Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
Viktor
S ergei knocked once and entered. Viktor turned away from the window of his bedroom to see the older man standing by the door, his eyes darting restlessly. It wasn't unusual for Sergei to come to the house; in truth, he practically lived here. But the scowl on Sergei’s face left no room for pleasantries. He was Viktor’s father figure, a man who had guided him with wisdom, helping him rise and build an empire from the ruins. Today, however, Sergei was all business.
“I hear Alexei has been making his moves against you,” he said. It probably wasn’t news anymore, but Viktor would bide his time. He couldn’t act rashly. He would move with purpose, discreetly, and he would win this war. “What are you doing about that?”
Viktor shrugged and slumped down on the edge of the bed. Flashes of memories crossed his mind: Sofia's pleasure-filled eyes, her moans filling the room, her body clinging desperately to him. He knew she had become significantly more to him than just a distraction.
Shit. He couldn’t afford to think about her now—not when there was a war brewing in the distance.
“There are plans in place. Don’t worry, Sergei.”
Sergei gave a curt nod. “You must feel like you can’t trust anyone right now, and that’s… right. That’s what I taught you, Viktor. Never trust anyone, not even me.”
Viktor sighed and rubbed the circles under his eyes. “It’s just a matter of time before?—”
The door burst open suddenly, and Andrei rushed in, heaving as if he’d run a great distance.
“What the hell is it?” Viktor growled.
Andrei’s expression hardened. “We just got word from Konstantin. Ivan has been taken. They think it’s Alexei. His men came to take him this morning.”
The room seemed to tilt, the words hitting Viktor like a hammer. Ivan was untouchable. He was Sofia’s brother, and Viktor knew she loved him completely. Losing Ivan would destroy her—and by extension, it could shatter Viktor’s already precarious hold over her.
“Do we know where they’ve taken him?” A cold, calculated tone permeated Viktor’s speech.
“Not yet,” Andrei admitted, looking between Viktor and Sergei. “They covered their tracks well. But we’re working on it.”
Viktor turned back toward the dresser, his grip tensing on its edge. A storm brewed in his chest, anger mixing with something far more dangerous: fear. Losing Ivan wasn’t an option—not for Sofia’s sake and not for his own.
“And Sofia?” Viktor asked, his voice deceptively calm.
“She knows,” Andrei said, his hesitation clear. “She overheard the men talking. She wants to help with the rescue.”
Of course, she did.
“She’s insistent,” Andrei continued. “And I don’t think she’s going to back down.”
Viktor let out a harsh laugh. “She thinks she can just waltz into this mess and fix it?”
“She’s her father’s daughter,” Sergei pointed out. “She’s not going to sit this out, Viktor.”
Viktor ran a hand down his face, exhaling slowly. The thought of Sofia putting herself in Alexei’s path was unbearable. He didn’t know what was worse: the risk to her life or the realization that he couldn’t stomach it.
“Keep her out of it,” Viktor said sharply. “This isn’t her fight.”
“With all due respect, I don’t think she sees it that way,” Andrei said. “This is her brother we’re talking about.”
Viktor froze. The reminder hit him harder than he expected. He was family—her last tie to a world she didn’t want but couldn’t escape.
“She’s not going anywhere near this,” Viktor said, his tone firm.
“And if she doesn’t listen?” Andrei asked.
Viktor’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Then I’ll make her listen.”
But even as the words left his mouth, Viktor wasn’t sure he believed them. Sofia had proven time and again that she was a force of nature, unwilling to bend or break. Keeping her out of this would be harder than anything Alexei could throw at him.
Viktor moved swiftly to the adjoining study, Sergei trailing behind him. The room was a stark contrast to the grandiosity of the rest of the penthouse—utilitarian and cold, filled with maps, blueprints, and an array of weapons meticulously arranged along one wall. It was his command center, his sanctuary, and now it would serve as the nerve center for Ivan’s rescue.
“Give me the details,” Viktor said, pulling out a chair and sitting before the large table in the center.
Andrei advanced, placing a tablet in front of him. “We’ve narrowed down the possible locations to three sites Alexei’s men have been known to use for operations like this. A warehouse in Red Hook, a dockyard in Staten Island, and an abandoned textile factory in Queens. All are heavily guarded.”
Viktor’s sharp eyes scanned the screen, absorbing every detail. Each location presented its challenges, but the dockyard stood out. The access points were limited, making it the most defensible position—a place Alexei would favor.
“Focus on the dockyard,” Viktor said. “Get eyes on it. Drones, surveillance—whatever it takes. I want to know how many men we’re dealing with, their rotation schedules, and the weak points in their perimeter.”
Sergei nodded. “I’ll mobilize the team immediately.”
Viktor stood, walking to the weapons rack. He selected a sleek black handgun, checking its chamber before sliding it into a holster beneath his jacket. His movements were precise, methodical. He needed to stay focused—needed to remind himself that this was just another mission.
But it wasn’t.
Ivan’s capture wasn’t just a strategic blow; it was personal. Alexei wasn’t merely targeting Viktor’s operations. He was targeting his family.
Sergei’s brow furrowed and he nodded before walking out of the room to carry out the order he'd been given.
Left alone with Andrei, Viktor turned his attention back to the map spread across the table. His mind worked in overdrive, analyzing entry points, escape routes, and contingency plans. He didn’t allow himself the luxury of doubt. Failure wasn’t an option.
“Do you have a plan, Boss?” Andrei’s tone was gruff, tinged with the faintest hint of irritation.
Viktor looked up, his eyes sharp. “Ivan’s been taken. I need your input on the rescue plan.”
Andrei moved closer, his eyes narrowing as he took in the map. “Alexei’s playing a dangerous game. He knows Ivan’s important.”
“He’s baiting us,” Viktor said coldly. “But he’s underestimated me. I won’t walk into his trap blindly.”
Andrei studied the dockyard diagram for a moment before pointing to a section marked as a storage area. “If he’s there, they’ll keep him somewhere isolated, easy to guard. Here, maybe. Or near the main offices.”
Viktor nodded. Andrei’s tactical instincts were one of the reasons he kept him close, even if the man’s arrogance grated on him. “We’ll strike at night. Minimize collateral damage and maximize the element of surprise.”
“And Sofia?” Andrei asked, his tone carefully neutral.
A muscle worked in his jaw. “She’s not part of this.”
Andrei smirked, though he quickly masked it. “Good luck convincing her of that.”
“I’ll handle Sofia,” Viktor said firmly.
Andrei raised his hands in mock surrender. “Just saying. She’s not exactly the obedient type.”
Viktor shot him a glare, effectively ending the discussion. “Focus on the mission, Andrei. I don’t need distractions.”
Viktor had just finished briefing Sergei and Andrei when the study door opened again. Sofia entered, her expression a mix of worry and determination. The friction from the night before still hung thick around them, but this wasn’t about their unresolved emotions. This was about Ivan.
“I’m coming with you,” she said without preamble. A steady timbre belied the storm brewing inside her.
Viktor straightened, his broad frame blocking the map spread across the table as if shielding her from the violence it represented. “No, you’re not,” he replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Sofia crossed her arms, her fingers touching the fabric of her sleeves. “He’s my brother, Viktor. You can’t expect me to sit here and do nothing while he’s out there, terrified and alone.”
“You being there won’t help him.” His words were calm, and measured, but his jaw was tight. “This isn’t your world, Sofia. It’s mine. Let me handle it.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t patronize me. I know what this is, and I’m not afraid to face it.”
Viktor let out a sharp exhale, turning away as if he could end the conversation by sheer force of will. He picked up a pen and began marking something on the map, refusing to meet her challenge head-on.
But Sofia wasn’t backing down.
She sauntered closer, her pitch rising. “You can’t keep shutting me out, Viktor. You dragged me into this life, whether I wanted it or not. I’m not some fragile doll you can put on a shelf while you play hero. Ivan is my family. I have every right to be there.”
He slammed the pen down, the sharp crack startling her into silence. When he turned to her, his eyes burned with frustration and something deeper—fear.
“Do you know what happens in situations like this?” he questioned. “People die, Sofia. And if something happens to you…” He paused, swallowing hard as if the thought was too much to bear. “I won’t let that happen.”
Her heart twisted at the rawness in his tone, but she pushed past it. “I can take care of myself.”
“No, you can’t.” His words were brutal, but his expression softened almost immediately, regret crossing his face. “Not against men like Alexei. You have no idea what he’s capable of.”
“And I’ll never learn if you keep treating me like a liability!” she shot back.
The calm that followed was heavy, broken only by the faint hum of the city outside. They stood there, locked in a battle of wills, until Viktor finally exhaled and rubbed a hand over his face.
“You’re not coming,” he said again, quieter this time but no less resolute.
Sofia’s fists clenched at her sides, frustration and helplessness bubbling to the surface. “Fine,” she snapped. “Do it your way. But don’t expect me to sit here like a good little wife and wait for you to come back.”
She turned on her heel and stormed out of the study, her heels clicking angrily against the floor.
Viktor stood in the study for a long time after Sofia left, the atmosphere thick with the echoes of their argument. Her words haunted him, twisting like a knife in his chest. She was right—this was her fight, too. But the thought of her walking into Alexei’s trap, exposed and vulnerable, made his blood run cold.
Sergei cleared his throat, breaking the quiet. Viktor had had no idea he was still in the room. “She’s got a point, you know,” he said, his tone careful. “Ivan’s her brother. She’s not going to back down.”
Viktor’s glare was sharp enough to cut steel, but Sergei didn’t flinch.
“She’s not ready for this,” Viktor growled.
“No one’s ever ready for their first time,” Sergei replied, leaning on the edge of the table. “But if you leave her behind, she’s only going to find another way to get involved. At least if she’s with us, you can keep an eye on her.”
Viktor’s jaw clenched, the logic undeniable yet bitter. The last thing he wanted was Sofia in the middle of this mess, but Sergei had a point. Keeping her close was safer than leaving her alone to act out of desperation.
Sofia was pacing the sitting room, her mind a whirlwind of frustration and helplessness, when Viktor’s shadow fell across the doorway. She stopped mid-step, her heart leaping in spite of her anger.
He entered, his presence commanding even without a word. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the charged stillness stretching between them.
“You’re coming with us,” he said finally, a low, steady timbre characterizing his speech.
Her eyes widened in surprise, though she quickly masked it. “I thought you said I’d be a liability.”
“You will be,” he replied bluntly, his lips pressing into a thin line. “But I’d rather have you where I can protect you than leave you behind to do something reckless.”
She crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. “And what exactly would I do?”
Viktor advanced, his eyes locking onto hers with a seriousness that sent a shudder down her spine. “You’ll stay by my side. No heroics, no wandering off. You follow my orders to the letter. Understood?”
Sofia hesitated, the weight of his words sinking in. He wasn’t giving her a choice—this was the only way she could be part of the mission.
“Understood,” she said finally.
Viktor studied her for a moment longer, then nodded. “Good. You’ll ride with me. Sergei will brief you on what you need to know.”
As he turned to leave, Sofia spoke up, her pitch softer now. “Thank you.”
He paused, his back to her, before glancing over his shoulder. “Don’t make me regret it.”
Every move and every sigh brought back memories from the previous night, lingering between them as they prepared for the mission, a silent undercurrent neither dared to acknowledge. Viktor was methodical, issuing orders and coordinating with his men as they finalized the plan. Sofia stayed close, listening intently as Sergei explained the operation in careful detail.
“You’ll be in the secondary vehicle with Viktor,” Sergei said, pointing to the map spread across the table. “We’ll approach from two sides. Your job is to stay out of the line of fire. Let us handle the heavy lifting.”
Sofia nodded, though her pulse quickened at the gravity of the situation. This wasn’t just about Ivan—this was a battle for survival, and she was waltzing into a world she barely understood.
Viktor watched her closely, his sharp eyes missing nothing. She could feel the weight of his scrutiny, the unspoken worry that lurked behind his stern demeanor. It mirrored her own fear, though neither of them would admit it.
As the team moved to load their weapons and gear, Viktor pulled Sofia aside.
“Stay close to me,” he instructed. “No matter what happens, you don’t leave my side. Promise me.”
She met his eyes, the intensity of his stare making her heart pound. “I promise,” she said softly.
For a moment, it felt like the rest of the world had faded away, leaving only the two of them. The memory of his touch, his kiss, lingered on her skin, but they both ignored it, burying the emotions beneath the urgency of the mission.
“Let’s go,” Viktor said, his tone all business again as he withdrew.
Sofia followed him out, her resolve hardening with each step. She didn’t know what lay ahead, but she knew one thing for certain—she wouldn’t let fear hold her back.