Claim Me: A Dark Russian Mafia Romance, page 28
Mikhail didn’t fight me as we rolled toward the warehouse. While we had the firepower, we could easily be outnumbered. Only the element of surprise would work to our benefit. The warehouse wasn’t on any list that we’d obtained of locations owned by Popov.
Perhaps the men bragging were contractual workers and nothing else, but I didn’t give a shit. They’d learn that making bad choices was a life-altering decision.
We remained silent as we approached the building. The area of the port was unusually quiet, somewhat run down. With little traffic and almost no vehicles, we could handle the operation quickly and without interference.
However, I wasn’t in the mood to allow patience to interfere.
Ryker, Simon, and another soldier appeared from the darkness, assault rifles in their hands. One of Mikhail’s men had joined them in their act of surveillance. “They offloaded a shipment of about a dozen crates,” he said quietly. “A small boat that came in a couple hours ago under the radar from Alaska.”
“How many men?” Mikhail asked.
“Ten.”
Ryker looked at me. We had five including us. Good enough odds. “I want information. Whatever happens, I need at least one alive. The rest I couldn’t give a shit about.”
“Got it. There’s a door on the side where they went in,” he advised.
Nodding, I headed around to the side toward the door he’d mentioned. When I was close, I was able to hear voices. There was no time like the present. With my Glock firmly planted in my hand, I pulled open the door slowly, creeping inside.
The element of surprise was exactly what I’d hoped for. The fuckers were laughing, shooting the shit, the conversation half Russian, half English.
But I caught enough as I stormed in to know they were laughing about Marissa.
There was no hesitation.
Pop! Pop!
“Fuck!” one of them finally yelled.
I started firing before most realized we were inside. We formed an arc around them, firing off round after round. When one of the enemy soldiers dropped and rolled, pointing the weapon at Mikhail, I threw myself in front, firing off a shot and catching him in his shooting arm.
The gun flew from his hand and he tried to crawl toward it. Within three long strides, I was over him, smashing my weapon against his head. Maybe he would be the lucky candidate to provide me with information.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Bullets continued to fly, Ryker and Simon keeping a protective stance with Mikhail.
When another one came at me, I had time to kick him in the stomach, sending him flying backward and against the concrete wall. He crumpled to the floor, his head lolled to the side.
Seconds later, it was over, a quick count indicating eight soldiers hadn’t known what had hit them. I turned in a full circle, taking several deep breaths before turning my attention toward my Pakhan.
He grinned in a way I’d only seen him do a few times. This wasn’t about having a proud moment as a brother, but about accepting the fact I would burn down the city in search of the woman who’d captured something so few in my life thought possible again.
My heart and soul.
How strange karma had taken me back down a path I’d once walked. The difference being I’d taken the stroll into destiny with my eyes wide open. All because of an obsession that had altered the man inside.
I slowly turned my head toward one of the men who was writhing on the concrete surface. Covered in blood, he held his injured arm as a bird would a broken wing. I took my time approaching, wiping my face with my arm before peering down at him. When I placed my boot onto his arm, his cry rang loud and proud, echoing in the warehouse. Leaning over, I allowed myself to grin.
“Who is Joseph Svetlova?”
He gritted his teeth, blinking several times. While I wasn’t averse to torture nor did I care about inflicting pain, I also didn’t want him losing consciousness. That would defeat the purpose. Yet I offered a moment of incentive by grinding my foot.
“One last time. Who. Is. He?”
“Rurik’s cousin.” His words were barely audible, but I heard them.
Releasing pressure, I half laughed. “So Popov has a nephew.” I had a strong belief Joseph had been the one she’d seen following her.
“Interesting. Something we didn’t discover,” Mikhail admitted.
“That’s because he didn’t want anyone to learn he had a plant in the symphony.” This time, I crouched down beside the stupid asshole, rubbing my jaw to try to keep my patience. “Where is Marissa Valentine?”
When he grinned, my reaction was swift and I smashed my weapon across his face, breaking his nose. The sound of crunching bones was elevated in the expansive room.
Foamy pink spittle flew from his mouth. “Fuck you.”
I jammed the barrel of my gun under his jaw. “I can either allow you peace quickly or I can make this last. I have all night long.” I laughed, the sound maniacal.
The moment he shouted off a name, every muscle in my body tensed.
“Where?”
“I… I swear to God, I don’t know. Please. I just…” His eyes rolled into the back of his head. He was now useless.
I took another deep breath before rising to my feet. I’ll be goddamned. My blood continued to boil. The treachery was everywhere.
Mikhail chortled. “Now, we go hunting.”
“Yes, we do.” I lingered a few seconds longer before aiming my gun, the single shot relieving the asshole of any pain.
As if I gave a shit if he’d suffered.
A single noise drew my attention, the sound so slight I sensed no one else had heard it. With an instant reaction, I shifted to my left.
Pop! Pop!
The last of the ten soldiers finally met his maker seconds before he’d gotten off a killing shot.
“Yes, it’s fucking time to go hunting. And I want a souvenir for my wall.” Just before I walked out of the warehouse, I noticed containers of gasoline. With a wicked smile on my face, I pulled one into my hand, taking long strides back to the crates lined against one wall.
As I splashed the entire five gallons across three of them, I noticed Mikhail and Simon doing the same.
Once finished, I waited until the others had left the building before heading to the door. With a single look back, I pulled out my lighter, grabbing a stack of papers located on a close table. I took my time igniting the edges, watching the orange glow build.
Stepping outside, I tossed the papers into the warehouse and didn’t bother looking behind me as I headed into the darkness.
Seconds later, the single boom brought a smile to my face.
There was nothing to be said as we drove toward the resort, no words that were necessary to continue sparking the anger inside. I was on a mission. People would suffer.
And they would die.
All because of their loyalty to the wrong Russian Bratva. When I pulled the vehicle into the parking lot of Marengo, I barely killed the engine before climbing out. I knew the man in question was here. I’d sensed it in my bones.
The group of us didn’t make it to the door before Alexsey and Alessandro appeared, huge smiles on their faces. I’d seen the look before when handling the Irish thugs during another battle. They’d found something. Alessandro was an expert hacker, the Cosa Nostra member proving himself more than once. His skills would continue coming in handy.
“What is it?” I asked.
“With Alessandro’s help, we discovered some damning information. Emails between Drake Carlisle and Rurik Popov. Dozens of them.”
He handed me a printout of what they’d discovered. All I had to do was to take a quick look to know the information provided by the enemy soldier had been correct. Drake was a mole, loyal to Popov.
Seething, I glanced at Alessandro, his grin something I’d come to expect from the man. He loved discovering leaks and traitors more than the rest of us.
“I searched for any connection between the two men. It would seem they met in college and became close friends. And get this. Drake’s background is in accounting, where he worked with the Popov organization for several years. Just so you know, there are a few other names who might be participants in a long-standing ruse, but I haven’t had time to check on their identities. But I will.”
“Please do. I need a list of all those involved. They will be punished.”
Alessandro laughed. “With pleasure.”
Gritting my teeth, I glanced at the resort. “I want Drake found. If he’s inside this hotel, we need to find him. Take him to the executive suite once you do. I do not want the guests or the other employees disturbed.” At least with it being the middle of the night, there would be no administrative staff.
“Let’s go hunting, gentlemen,” Mikhail stated.
I wasted no time, moving through the casino with precision. We’d all been taught methods of tracking another human, some of our training handled by a former Marine skilled in the art of the hunt.
With my eyes constantly scanning the various rooms I walked through, I kept my cool, even managing to wave to a few employees who had no clue what was about to happen.
After ten minutes, I noticed Drake inside the smaller casino, walking the floor like the good little lap dog he’d become. Just for the wrong people.
Without hurrying, I moved closer, keeping my eye on him. Finally, when I was within a few feet, he noticed me. The instant flash in his eyes allowed me to see his fear. Maybe he noticed the look of rage in mine, my facial expressions often unable to hide my thoughts.
He backed away, realizing instantly he’d been cornered.
“Drake. You and I need to talk,” I said quietly, devoid of any emotion, which surprised the hell out of me.
“Yes, sir. What’s on your mind?” He was already fidgeting, darting looks around me as if searching to see if I was alone.
I took a few seconds to text Mikhail before answering. “Let’s head to the offices. Shall we? It will be much more comfortable there.”
“O-kay. Let me just check with the floor manager.” He started to walk away, but I stopped him, moving in front.
“I don’t think you want to do that. I’m sure you’d prefer we do this in private. Yes?”
Swallowing, he finally looked me directly in the eyes. “Of course.”
I allowed him to take the lead as we headed to the bank of elevators leading us to the fifteenth floor. The executive floor.
He remained quiet, but the smell of fear increased with every step he took.
My brothers and Alessandro fell in behind, leaving Ryker and the others to keep a close eye on the resort. We certainly didn’t need any unwanted guests to interrupt us. The element of surprise was one of the few things working in our favor.
Soon, Popov would know our intentions and if Marissa wasn’t found quickly, she’d be moved to a location we’d have difficulty finding.
The elevator felt suffocating, the mechanics of the older steel box taking a longer time to reach its destination.
When the ping sounded off, Drake finally exhaled. He was rattled.
Poor baby.
He did us the courtesy of unlocking the main doors, even flicking on some lights. As I walked in, I realized I hadn’t noticed the series of balconies located on the back wall of the main administration room. Moving around him, I headed to the door leading out, taking in the view.
I also hadn’t noticed the beautiful setting of the pool and gardens out back. All lit up even now, neon lights shimmering in the darkness.
A perfect setting.
Everyone remained quiet. This was my show and my will would be served. I took my time, unbuttoning my jacket and shoving my hands into my trousers before turning around. “Do you know why you’re here?”
He tried to act nonchalant, but his muscles had tensed to the point of shaking. “No, sir.”
“Come now, Drake. You must know that anything you put out on the internet whether by social media or through the use of email can be traced. At least if you have the right personnel.” I gave Alessandro a nod.
Drake threw a look toward the dark-haired man, the lump in his throat increasing in size. He finally lowered his head in resignation.
“Now, I’m not going to waste either your or my time with chitchat as it’s late and I have other places to be. I’m aware of your connection with Rurik. How long have you been working for Popov?” As an accountant, he could easily hide who he was working for, which was one reason his former working relationship hadn’t been properly identified. Jameson Valentine had no idea the man he’d hired to run his resort was working directly for Vladimir Popov.
Drake shifted from foot to foot, already sweating.
“You don’t want me to ask you again,” I told him.
“Eight years.”
“A few months before accepting the position offered by Jameson Valentine. Let me guess, you came highly recommended with all the creative bullshit needed to ensure you’d be hired. I would guess your resume was altered. You’re an accountant, not a resort manager.”
“I didn’t want to, but they made an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
I laughed. “They. Ah, yes, the big bad Bratva. They always do. Did you have anything to do with the death of Jameson and his wife?”
His eyes opened wide. “I’m not a killer.”
“That remains to be seen. You looked the other way when they came for Charlie. Didn’t you?” When he didn’t answer right away, I almost lost my cool. “Didn’t you?”
Drake jumped visibly. “I had no choice. You don’t understand what it means to work for the Popov family.”
“Loyal for life or else. Yes, I believe I do. Loyalty is everything in our world. Now, one last question before you’re punished. Where is Marissa Valentine?”
He paled more than before. “I don’t know. I wasn’t a part of that.”
“Bullshit. You’re friends with Rurik. You’re buddies. He wanted her. The man was obsessed with having her. He became determined to make her his wife. And you had no problem assisting your friend. Where. Is. She?”
His entire demeanor changed as if he’d been programmed to shut down when interrogated at a certain point. If he truly believed he could save himself, he was a complete idiot. I moved toward him, crowding his space.
“I don’t know,” he insisted with a little more urgency.
“You’re lying. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. It’s entirely up to you.”
Sweat slipped down both sides of his face. “Please, I have a family.”
“So do I and that includes Marissa. So talk and maybe I’ll allow you to return to your family.”
“You don’t know what they’ll do to me.”
I laughed, so did Alessandro, his comment amusing. “And it would seem you have no understanding of the Dmitriyev Bratva. Brutal bastards.”
Drake shifted his gaze from one to another as Mikhail inched closer. “Talk,” my brother barked.
The stupid mole did nothing except begin to shake.
I’d had enough and time was running out. I was strong, my muscles honed from years of training and time spent in the gym. I also enjoyed hiking and mountain climbing whenever possible. However, my strength tonight was fueled by rage. I shoved him toward the door leading to the balcony, throwing it open and pushing him onto the platform.
“What are you doing?” Drake cried out.
“This.” With no hesitation and no difficulty, I pushed him over the railing, catching him by one flailing arm. Fortunately, there were no guests lounging by the pool. I would hate for one of their lasting memories to be of a man perched perilously close to death’s door.
Drake screamed, clawing at my hand as his body swayed back and forth. “Please. Don’t let me fall!”
“I’ll be happy to pull you to safety. But only if you tell me what I need to know. Where is Marissa being held?”
He sputtered and whimpered, his other arm flailing, which wasn’t doing me any favors. The man was a dead weight.
Mikhail leaned over, issuing a ragged huff. “I’d answer his question, Mr. Carlisle. At fifteen stories, you’ll make a huge dent in the concrete deck, the force shattering at least sixty percent of your bones.”
Drake continued to whimper, peering up at me in a way that allowed me to realize he knew I was his lifeline.
“One last time. My arm is getting tired. Where is Marissa being held?”
Gasping for air, he continued to flail while trying to catch his breath. “I have a little cabin in the woods. She’s there. No one knows about it.”
“What are the plans?”
“Marrying Rurik tomorrow.”
I laughed. “Well, I guess there will be a change of plans. You will supply me with the location.”
“Yes. Yes!”
“If you lie to me, you will suffer. Trust me. You won’t like my methods.” I shifted my gaze to Mikhail, lifting my eyebrows. “Help a brother out, will ya?” I asked him.
“Are you certain you want to do that?” he asked in a playful tone that I’d heard more often now that he was a married man.
“Yeah, what the hell? I’m in a generous mood.” Together we hoisted Drake up and over the railing.
“What do you want to do with him?” my brother asked as Alessandro and Alexsey stood with their arms crossed, obviously enjoying the show.
“Keep him on ice until I decide. Maybe after that, I’ll feed him to the fishes. Or worse, I’ll send him back to his master.”
CHAPTER 30
Marissa
“Help me! Please. Someone. Anyone. Help… me.” The last two words trailed off and I closed my eyes. My throat remained scratchy from screaming to no avail.
No one was coming to save me.
Shivering, I dragged my tongue across my lips to try to keep them moist.
Freezing.
I was freezing, my toes already numb. Even though I was continuously bending my fingers, the tips were already stiff from the cold. The moment I shifted, pain blasted through my arms and legs from the tight metal shackles biting into my wrists and ankles. At least the agony gave testimony that I was still alive.
