Chapter 44
I”m notsure how long we”ve been asleep when my cell phone rings. I fumble for it on the nightstand next to the bed. Liza is curled up on my chest—we must have both drifted off after the intensity of the day.
“Privet,” I answer, trying to clear the cobwebs from my mind.
“It’s Savin. I have something to show you. It can’t wait.”
“Give me a minute,” I tell Savin. “I’ll call you right back.”
When I sit up in bed, the movement stirs Liza too.
She blinks up at me, confused. ”What”s going on?” Her voice is groggy but concerned.
“Syndicate business. I need to take a call in my office.”
“Does it have something to do with Anatoly?” She frowns. “Because if it does, I want to hear it too.”
I pause, running a hand through my disheveled hair. It’s not common practice to let outsiders in on syndicate business, but she’s right. This affects her as much as anyone, and she deserves the truth, even if it’s ugly.
I nod. “Come with me.”
Sitting in front of my computer monitor, it takes me a few moments to understand what we’re looking at. It’s a livestream of the cargo ship, the one laden with Kozlov cocaine from New York, docked at the Port of Rotterdam at this very moment.
Savin”s cameras reveal a grim scene under the cloak of darkness. Girls, young and disoriented, are being herded off our ship into two nondescript cargo vans parked on the docks.
”What the fuck is this?” I growl into my phone on speaker.
Objectively, the scene in front of me is very clear, but I need him to confirm that what I think I”m seeing is actually reality.
“He”s trafficking women through Rotterdam. There were about twenty girls in the ship”s hold,” Savin explains. “I paid off a few port workers for the intel. Apparently, this happens every time our ships come through from the US.”
My lungs freeze. The high heel I found.
Beside me, Liza releases a horrified whimper. I wish I could protect her from this ugly reality, but she needs to know what we”re dealing with and who Anatoly really is. I knew he was ruthless, but even I”m taken aback that he’s willing to get mixed up with this shit. The lowest of the low. I have a feeling human trafficking is at the heart of his business with the Zhukovs.
I haul Liza into my lap when I see she”s gone pale. I won’t hide anything from her, but it means she”s going to learn some pretty grim truths about life in the underworld.
“Have one of your men keep an eye on the cargo vans,” I tell Savin. “I want to know where they go and what happens to those girls.”
“You got it.”
My mind is racing in a million different directions. Anatoly played us, he lied to us, and took advantage of the ships we bought out to move human cargo. Drugs are one thing, but we don”t touch human trafficking.
“The ship’s already unloaded and will be moving out shortly,” Savin says. “I’m told the stopover is just an hour, max.”
“Then what was that bullshit weather delay about?” I ask.
Savin grunts in disgust. “The girls died en route. It took extra time to deal with their bodies.”
Liza stiffens in my arms, and I comfort her by rubbing her back in slow, calming circles. These are morbid details that she doesn”t need to hear.
“I need you on the ground here with us. Leave someone trustworthy in charge. We need eyes and ears everywhere.”
“I’ll leave right away,” he confirms.
I say goodbye to Savin, knowing this is the start of a very long night.
Liza lifts her head from my chest and looks at me with such despair that my heart twists. “How did Anatoly get mixed up with human trafficking? I don”t get it. His family runs a legitimate business. Why would he do this shit?”
“Power and money—the root of all evil in this world. His father never wanted to touch organized crime, but I think Anatoly likes dancing with the devil. And the devil comes in the form of the Zhukov Bratva.”
Liza releases a heaving breath. “This is so much worse than I could”ve imagined. I have a bad feeling. Can we leave now to get Sofiya?”
Running my tongue over my teeth, I consider my options. “Baby, listen to me. It’ll be faster if I have one of my men pick up Sofiya from school and bring her here. You”ll both hide out here until we figure out what the fuck is going on. No one knows about this place other than my inner circle. It’s safe. In the meantime, I need to go to St. Petersburg and meet with these Zhukov fuckers. Bratva to bratva.”
Her eyes go wide. “You’re going to leave me here alone?”
I smooth down the furrow between her brows. “I can”t do what I have to and worry about you at the same time.”
Liza nods, her face drawn and pale. She might agree, but the tightness in her jaw and the pinch between her brows speak volumes.
We need to handle this matter now. I have a gut feeling shit’s going to hit the fan real soon.
“Promise me you’ll watch your back out there.” The tremble in her voice tugs at my heart. “I can’t lose you.”
I wish I didn”t have to leave Liza, but there”s no other way. Our future depends on how I handle what comes next.
“I promise I’ll come back, milaya. No matter what, I”ll keep you and Sofiya safe. Do you trust me?”
“More than anyone.” She threads her fingers through my hair.
We both reach for each other at the same time. My hands cradle the back of her head as her lips meet mine in a sweet kiss that soon turns harder, more urgent, communicating everything we don’t dare to say.
“I need to go,” I say against her lips. “I”ll check in with you when I can, and my man will stay and guard you.”
Her face falls. ”What about my parents?”
“You”re too good for them. They don”t deserve you.” I trace the line of her jaw with my thumb. ”It’s up to them to choose sides. I hope you won”t be too disappointed if they choose the wrong one.”
“They’ve already done that. I just don”t want them to die.”
I nod, but I refuse to make any promises. “Just take care of yourself and Sofiya. I”ll be back for you as soon as I can.”
I brush my lips over hers one last time. Usually, I relish the moments before going to war—the adrenaline rush, the chance to unleash my savage side without restraint. But this time, it”s different.
For the first time in a long time, I have something precious to lose—someone I can”t bear to live without.
It”s the middle of the night when I walk Roman out to his car. It’s freezing cold, but I don’t care.
He draws me close, pressing me against his chest as his fingers rub soothing circles on my back. The uncertainty of what lies ahead is overwhelming, and I”m afraid that if I look at him, I”ll come undone.
My brain can barely process everything I learned tonight. Anatoly is mixed up in human trafficking, which is evil on another level. Do my parents know about this? If they do, are they looking the other way? I”m not even sure I want to know the truth; it’s too sickening.
“I need to go.” Roman plants a gentle kiss on my temple. “You”re going to be fine. Feliks is on his way to your sister’s school. He’ll have to break into her dorm, but don’t worry, it’s what he does best. He promised he’d try not to scare the shit out of her. They’ll be here in a few hours.”
I trap my lower lip between my teeth. “Will you be able to call me?”
“I’m not sure when, but I’ll try. Just lay low here and try not to worry. Maxim knows what’s going on. He and Kira are flying back soon.”
I frown. “I don”t want Kira to worry, especially with the pregnancy.”
Roman smiles and brushes a piece of hair from my face. ”Don”t worry about Kira?. She”s a big girl and, frankly, one tough bitch.” He gives me a pointed look. “You got this; I know you do. But just in case…” He pulls a pistol from his holster. “It”s a little late to ask this question, but do you know how to use one of these?”
I shake my head. “No, never had a reason to learn.”
“When this is all said and done, I”ll teach you. There”s always a reason to know how to protect yourself. For now, I”ll show you the basics.” I shake my head, a protest ready on my lips, but he continues anyway. “You”ll have Feliks here, but I”m a big believer in ‘just in case’. Please. Do it for me.”
A chill runs down my spine. I hate what he”s insinuating. The idea is terrifying, but the thought of having no means of protecting myself even more so.
Roman holds the pistol out to me, his eyes locked on mine, ensuring I’m focused. “First, make sure the safety is off—just push this lever here to the side.” He guides my thumb over the small metal switch. “Then aim, and when you”re ready, squeeze the trigger.” His hands are steady as he helps position mine with a calmness meant to steel my nerves.
I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of the cold metal in my hand. “I understand,” I assure him, trying to match his calm. “I’ll be careful.”
Roman nods, his gaze serious. “Keep it by your bedside. And don”t forget to set the alarm when you go back inside. Feliks has the code, and if anything happens, it”ll alert me immediately.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assure him. “It’s you I’m worried about.”
“Don’t be.” His eyes soften as he bends down and kisses me softly. “Go back into the cabin. I won’t drive off until you’re safely inside.”
I’m afraid that if I open my mouth, I’m going to break out sobbing, so I just nod.
From the window of the cabin, I wave goodbye, and he waves back before he climbs into his car and drives off into the night.
Feeling numb, I don”t think there”s any way I could sleep in the bed we shared, so I opt for the couch. With the gun on the side table within reach, I curl up in front of the TV, an old black-and-white movie on the screen.
Despite myself, exhaustion wins out, and I find myself on the precipice of sleep in no time, strange half-dreams filling my head before I fall into the grips of a deep, disjointed sleep.