Laney
I hold Laurie's hand under the table as she starts talking. Her voice is steady at first, clinical almost, like she's recounting something that happened to someone else.
"They took me from the Vine and Crimson bar. Told me they worked for the hotel...One of them had a rag with something bitter on it. I woke up zip-tied in the back of a van with two of the other girls."
My grip tightens on her hand, but I don't interrupt. She needs to get this out.
"They took us to a warehouse first. Different from the one where you found me.
There were half a dozen women there already.
They kept us in shipping containers, brought us out in groups to.
.. evaluate us." Her voice wavers slightly. "They were deciding who to send where. Who was pretty enough for the high-end clubs, who would go to brothels, who would be shipped overseas. They didn’t talk in English very often, so I don’t know what else they said. "
Yakov's jaw tightens, but he stays silent, letting her speak.
"I heard them talking about their operation.
They're not just trafficking women. It sounded like they were trying to take over the drugs scene too.
One guy runs it all, but he's got partners.
I heard names..." She closes her eyes, trying to remember.
"Drakos. Someone called Drakos came by once, talked about shipments to Europe.
And there was an American, didn't catch his name, but he had an accent, Southern, maybe?
He was talking about routes through Texas.
Thats the only time they spoke English."
Mikhail and Yakov exchange a look. Something passing between them that I don't understand, but it makes my stomach clench.
"They moved us a few days ago," Laurie continues. "Said the first warehouse was compromised, that someone was getting too close." She looks at Yakov. "I think they meant you."
"They were right." Yakov's voice is cold. "What else?"
"The head guy, Zah—something, came to the second warehouse.
He was furious about something, yelling at his men about losing product and money.
He said..." She swallows hard. "He said he was going to send a message.
That he was going to hit the Korolyovs where it hurts. Make them pay for interfering."
My blood runs cold. Yakov's expression doesn't change, but I see the shadows in his eyes darken.
"Did he say how?" Maksim asks quietly.
"No. But he was serious. I could tell." Laurie's hand trembles in mine.
"After that, they separated me from the others.
Said I was too much trouble, because I kept trying to escape whenever they opened the doors and things.
They were going to..." Her voice breaks.
"They were going to make an example of me.
Show the other girls what happens when you don't cooperate. That’s when I got my first beating.
They got orders part way through and had to leave.
Carried on when they got back until one of them said something and they all left again.
When you came in I thought you were one of them coming to finish the job.
" She lets our a watery laugh, before dropping her head forward, trying to hide the fact that she is crying.
"But they didn't," I say fiercely. "You're here. You're safe."
"Because of you." She squeezes my hand. "All of you."
Yakov pulls out his phone. "I need to call my brothers. If Zajmi's planning something..." He doesn't finish the sentence, just steps out of the kitchen, already dialing.
Maksim leans forward. "Laurie, this Drakos…did you see him? Can you describe him?"
"Tall, maybe six-two. Dark hair, scruffy beard. Accent I can’t place. He wore expensive clothes, designer suit. Had a scar here." She traces a line along her left eyebrow. "And a ring, big gold ring with some kind of symbol on it and orange stones."
Kaiden is taking notes now, writing everything down. "The American?"
"Mid-forties, maybe. Overweight. Wore cowboy boots, had a drawl. Zajmi called him..." She frowns, thinking. "Buck. Or Buck something."
"That's good," Kaiden says. "That's really good. Anything else? Any other names, locations, details about their operation?"
Laurie tells them everything she can remember, the layout of the warehouses, the number of men, the trucks they used, the schedules they kept. I sit beside her, holding her hand, watching her transform trauma into ammunition.
My sister is so much stronger than she knows.
When she finally runs out of things to say, the kitchen falls quiet. Through the doorway, I can hear Yakov's voice, low and urgent, talking to someone on the phone in a combination of Russian and English.
"You did good," Kaiden says to Laurie. "Really good. This information is going to help us get rid of them once and for all."
"I hope so." Laurie looks exhausted suddenly, the energy she had only just begun to restore draining away. "I just want them caught. All of them. So no one else has to go through what we went through."
"They will be," Maksim promises. "We'll make sure of it."
Yakov returns, pocketing his phone. His expression is grim.
"My brothers are putting extra security on their families.
Rurik is coordinating with our contacts in law enforcement to cross-reference the names Laurie gave us.
" He looks at me. "I'm putting security on you too. Full-time, until this is over."
"I don’t need—" I start.
"Non-negotiable." His tone brooks no argument. "Zajmi threatened my family. You're my family now. That means you're a target."
The words send a shiver through me. You're my family now.
Laurie looks between us, something knowing in her expression. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you both about something."
I turn to her. "What is it?"
"I'm not going back to Sacramento."
I blink. "Laurie, the apartment might not be safe."
"Let me finish." She takes a breath. "I'm not going backward. What happened... it was terrible. But I'm not going to let it break me. I have a job at the Korolyov, and I feel like I'm good at it, so far at least. I want to keep working there, if that's okay." She looks at Yakov.
"Of course it's okay," he says immediately. "Your job is waiting for you whenever you're ready to come back."
"Thank you." She turns back to me. "And I'll get an apartment closer to work. One with security, even. I have the compensation money now, and I can afford it. You don't need to take care of me anymore, Laney."
"That's not—I don't—" The words tangle in my throat.
"Yes, you do." She smiles, soft and sad.
"You've been taking care of me since Mom died and Dad left. Making sure I was okay, that I had what I needed, putting your life on hold for me because you’re the sensible one. But we’re adults.
I can take care of myself. You have to trust me.
And you..." She glances at Yakov. "You deserve to have your own life.
To pursue this relationship without worrying about me. "
"I'll always worry about you," I say, my voice thick. "You're my sister."
"I know. And I'll always worry about you too. But we can worry about each other from our own apartments." She squeezes my hand. "I love you, Laney. But it's time for both of us to move forward and take life by the balls."
I look at Yakov. He's watching me carefully, giving me space to process this.
Laurie is right. I know she's right. But it's hard to let go of the role I've played for so long, protector, caretaker, the one who keeps everything together.
"Okay," I finally say with a half-shrug. "We move forward."
"So," Yakov says, breaking the moment. "Laney, are you staying in Vegas?"
I look at him. At this man who shot his way into my life with brute force, who saved my sister, who makes me feel things I've never felt before.
"Yeah," I say. "I'm staying."