22 | The Visit Mac
“Y ou have to stay in the conference room no matter what. Do you understand me?” I say to Sin in a more ordering tone than asking.
Since we received the call from Viktoriya, Sin’s been pacing my room.
“I don’t understand. Why would she bring her here? She’s after something,” Sin says, frustrated.
I don’t know what to tell her because we’re all in shock. Viktoriya called the clubhouse and said she might know where our friend is but wanted to sit down with Izzy first.
Of course, the clubhouse is in chaos, trying to figure out her play. We can’t get ahold of Dexter. No one has seen him since he returned to New York.
“Mac? Hello?” Sin says, stopping to look over at me.
I get up from the bed, moving toward her calmly. “I don’t know. None of us do, but we’ll sit down and figure it out. She’s coming here with only two of her men. A truce, she said. She’d get Raydene back if she could sit down with Izzy. She said she needed to ask Izzy a couple of questions.”
Sin moves away, not letting me hold her.
“It doesn’t sound right. Something isn’t right,” she declares.
A knock at the door lets me know it’s time.
I announce, “Yeah. Coming.”
I go to Sin, and she lets me pull her into my arms this time. “Please, stay with the girls. You’ll be able to watch and hear everything that is going on. Once they’re gone, you can come out.”
She nods, and I kiss her forehead before walking us out of my room and making our way downstairs to the conference room, where everyone is waiting.
Shy stands before everyone and announces, “Okay, Maze, you’ll be behind the bar. Snow and Izzy will be in here waiting until we call her out. Vi, I know you want to be out there, but I need you here with Sin. She’s going to want to run to her sister, but we need to keep both of you unseen. Even you, Vi. It’s better that way.”
I can see Vi wants to protest, but I think after everything in Chicago, she keeps her mouth shut and only nods. Looking over at Sin, she smiles.
Shy begins giving everyone their orders. “Redman will wait with Izzy and bring her to us at the table. Snow, I want you to go to the bar and wait with Maze. If they do have Raydene and bring her inside, I want you two girls to grab her right when she enters the clubhouse and bring her to the room across from here where Doc will be waiting to look her over and assess her.”
He looks to our club members and says, “I want men on the roof and each floor looking out for any signs that there are more of them. Chain and Jammer, I want you two to be ready when they leave. I want them followed, so we’ll know where they go. We still have no eyes on Dexter, so hopefully, they’ll lead us to him.”
Shy pauses, looking around the room, and says, “Wolfe, Redman, Mac, Cash, and I will sit at the table with them and hear what she has to say. Ultimately blocking and defending Izzy.”
Shy points toward the doors. “Blink and Chiv, I want you two at the front door. Once the prospects let you know they’re here, I want you two to check them before they enter.”
He looks around the room at everyone before finishing, “Everyone else, make yourself scarce but available. I want to ensure we’re one step ahead of whatever she has planned.”
I look over and see Izzy’s freaking out. Redman has her in his arms, whispering something into her ear. I’m sure he’s trying to calm her down.
Shy sees it too and says, “Iz, we will not let anything happen to you. I promise you that.”
All the men pound the table or shout out in agreement, letting her know we all have her back.
Izzy gives him a soft smile, but you can tell she’s scared. Shit, I would be, too, if the people responsible for your kidnapping wanted to sit down with you.
Redman says something to her again, but she cuts him off and announces to the room, “I want a gun!”
Everyone goes quiet.
In frustration, Redman’s face turns red. He fires off, “No, doll, ye don’t. I’m not letting them cunts near ya.”
Izzy places her hands on her hips and faces off with him. Her face changes, instantly becoming the old Izzy we knew before she was taken.
“I want my gun. Snow, Vi, and Sin all have a fucking gun. I’m sure every single woman in here has some kind of weapon. Right now, I’m the one in danger. I want a gun!” Izzy demands.
I chuckle, and everyone looks over at me. I shrug and say with a smirk, “Fuck it. I’ll give you a gun, Legs.”
The girls all agree, but Vi’s the first one to move. “Here, Legs, take mine. It’s small enough to keep in your sweatshirt pocket. Just don’t shoot your pussy off,” Vi teases.
We all join in with a laugh.
Izzy doesn’t hesitate, taking the gun with a smile and says, “Thank you.”
Redman’s furious but gives in. He adds, “Don’t shoot anyone unless someone shoots first.”
I look around the room and repeat what he says when I see Sin’s face. “Yeah. Sin, did you hear that? This isn’t a ‘Oh, let’s have a shootout and kill the Russians.’ This is a ‘let’s sit down so we can find your sister.’”
Everyone agrees, but the girls’ faces tell me this might go sideways if they don’t give us Raydene.
An hour later, we’re all hanging out around the bar when we see on the surveillance cameras the Russian SUV pull up. Everyone gets into place as Viktoriya gets out of the front passenger side door, along with one of her men. They approach the door, where Chiv and Blink check them for weapons.
Everyone on the monitors can see Chiv speaking to her and motioning toward the SUV. Viktoriya says something, and the men look at each other before Blink slips inside, giving us the okay before letting them in.
Wolfe, Shy, Cash, and I are at the table having a drink.
When we see Viktoriya enter, we stand up.
“Gentlemen. Thank you for seeing me. This is Leo.” She snaps her fingers, pointing to the spot next to the door, where he stations himself.
Wolfe speaks up first. “Do you have Raydene?”
Viktoriya smiles as she saunters toward us. Raising a finger, she says, “We have a deal. I will show you proof of life, and then I will get to speak with Isabella Rogers. Once I see Isabella, we’ll negotiate.”
Shy and Wolfe exchange a look before Shy replies, “Come sit. Have a drink.” He points across the table for her to sit and starts to introduce us.
We all wait for her to sit.
“You said you have proof of life, but I thought you said you’d have her here,” Shy explains to her.
Viktoriya’s pure evil. It radiates off her, and you can see in her eyes that she doesn’t have a soul.
She lifts her phone. “Yes, here she is as promised.” She pulls the phone back before any of us could see the picture. “But depending on what Isabella tells me will determine if you get your friend back.”
A door opens, and I can hear Izzy snap at Redman. Viktoriya turns her head, and once she sees Izzy, her eyes light up, and she hands the phone to us without a word.
I grab the phone, and sure enough, it is Raydene, bound and gagged but alive.
Fuck you, God.
Izzy walks up with her shoulders back, ready to take on this bitch.
“Where is my friend?” she demands.
Viktoriya stands here with her hands clasped together like she’s a mom seeing her kid come home from camp. She looks like Izzy is her child, not the girl she kidnapped.
Once Izzy is at the table across from Viktoriya, she asks again, “Where is Raydene?”
Viktoriya snaps her fingers to Leo, who exits the clubhouse. Blink follows him.
Viktoriya motions for Izzy to sit down. As soon as they sit, we move in beside Izzy.
Leaning onto the table, Viktoriya clasps her hands together. “I would like to talk to you about it…” She pauses, looking at all the men surrounding Izzy before continuing, “I was just informed that my brother, Kirill, took you.”
Redman leans forward and is about to speak, but Viktoriya’s hand pops up, points to all of us men, and says, “ Nyet ! This conversation is between,” she moves her fingers from us to her and Izzy, “Isabella and me. Yes?” She glances around at all of us men before finishing, “Please do not interrupt. The longer this conversation goes, the longer you wait to see Raydene.”
Izzy doesn’t back down. She leans forward, places her forearms on the table, and replies, “Yes, Kirill told me he took me to punish Dom. That I turned Dom into a pussy.”
Viktoriya’s eyes snap back to Izzy like a cat spotting its prey.
“Tell me what happened from when you were taken until you were rescued.”
Izzy looks around, puzzled. “You don’t know? Aren’t you responsible for all of us being taken?”
Izzy’s confidence rises as her shoulders straighten slightly. “I don’t understand. You didn’t know Kirill took me? That he killed Dominic because of me?”
Viktoriya’s face goes from shocked to furious. I lean forward, ready to take her out if she makes a move for Izzy.
Viktoriya senses the men move and puts her hands up. “ Nyet . I am here to find out information for my father. I am not here to harm anyone. That’s why I’m here.”
Izzy looks around and grabs the phone to look at it and sees Raydene on the screen. She holds the phone to Viktoriya and says, “Bring her here, and I will tell you everything and everyone who was involved. How your brother killed Dom and what they did with the body.”
Viktoriya sits back in her chair, observing the room.
Everyone goes for their gun when she pops up out of her chair. Viktoriya holds her hand up in surrender and says, “Wow. Easy, boys. Let me go get her. I need a minute.”
We watch as she moves toward the door, her hands still up in surrender. Chiv opens the door to let her out, but Viktoriya stands under the threshold and snaps her perfect acrylic nails.
Viktoriya looks back at all of us and says, “You all know who I am, yes? So, if anything happens to me or my men, all of Russia will be brought down on you.”
Shy and Wolfe give her a nod. On the TV screen, I can see two men emerge from the SUV. With them, they pull out Raydene, who’s bound, blindfolded, and gagged.
Blink, who is outside, moves toward Raydene, but Viktoriya snaps, “ Nyet .”
Viktoriya turns in the doorway and says to everyone, “Again, I am not responsible for her or her sister’s abduction. I’m here trying to figure out what happened to my cousin,” she states with her hands up, still in surrender.
When the two men approach Viktoriya with Raydene, one man releases Raydene and hands her to Viktoriya. Leo stands behind Raydene, holding her up.
Viktoriya faces Raydene and fumbles with something around her ears. She leans in and whispers into Ray’s ear.
Raydene’s body stiffens. Viktoriya slides her hand behind Ray’s neck, grabbing a handful of hair before turning to all of us. Raydene whimpers.
I stand up, furious she’s hurting her. Leo stands behind Raydene with his hands around her throat, ready to snap it. I don’t move but don’t back down.
Viktoriya laughs the most wicked laugh. “Okay. Here’s what’s going to happen. I will give you Raydene.”
Viktoriya’s hand tugs Raydene’s hair, ultimately snapping her head back.
Raydene cries out in pain.
“As long as Isabella and I have at least five minutes alone.”
Shy and Wolfe stand up. “No!”
Viktoriya shakes her head, taking a few more steps dragging Raydene, who hasn’t tried fighting at all.
Izzy stands up and moves toward Viktoriya, but Redman grabs her arm. She turns and looks him in the eyes and says, “I’ve got this. She needs to know.”
Redman clenches his fist but doesn’t say anything.
Izzy turns to all of us. “Let her give Raydene to you. Viktoriya and I will sit right there,” she points to the bar where Maze is standing, “alone. No one will hurt anyone.”
Hearing Izzy take charge has all of us backing down.
No one says a word.
Viktoriya raises her hand, motioning for Leo to let go of Raydene, and he takes his original spot next to the door.
She pushes Raydene inside, still holding her by a handful of hair. Again. She fumbles with something near her ear and whispers before releasing her to Blink, who’s standing close by, waiting.
Once Blink has Raydene, Viktoriya crosses to the bar to meet Izzy.
I step toward Raydene, wanting to touch her to make sure she’s okay, but I also want to keep my eyes on Izzy.
Blink moves Raydene toward me, and I lift her blindfold off so she can see. That’s when I see she’s got earplugs in. When her eyes adjust, she cries out. I pick her up and rush her to the room where Doc is waiting with the girls.
The door opens, and Sin’s hands are over her mouth, crying. My heart constricts, and I want to go to her and hold her, but I’m needed back out there.
The girls are safe.
I announce to the room, “We need to make sure Izzy is okay.” I lay Raydene down. “I’ll be back.”
Blink and I move out to where everyone is lingering. Izzy and Viktoriya sit face to face with a few stools between them. Izzy is doing most of the talking, but Viktoriya’s body becomes more and more tense as she talks. Maze slides two drinks in front of them, but neither takes it.
We all sit and watch. Our eyes bounce between the girls sitting at the bar and the security screen. Leo is inside by the door, while the other guy is outside, surveying the area. Neither of them looks anxious or like they want to start something. Both are relaxed and calm.
Viktoriya’s hands move when she speaks. Izzy kept going, and from the look of their body language, it was like they’d been friends for years.
Snow is behind the bar and moves down to stand beside Maze, who’s off to the side. I know both of them are locked and loaded.
Redman keeps shuffling from foot to foot, ready to pounce. I know this is hard for him because he wants to protect his girl, but I think this is best for her. Izzy is facing her biggest fear. Viktoriya might not have taken her, but her family was the reason. So sitting and talking to her without breaking down into a full-blown panic attack is enormous for her.
Watching Redman fidget makes me want to return to the room and check on my girls.
Raydene is back.
Will she approve of me and Sin? I shake my head. What the fuck?
I need to stay focused.
Viktoriya moves to stand up, and Izzy follows. They stand facing each other, and when Viktoriya goes to shake her hand, Izzy smiles and steps back, not wanting to touch or be any closer to her.
Viktoriya smiles and turns toward the door.
When she sees all of us, she stops right before exiting. “I’ll be returning to Russia. My business here is done. I have found out what I need. Thank you.”
Wolfe steps forward and says, “Will the Russians be a problem for us in the future?”
Viktoriya turns to face Wolfe. “I cannot say for the future. I’ll be in touch once I confirm all of this information. For now, you are good.”
With that, she walks out the door, Leo following her. We watch as the three of them get back into the car and leave.
I rush back to the room, and when I open the door, I’m not prepared for what I see.
Raydene is vomiting, and all the girls are yelling at each other. Doc’s on the phone, and once she sees me, she yells, “Is it all clear?” I nod, and she says into the phone, “Now. Pull in now.”
Dropping her phone, she says, “Let the paramedics in now. She needs to go to the hospital!”
Fuck waiting.
I rush into the room, pick up Raydene, and her body goes limp in my arms.
“Ray, stay with me. Don’t you fucking die on me. I’ve got you!” I demand as I rush her to the door just as an ambulance pulls up.
I place her on the gurney, and Doc yells, “Let’s go.”
Once the men place Raydene in the ambulance, Doc jumps in and turns to me. “Keep Sin away until I call.”
“LeeLee, I’m coming. Hold the fuck up!” Vi shouts from behind me, rushing to jump into the ambulance.
Chiv growls, “Fuck no.”
But Vi gives him a look, and they close the doors.
Dallas, Chiv, and I all say, “Fuck,” in unison.