of the back, eyes wide with rage and fear. Everyone ignores him as Lev and Sasha drag him inside and toss him onto the hard cement floor. His pained grunt brings a smile to my face.

Sasha leans down to unsheathe one of his knives. When Marty sees the blade, he starts to hyperventilate, too scared to get his breathing under control.

“Hold still. The blade is very sharp,” Sasha says while slipping it under the strip of cloth on his cheek, and as soon as the fabric comes in contact with the blade, it effortlessly falls apart.

Marty’s eyes widen as he scurries away with his wrists bound behind his back. He hits the wall behind him and freezes. His eyes run between all of us before settling on Sasha.

“You said it was just a talk, that I’d be fine if I left quietly.”

Sasha gives him his wolfish grin, this time not bothering to hide who he really is. “I did, yes, and it’s so fucking adorable that you believed me. You were so desperate to be my friend, Marty. I bet you thought we’d get matching tattoos after our night together.”

Marty scowls at him and says, “You gave me your word.”

Sasha shrugs. “Yeah, but you mean nothing to me, so I don’t have to keep it.” The way he says it makes it clear that he’s already figured his way around that moral conundrum. If you’re not family, then in Sasha’s mind, he owes you nothing. You’re fair game for him to do with as he pleases.

Marty finally understands who he’s been dealing with. “You’re a fucking psycho,” he whispers on a shaky breath, slowly easing his way down the cement wall he’s pressed himself against. Looks like Marty isn’t much of a runner. He’s more of a give up and hope for a quick death kind of guy.

“Now you’re just trying to be hurtful,” Sasha says with a laugh before grabbing him by the wrists and lifting him back up. “Don’t give up yet. We haven’t even gotten started.”

Lev steps closer to help his son attach Marty to the hook that’s hanging from the ceiling. From the photos Lorenzo sent us, it’s the exact thing they did to Val and Max. Everything they did to our sons, we’re going to do to him, and then we’re handing him over to Sasha. Marty is not in for a fun night.

“Why are you doing this?” Marty asks. His body starts to shake from the anxiety and stress of the situation, and his voice wobbles when he adds, “I can’t get you a better deal with the cartel. I don’t have that kind of power.”

“I certainly believe that,” I tell him, stepping closer so he can see my phone’s screen. I scroll through the photos of Val and Max, letting him see their beaten, bloody faces. “This man here,” I say, stopping on Val, “is my son.”

“And the other is mine,” Danil says, stepping up beside me.

“Fuck,” Marty groans, finally realizing what all this is about. “I don’t know anything about that. I had nothing to do with it.”

“But you work for them,” I say. “You went back and told them what we’d said, and they kidnapped our sons as retaliation. Now they’re threatening to kill them if we don’t agree to an even worse offer than the one you initially offered.”

“Take it,” Marty says. “Take their deal and be thankful that’s all they did to your sons. They’re monsters, but if that’s all they do, consider yourselves lucky.”

I nod while I think about what he’s said. “The thing is, Marty, that what’s been started between our families isn’t going to end until one side is dead. That’s how these things work. You must know that. You yourself just told us you work for monsters. You’re not an innocent in this, even though I can tell you’d desperately like to believe you are.”

“What are you going to do to me?”

I grin and put my phone away. “My brother and I are going to make you look as pretty as our sons in these photos, and then Sasha’s going to ask you a few questions about the Colombian Cartel you’ve attached yourself to.”

Marty’s eyes widen at the news. His gaze flicks to Sasha, who has completely dropped the mask of humanity he was wearing earlier, and then they quickly dart back to me and Danil.

“Please,” he begs. “You can’t let him touch me. He’s crazy!”

“I think maybe you should be a little bit more worried about us right now.” I turn to Danil and point to the picture of his son on my phone. “Be sure and split his eyebrow like they did to Max.”

“Don’t worry, brother,” he says, pushing up the sleeves of his shirt and curling his hands into fists as he steps closer to Marty. “That photo is burned into my mind. He’s going to get the exact same treatment they gave my son.”

“Jesus,” Marty groans, struggling against his chain while sweat beads at his forehead and his breathing picks up. “Maybe I can help,” he quickly says. “Maybe I can talk to them and help get your sons back.”

Roman laughs while Danil takes his first punch, easily splitting the skin of Marty’s right eyebrow as he gives a high-pitched yelp of pain and his knees give out.

“They didn’t even bother to tell you about any of this,” Roman says. “You’re nothing to them. They use you to make deals. You show your face and stick your neck out for them, and they feed you a bit of money and let you pretend that your dick is a little bigger than it actually is.”

“God, that’s sad,” I say, giving a soft laugh when Danil almost breaks his jaw with the next punch. I know he’s saving his nose for me, and I can’t wait to feel the cartilage flatten beneath my knuckles. “Bet your dick is pretty shriveled up now, though, right?”

Marty’s too busy crying to answer me, but I think we all know the answer is a resounding yes. For the next several minutes, I watch my brother beat the shit out of the man who got in way over his head before he lowers his bloody fists and gives me a nod, letting me know it’s my turn.

“Thanks, brother,” I tell him, stepping closer so I can throw my first punch. I don’t waste time. I go straight for the nose, cracking it in one punch. The sound of his bone snapping is loud enough for us all to hear, even over Marty’s high-pitched screams.

I ignore him, knowing that’s exactly what the cartel did to my son. They didn’t stop because Val was in pain or because his nose was broken and his face a ruined mess. No, they kept hitting him, and that’s exactly what I do to this fucker. I don’t stop until he passes out, and even then I give him one last hard hit to the ribs, leaving his body swinging and his head slumped down with blood dripping onto the floor beneath him.

“My turn?” Sasha asks, perking up instantly at the thought of drawing blood.

“Remember what we said. He doesn’t die until we get what we need,” I tell him.

Sasha grins while he looks over the line of knives he has laid out on the table before him. “Of course,” he says, and even though he’s distracted by the shiny blades, I know he’ll never go against an order. He looks up when Dario steps closer. Dominic’s cousin has been training him in knife fighting for over a couple of years now, and he’s recently started training Mia as well. I can see the long scar on his forearm from their first session, and I know it irritates the hell out of him that a seventeen-year-old girl got the better of him on day one. My brothers and I still tease him about it every chance we get.

Sasha runs a hand over the line of knives in a way that’s downright reverent before stopping on a military-grade combat knife with a black serrated blade. He taps the handle and looks up at Dario with a grin. Dario gives a soft laugh and says, “Good choice.”

“Marty’s going to be so sad when he wakes up,” Lev says from beside me.

“He’s terrified of your son,” I tell him. I look over at my nephew who’s still admiring the knife in his hand. “Can’t imagine why.”

Lev watches his son with a grin playing at his lips. “Anyone with any sense of self-preservation would be scared of him.”

“Mia’s not scared of him.”

Lev smiles at the mention of his youngest. “Mia’s not scared of anything. Plus, she has a bond with Sasha. The two of them have always been close. I’ve never once doubted that my son is capable of love because I see the way he treats his mom and sisters and everyone else in the family. I’m not going to lie and say his mind isn’t all kinds of fucked-up, but he’s not a monster. The fucker hanging unconscious in front of us is a monster. He’d betray his entire family to us if he believed it would save his own ass. That’s a monster.”

We watch Sasha carefully cut Marty’s clothes off. None of us will be shedding any tears over the loss of his hideous shirt. The blade easily cuts through the fabric, and I know it’ll slice through skin like a hot knife through butter. There’s no hiding the excited glint in Sasha’s eyes when he steps back and eyes the naked man in front of him, sizing him up like he’s trying to decide where to make the first cut.

I raise a brow at Lev in a yeah, that’s not fucking normal look.

He just gives a soft laugh. “If he put that fascination towards being a doctor, no one would bat an eye at it. They’d praise his precision with a scalpel and his strong stomach during surgery.” His broad shoulder lifts in a carefree shrug. “He’s just chosen to use his gifts in a different way.”

Watching Sasha, I don’t bother arguing that some may not consider bloodlust a gift , and instead nod my head in agreement. I love my nephew, and gift or not, I appreciate the hell out of his particular skillset. It’s come in handy on more than one occasion. When we need answers, Sasha always gets them, and he can do it in record time.

Luka steps up beside me, giving a soft laugh when Marty opens his eyes and immediately starts to panic, flailing around as best he can, even though he has to know it’s useless. He gives it a good try, though, only stopping when his desire for freedom is no match for his poor aerobic stamina. Something’s got to give, and his whole body goes limp while he tries to catch his breath. With his pale naked skin on, unfortunately, full display, he looks every bit like a fish who’s finally realized there’s no escaping the net. Every few seconds there’s a slight jerk of his limbs, but his body lacks the strength to back up the lackluster movement, and it’s a sad dance he performs for us.

“Jesus,” Matvey groans. “This is fucking pathetic.”

Sasha looks back over at us, and when his dad nods, he turns back to Marty with a look that would make any man piss himself. To prove my point, Marty’s bladder gives out as a stream of urine hits the floor. With a curse, Sasha sidesteps it, protecting his jeans and boots from the splatter.

Sasha gives him a disappointed look. “We haven’t even started yet. Try not to shit yourself, okay? I’d rather not have to smell that if at all possible.”

When Marty lets out a scared whimper, Sasha grins and holds the knife up. The blade lightly touches the skin of his chest, and he starts to panic, breathing in a fast rhythm that’s going to spiral into a panic attack.

“Lungs are interesting things, aren’t they?” Sasha muses while drawing the tip of his blade down Marty’s ribcage. “Breathing, I think, is one of the most under-appreciated things about our bodies. Did you know that most people don’t even fill their lungs to full capacity?”

Sasha doesn’t bother waiting for a response. Instead he taps one of Marty’s ribs and says, “You don’t really appreciate your lungs until something goes wrong with them.”

Marty lets out another whimper.

“Let’s start with an easy question. How do you get in touch with the Amaya Cartel?”

“They send a man to me when they want to meet,” Marty quickly says, not even attempting to be brave and hold out.

“No phones?” Sasha asks.

Marty shakes his head. “No, never. They send a man, and he tells me what to do.”

“So you’ve never actually met the bosses?”

“No.”

Sasha shakes his head while tsking . “Someone’s been pretending to be bigger than they are. Did you get a little too big for your britches?”

“Huh?”

Sasha repeats the question very slowly. “Did you get too big for your britches, Marty?”

Even with all the blood on his swollen face, I can still see the stunned expression he’s giving. “Um, yeah, I guess I did.”

“Say it, Marty,” Sasha taunts, pressing the blade in between his ribs just hard enough for a dot of blood to appear.

“I got too big for my britches,” Marty says, and I hear Luka’s huff of laughter from beside me.

“He has to know something,” I say in Russian. “There has to be a way for him to lead us to them.”

“My family thinks you’re holding back.” Sasha reaches a hand out and wipes some of the blood out of Marty’s eye, allowing him to see better. His body is shaking so badly that his hair is moving. Even with the terrible combover, I can see the vibrations running through the strands.

With a calm voice, Sasha says, “I’m going to stab you now.”

“No,” Marty whines. “Please don’t.”

Sasha ignores him. “It’s going to be shallow. I’m going in between these ribs right here,” he says tapping the blade against the side of his chest, pointing out the exact spot he’ll be stabbing. “I’m going to lightly puncture your left lung, just enough for you to appreciate how much you’ve taken breathing for granted.”

“Fucking nice,” Dario mutters while his brother says, “Such a proud moment for you. There’s nothing better than seeing a student shine.”

Marty screams when Sasha very slowly slides the knife in between his ribs. Irritated, Sasha clamps a hand over his mouth, keeping the knife in the other.

“Shut the fuck up, Marty. You’re making me miss the best part.” Lowering his head so his ear is close to the wound, he slides the knife in further, and I swear he fucking sighs in appreciation at what he hears. “Did you hear that soft whoosh? That was the air leaving your lung, and now there’s a gurgle. Do you hear that? That wet, bubbling sound? That’s blood mixing with the air.” Sasha sighs again before standing back up. “Fucking beautiful.”

“Please tell me you didn’t teach him that,” Alessandro whispers, making Dario give a soft laugh.

“No, that’s all him,” Dario says, surprising no one.

Keeping the tip of his knife lodged in Marty’s lung, he asks again, “What can you tell us about the Amaya Cartel?”

Marty’s crying too hard to answer. Blood and snot seep from his broken nose, and it takes several minutes before he can speak. “I can’t breathe,” he groans. “I can’t fucking breathe!”

“Oh, sure you can. Stop being such a pussy. It’s just a nick. Better start talking or I’m sliding the knife in further.”

“No!” Marty yells. “Just let me think for a second.”

“Tick-tock, my hand is starting to cramp.”

Marty’s words are jumbled and rushed, terrified that Sasha’s going to grow impatient and stab him deeper. “I think they fly in and out of the country a lot.”

“What kind of plane?” Danil asks. “What airport? Are they flying in from Colombia?”

“I don’t know about the plane, but, yeah, it’s from Colombia. That’s where they spend most of their time. They have a large compound there.”

I freeze at the news, knowing one of my worst fears is probably a reality. “Did they take our sons to Colombia?”

“I don’t know.” Marty winces at the pain in his lungs. “They’ve been gone a month,” he says, and we have to wait as he catches his breath. “It’d be easier for them to hide in Colombia.” Another few seconds of labored breathing before he adds, “They’re safe there. I’ve heard it’s a fortress.”

We keep asking him questions until we’re sure Marty has nothing left to give, and then once he’s given the go-ahead, Sasha rams the knife in to the hilt. Two things happen at once—Marty’s guttural scream fills the warehouse right as he loses control of his bowels.

“Goddamnit,” Sasha groans, pulling the knife out and shaking his head at the scene before him. He turns back to us. “I swear I’m going to start bringing a box of Depends to these things. This happens every fucking time .”

When Marty’s hysterics don’t stop, Sasha points his bloody knife at him. “You still have one perfectly usable lung. Block out the pain and use it.”

Shallow, wheezing breaths are all the man can manage, and I have no doubt he’s in an excruciating amount of pain. He brought this on himself, though. There are no innocent players in this warehouse.

Sasha cups his face, forcing him to focus. My nephew is almost a foot taller than the man hanging, so he has to tilt Marty’s head up so they can make proper eye contact. Keeping his voice gentle, he says, “If you can give us anything else, I’ll give you a quick, painless death. All this will be over if you can think of anything else that might help us find my cousins.”

Marty forces himself to take shallow breaths, trying to ease the pain in his chest while still getting the air he needs.

“Necoclí,” he whispers around his ragged breaths. “I’ve heard them mention it.”

“That could be where their compound is,” Danil says. He’s been studying maps of Colombia in case our worst fears came true, but without a city name, it was impossible to guess where they might be.“It would be the perfect spot. It’s on the Caribbean Sea, but there are large private estates all along the coast. Easily accessible while also being private enough for them to run their cartel.”

“Kill me,” Marty groans, reminding us that he’s still here.

Sasha grins and gives the man’s cheek a soft pat. “I can’t believe you fucking fell for that again, Marty. Jesus Christ, man.”

“We need to go, Dad,” Niki says, anxious to start digging around. They have their laptops, but a warehouse with shit and blood in the air while a man is tortured to death isn’t anyone’s ideal office space.

Sasha looks over at us. “Marty and I aren’t done yet.”

“I’ll stay with him,” Lev says, pulling his phone from his back pocket to check on his wife while he grabs a metal chair from the corner and makes himself comfortable.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” I say, knowing we still only have one small piece of the puzzle and a long way to go before we can pinpoint an exact location.