Chapter 22 - Pippa
I sit at the kitchen table, savoring the first bite of my toast slathered with strawberry jam. Steam rises from my cup of coffee, and I take a moment to enjoy the simple pleasure of breakfast before another busy day at work begins.
"Damn it!" Lev's voice booms through the house as he bursts into the kitchen, urgency etched on his handsome face. “I can’t find my wallet.” His stormy blue-gray eyes lock onto mine, and I can tell something is very wrong.
“It’s in your office, Sir,” one of the maids says. “Should I bring it?”
“Please,” he says. “Make it quick.”
The maid rushes away.
"Lev, what's going on?" I ask, my heart pounding in my chest. Something tells me this isn’t just a regular morning.
He runs a hand through his longish black hair, contemplating what to tell me. But I begin to feel impatient.
"Alright, enough with the secrecy," I say, forcing a smile onto my face. "Tell me what's happening. I can handle it."
Lev sighs, his eyes holding mine for a moment before he relents. "Fine. Lenny Ramsey—we've finally got a lead on him. Our men have located his holiday home in Aspen. The one his kid told you about."
"Wait, Lenny? You found that house?" I ask, my pulse quickening at the thought of dealing with that snake.
"Exactly," Lev confirms, his jaw set. "And it gets better. Based on the intel, we think he's either holed up there, or it’s the place where he’s stored away the cash he owes us. Boris, Damien and I are planning to break into his place and capture Lenny, or at least, get back what's ours."
"Break in? That sounds dangerous." I bite my lip, fear gnawing at me as I imagine all the ways this could go wrong.
"Nothing the Zolotov brothers can't handle," Lev says. “Besides, our men will be there.”
"Isn't there another way? Something less risky?" I plead, feeling desperate to keep them safe. “Maybe you could call the cops to report a theft or something?”
Lev’s eyes widen ever-so-slightly, and I see a flicker of amusement cross his eyes at my innocence. My cheeks redden before he even responds. “Sweetheart,” he chuckles at my suggestion. “We’re the Bratva. The police aren’t exactly our friends, are they?”
I feel stupid for making such a na?ve suggestion. “Of course not,” I say. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”
"Believe me, Pippa, if there was another way, we'd take it," Lev says, his voice softening. "But we're running out of time, and we need to act now. You’ve brought us this far by giving us the heads up on a house in Aspen, and now we’ve got it from here."
My stomach churns as I try to process this new information. If I could have it my way, I’d keep Lev by my side where he can remain safe.
But he’s right. I’ve played my part in this chain of events. Lev trusted me with my plan when I suggested it, going against his brothers to do the same.
Now, it’s my job to be supportive, sit back, and let Lev and his brothers do what they must. Lev is right—they're more than capable of handling themselves.
"Okay," I whisper, swallowing hard. “Just… be careful, alright?"
Lev smirks, his trademark cockiness shining through. "Careful is my middle name, Babe."
"Lev Careful Zolotov," I retort, rolling my eyes. "Has a nice ring to it."
"See? I knew you'd like it." He grins, leaning in to place a soft kiss on my forehead. "Don't worry, Pippa. We'll handle this and be back before you know it."
I nod, forcing myself to smile even as fear twists my insides. Just then, the maid returns with the wallet. Lev grabs it and rushes out the door, bellowing goodbye as the door shuts behind him. I sit back and send up a silent prayer for their safety, hoping against hope that they'll return unscathed from this dangerous mission.
***
Once Lev leaves, I get dressed to head in for work. But, I find my mind wandering. I put on the wrong blouse, realize I’m not wearing any shoes once I reach the front door, and have forgotten that Dmitri isn’t there to take me to the office today. He’s gone off with Lev.
With nothing to do, I wander into the living room and sit on the couch barefoot, wondering how to keep my mind off this whole Lev situation. I turn on the TV and try to watch the news, a reality soap opera, and a cartoon. But I keep flicking between one and the other, unable to pay attention, or keep my focus.
This is impossible.
The anxiety gnaws at me with the irritation of a chalk screeching against the blackboard. I won’t be able to survive this day alone.
I rack my brain, and only when I feel like I need some distraction do I decide to call Anoushka. I hate bothering her, but she’s the only one who would understand what I’m going through. I clutch my phone tightly as it rings, the anticipation making my heart race. She picks up on the third ring.
"Hey, Pippa! What's up?" There's a lightness in her voice that I envy.
"Hi, Anoushka. I just wanted to check in with you about this whole mission thing," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "How are you feeling about it?"
"Ah, so Lev filled you in, huh?" Anoushka sighs. "Honestly, Pippa, I'm not too worried. I trust my brothers. They've done this sort of thing before."
"Still, it's hard not to worry, right?" I chew on my bottom lip, relieved that she understands my concerns.
"Of course it is," Anoushka agrees. "But we can't let that worry consume us. We need to be strong, for them and for ourselves." Her voice is gentle yet firm, like a reassuring embrace.
"Thanks, Anoushka," I smile sadly. "It's just… sometimes it feels like everything is spinning out of control, and I'm powerless to stop it. This life, it’s just so stressful. There’s no certainty in it, is there?"
"Hey," she chides softly. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for, Pippa. And you have us—me, Lev, and the rest of the family. You're not alone in this, okay?"
"Okay," I whisper, touched by her support. "Thank you, Anoushka."
"Anytime, girl. Now, let's take our minds off things for a bit, shall we?" Anoushka suggests, her tone shifting back to its usual cheerful self. "How about we grab some lunch and maybe hit the shops afterward? Retail therapy always helps."
“I don’t know if I ca—” I say, feeling guilty at the thought of shopping when Lev might be putting his life on the line.
“Nonsense!” Anoushka says. “This isn’t my first rodeo drive, and today, I’m going to show you the ropes on how to survive this.”
I’m about to argue when she whispers in a kinder tone. “Besides, I could use the distraction, too.”
Hearing Anoushka admit to a vulnerability makes my heart break. Perhaps we could spend some time together and help each other out during this difficult day. Without skipping a beat, I ask "Can you pick me up?"
***
An hour later, I find myself in a chic café, the bright sun glinting off the tables. The scent of fresh coffee and pastries fills the air, and Anoushka reappears at the table, wearing an effortlessly stylish outfit and a mischievous grin on her face.
“I couldn’t decide between the croissant and the pain au chocolat, so I got both!” she announces, setting down the coffee and the pastries.
“Atta girl!” I tell her.
We quickly dig into the croissants and walk out with our coffees.
"Ready for some retail therapy?" she asks, looping her arm through mine.
"Definitely," I reply with a smile, grateful for the chance to escape my worries, even if just for a little while.
We spend the afternoon wandering from store to store, trying on clothes and sharing stories. But my mind still wanders to Lev every other second. I wonder how he’s doing. I wonder why he hasn’t called or texted. Has something gone wrong?
“Hello? Hello?” Anoushka says. “Earth to Pippa!”
I snap back to reality, realizing I’ve been lost in my thoughts once again. “Sorry, just… distracted,” I murmur, trying to shake off the worry that’s settled deep in my chest.
Anoushka gives me a sympathetic look, her eyes filled with understanding. “I get it, Pippa. But remember, my brothers are tough cookies. All this worrying won’t help them or you.”
I nod my head, trying to shake off my worries. “You’re right,” I say, and begin to browse through the clothes.
"Okay, this one is perfect," Anoushka declares, holding up a stunning black coat. "You have to try it on!"
"Are you sure?" I ask hesitantly, eyeing the price tag. "I don't know if it's really my style…"
"Trust me, Pippa. You'll look amazing in it," she insists, forcing it over my shoulders. “And winters in Philly are brutal. This is going to be perfect.”
I wear the coat and turn to the floor-to-ceiling mirror. The coat looks fabulous, but it’s still a lot of money.
“It’s lovely, Anoushka, but I can’t,” I shake my head, shrugging it off.
I leave her in the changing room and go browse through the items aimlessly.
Five minutes later, someone’s behind me, flinging a shopping bag in front of me.
“What the?” I begin, turning around.
“Surprise!” Anoushka sings. “That coat looked amazing on you. It would have been a crime to walk away without it.”
Before I can protest or even thank her, she’s linked her arm through mine, ready to hit up the next store.
***
We shop for hours and by the end of it, both of us are absolutely exhausted. I realize then that I haven’t thought about Lev for a good fifteen minutes.
Now that’s progress. Turns out, I am having fun with Anoushka by my side.
“How about we get some dinner?” Anoushka suggests. “We can have cocktails, bitch about my brothers…” she says suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows.
I laugh. “Deal.”
But as we exit the store, laughter still on my lips, I notice out of the corner of my eye a black van parked suspiciously nearby. It has no windows, and a man stands outside of it, his eyes right on us.
"Anoushka," I begin, my voice trembling slightly. "Do you think that van looks… odd?"
She glances at it, her brow furrowing. "Maybe, but let's not be paranoid."
How can I not? Most of the men are out on the mission. Anoushka and I are all alone, wandering the streets without any bodyguards.
What the hell were we thinking? I should never have allowed Anoushka to convince us to go on this shopping trip without security.
As if on cue, the van comes to life, the engine roaring as it speeds toward us. My heart leaps into my throat, adrenaline surging through my veins as I instinctively grab Anoushka's hand.
"Run!" I shout, fear gripping me like a vice. But before we can take more than a few steps, the van screeches to a halt beside us, its side door sliding open.
"Anoushka!" a man snarls, lunging forward and grabbing her. I scream, my grip on her hand slipping as she's dragged toward the van.
"Let her go, you bastards!" I yell, my panic momentarily giving way to pure rage. I lunge toward them, desperate to save my friend, but another man grabs Anoushka from the first one and pulls her into the van.
The van's tires screech against the pavement as it takes off, leaving me standing there in disbelief. My heart races with determination, and I know I can't just stand here and let them take Anoushka away. In an instant, my legs are moving, propelling me after the van as fast as I can manage.
"Help!" I scream, trying to draw attention from a passerby. "Somebody, please help! They've taken my friend!"
As I run, I fumble in my pocket for my phone, quickly pulling up Lev's contact and sending him an SOS alert through the automated system he taught me. Just the click of a button, and he’ll have my location and GPS system. I can only hope he gets it in time and comes rushing to our aid. The thought of what they might do to Anoushka terrifies me, and I push myself harder, determined not to lose sight of the van.
"Damn it," I mutter under my breath as I spot one of the men leaning out of the side door, obviously intent on grabbing me too. Thinking fast, I slip my phone into the waistband of my pants, shoving it toward the small of my back where it's less likely to be found.
"Get away from me!" I shout at the man, but he quickly wraps a strong arm around my waist and yanks me off my feet, dragging me into the van.