Chapter 26 - Anoushka
I stare at Fedor, bound and bloodied, as the cronies who kidnapped us continue their brutal assault on him. My heart shatters with each blow, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. I hear a sickening crunch as a fist meets his jaw, and blood pours down his nose.
I try to run forward but can’t. Some of the men hold me back. Then, Fedor’s attackers pull out a whip.
“Noooo!” I scream, tears pouring down my eyes as they lash him below the knee. “Please, just tell us what you want from us!”
But no one answers us. Fedor is going in and out of consciousness, the torture too brutal for his body to take. I stand by helplessly, gripped into place, as I realize that I might be in more danger than I thought.
No one is answering any of my questions. I don’t know where I am. And I wonder… will they torture me too?
Will my baby feel pain?
Would it matter to them if I tell them I’m pregnant?
"Please, stop!" I cry out, my voice filled with desperation and fear, but they don't seem to hear me—or they simply don't care.
"Pathetic," one of the men sneers at Fedor before delivering another punch to his battered body.
"Enough!" an authoritative voice booms. The room falls silent, and eyes turn behind me. I, too, crane my neck, and then, my knees buck under me. I fall to the ground, arms still held upright, before the men lift me up by my waist to keep me standing.
Demetrius, the notorious Bratva boss, enters the scene. My eyes widen in shock, recognizing him as the mastermind behind this torture. It's difficult to contain the anger and resentment that simmer beneath my fear. He must be doing all this, torturing Fedor, for just one reason: his wife.
But what could be possibly want with me?
"Anoushka Zolotov," Demetrius says coldly, his gaze piercing through me. "I didn't expect the pleasure of your company.”
"Let him go," I plead, my voice trembling. "He's done nothing wrong."
"Nothing wrong?" Demetrius scoffs. "He fucked my wife!" he screams. His men whip Fedor again, and Fedor’s painful scream tortures my soul.
"Please, Demetrius," I beg, trying to appeal to any semblance of humanity left within him. "You don't have to do this. This should remain between Yelena and you,” I try to explain how his wife is the one who made her choices in their marriage.
"Silence!" he snaps, silencing me with a cruel glare. "You're lucky I haven't decided your fate yet, Girl. Keep pushing, and it might be worse than his."
As the torment continues, I struggle to maintain my composure. I know that if I want to protect Fedor, I'll have to tread carefully around Demetrius and his men. But watching them hurt the man I consider a brother, it's nearly impossible to keep the rage in my heart at bay.
I take a deep breath, gathering every ounce of courage I have left. My determination to protect him outweighs the fear that grips me. I know Demetrius is a powerful and dangerous man, but I cannot stand by while Fedor suffers at his hands.
"Stop!" I shout, my voice trembling, trying a different tactic. "You will pay for this, Demetrius. If you don't release us immediately, you'll face the wrath of not only my family but also our cousins! Ivan won’t let this go!"
Demetrius' eyes widen in surprise before his face contorts with rage. He turns his attention to me, his eyes narrowing as he contemplates the consequences of my defiance. My heart pounds in my chest, knowing that I may have just sealed our fates with my outburst.
"You dare threaten me?" Demetrius snarls, his voice dripping with venom as he walks toward me like a snake hunting prey. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
"Neither do you," I retort, my voice steadier now. "My family won't rest until they bring you down. And if anything happens to Fedor or me, their vengeance will be swift and merciless."
"Your family?" Demetrius scoffs dismissively. "They won’t even know where you are.”
Then, with a cruel smirk, he steps closer, towering over me as a silent threat. I brace myself to keep a straight face, refusing to let him see any trace of fear in my eyes as I stare at him defiantly.
He spits on my face before turning away from me, signaling his men to continue Fedor’s torture. I clench my fists, struggling to maintain my composure despite Fedor’s screams and moans making me want to break down and cry on his behalf.
Just as Demetrius is about to give the order to have him strung up on a chain, a cacophony of shattering glass and shouting erupts around me. My heart leaps into my throat as I whip my head toward the commotion. Nikolai and Dima burst into the room with my brothers Boris, Lev, and Damien close behind. Their faces are set in determination, and their eyes burn with fury.
They’re surrounded by their men. I gasp, my breaths coming in short, ragged motions, as my knees tremble from the knowledge that, at last, we are safe. Fedor won’t have to die right in front of my eyes.
“Nikolai!” I scream from where I’m held back, tears pouring down my eyes. Nikolai stares over at me, his smoldering brown eyes assessing that the baby and I are alright before he turns to face the others.
"Get away from them!" Nikolai roars, his voice commanding and authoritative, leaving no room for argument.
About time you showed up, I think to myself, relief flooding through me. This rescue attempt might just work.
"Anoushka!" Lev calls out, concern etched on his face. "Are you alright?"
"Focus on Fedor!" I shout back, not wanting to waste precious moments on my own well-being. "We need to get him out of here!"
A chaotic battle scene unfolds before my eyes, the air thick with tension and the sounds of grunts and gunfire. Dima rushes to Fedor's side, expertly freeing him from his restraints while his men shoot down all those trying to stop Dima. He carefully lifts Fedor into his arms and carries him away from the fray, his strength and loyalty shining through despite the chaos surrounding us.
Suddenly, more and more of Demetrius’s men are falling to the ground. Behind me, I feel my arms being released as gunfire comes in our direction. My captors now run for their lives.
"Get down, Anoushka!" Boris warns from a distance, and I duck behind a pillar as bullets whiz past. My heart races, adrenaline pumping through my veins as I witness the fierce unity between the Orlov and Zolotov men. They fight together as one, their loyalty a formidable force against our enemies.
As I watch, I see a man raise a gun straight at Boris. “Boris!” I scream from where I am. Nikolai, in a split instant, looks over at me and follows my gaze.
"Shit, watch out, Boris!" he shouts, and in a single, fluid motion, he takes out his gun, takes aim, and blasts the assailant away.
Boris looks behind him, and then at my husband, and nods in gratitude before kicking a knife out of the hands of a man coming toward him.
I watch in awe as the men I love continue to battle their way through Demetrius's minions, each one determined to protect our family at all costs.
My heart pounds in my chest as I see Demetrius, his face contorted with fear and desperation, scrambling to make a run for it. The chaos around us momentarily fades into the background as I watch him attempt to flee the room.
"Demetrius!" Nikolai's deep, commanding voice pierces through the noise. I turn my head just in time to see him raise his gun, his eyes focused and unyielding. In that split second, time seems to slow down as his finger tightens on the trigger.
The gunshot echoes through the room, and all at once, everything goes still.
"Is… is he… ?" I can't bring myself to finish the sentence, my breath catching in my throat as Demetrius crumples to the ground, lifeless. My heart races, a mix of relief and disbelief washing over me. It's finally over; the man who had tormented us for so long is no more.
From that point on, Demetrius’s men begin laying down their arms. “Capture them all,” Boris commands his men. “Let them live. But before, get help for those injured amongst our ranks.”
With trembling legs, I step away from behind the pillar, right in the line of sight of my husband and brothers. I watch as Boris and Nikolai’s men begin handcuffing and tying our enemy ranks and carrying out our injured.
"Anoushka," Nikolai says softly, concern etched onto his face as he notices me and comes running toward me. "Are you alright?"
"Y-yes," I stammer, my gaze flicking between him and Demetrius's lifeless body. "I just… I never thought it would end like this."
"Sometimes, there's no other way," he replies solemnly. "But it's over now, and we're safe."
"Thank you, Nikolai," I whisper, my voice trembling with gratitude. "You saved us."
My beautiful, brave husband looks over at me and gently places his hand on my cheek. His touch, so gentle, warm, and inviting after the cold violence I witnessed, calms me. I smile and lean into it, suddenly feeling like my body is at peace.
I am no longer in fight mode. I now know I’m safe.
Suddenly, I feel three sets of arms envelop me from all around. I look up to see Boris, Damien, and Lev, all grinning down at me.
“We were so worried,” Boris exclaims.
“Sister, it’s so good to see you’re safe,” Damien mutters, clutching my hand.
“Developed a hobby of getting kidnapped, have you?” Lev jokes. I burst out into laughter, tears in my eyes, before extracting myself from their hugs.
With Demetrius's lifeless body crumpled on the ground and no danger in sight, I explain to my husband and brothers that I need to get out of there and waste no time rushing outside to Fedor's side. Dima stands by a car door and, after giving me a close hug, steps aside to let me see Fedor lying there in the backseat. My hands tremble as I carefully touch him, checking for any serious injuries. The bloodied bruises and cuts make my heart ache, but he's alive, and that's all that matters.
"Anoushka," he whispers, his voice weak yet filled with relief. Our eyes lock, and in that moment, we share a silent understanding; we've survived this hellish nightmare together.
"Thank God you're okay," I murmur, tears pricking at my eyes. "I was so scared."
"Me too," he admits. "But you were amazing, Anoushka. You stood up to Demetrius like a true warrior."
“What choice was there?” I whisper, now clutching my belly as the thoughts of what might have happened if Nikolai and the rest hadn’t arrived come rushing through my head.
And then, when I think of how my baby could have been in danger, it becomes harder to breathe.
“Anoushka?” Dima asks carefully as I extend my hand out for support and sway.
“Anoushka?” I hear him scream louder, the sound of footsteps running toward us.
And then, the world goes black.