Page 4 of Darkest Game (The Dark Mafia #3)

I try to tug and pull at him but his hold on me is too strong and he drags me away from the house. A quick glance at the front of the house shows me that the two guards on duty also have knives in their necks. Whoever this man is, he’s stealthy.

He takes me to a car down the street and throws me into the backseat and runs around to the passenger side.

“You were supposed to get two of them,” the driver growls.

He turns around in the seat and I’m struck by how handsome he is, which is an incredibly weird thought to have given the situation I’m in.

“And that’s not Natalya or Sasha. You were supposed to grab them.

I gave you a picture of them and everything. ”

The ski mask guy scoffs and holds up his phone. “But she looks exactly like them. Are you sure she’s not one of them?”

The driver rolls his eyes. “I’ve met Natalya and Sasha before. I know she isn’t one of them. She’s…” He looks at me with more interest. “She does look familiar.” His eyes widen. “She’s one of the sisters. One of the Petrov sisters.”

“So, did I do good?”

The driver smacks the ski mask guy in the head. “No. You were supposed to grab Natalya and Sasha.”

“Well, she was outside. Easy for the taking. There’s a party going on inside, Liam. Too many people take on to grab the other two.”

Liam, the driver, growls, running his hands down his face. “All right. We knew this was going to be a tough mission. But Jack wants Natalya and Sasha. He doesn’t want…” He turns to me. “Which one are you? Irina or Anastasia?”

I can’t get my mouth to work.

“Irina or Anastasia?” he snaps, making me flinch. With a sigh, he turns back to his friend. “You have to get at least one of the sisters Jack wants. At least.”

“But I could be killed if I go back in there! You do it yourself.”

“Why do you think I sent you in there? So I wouldn’t have to die. I’m your boss, Mark. You have to do as I say. So go back in there and grab either Natalya or Sasha. Preferably both.”

“But we already have one sister. Won’t that be enough for Jack?”

“Jack wants to hurt Mikhail and Nico. Do you think stealing this girl is going to do that? She’s neither of their wives. Go.”

With a grumble, Mark gets back out of the car and runs back towards the house.

Leaving me and this… Liam alone.

He sighs, running his hand back over his face. “Un-fucking-believable.”

My hand finds the door handle and I try to open it but it’s locked.

“You really thought I wouldn’t lock the door?”

I rip my hand away from it like I’ve been burned. “If…” I wet my lips, trying to work up the courage to speak.

“So, you can talk.”

I flinch. “If you don’t need me, then please let me go.”

He looks at me in the rearview mirror. “You see, Mark’s an idiot. I sent him on this suicide mission because it’s exactly that: a suicide mission. Trying to steal your sisters from their husbands was never going to be easy.”

“So why do it then?”

“Because my boss wants them to fuck over their husbands. He doesn’t want you. But you’re good insurance in case Mark fucks up. Which he already has so he’ll probably do it again.”

“Oh,” is all I can say.

“Oh is fucking right.” He’s wearing a black t-shirt that hugs his muscular arms. Tattoos are inked all along his skin.

I see the sign for the Irish mob itched into his forearm.

My father made sure I learned what all the tattoo signs for the different mafias meant in case I ever found myself in trouble.

Though, I’m not sure how that’s going to help me right now.

“But if you manage to…” I swallow hard. “To steal my sisters, what happens to me then?”

“Then I guess I let you go. You better hope Mark steals your sisters for that to happen.”

I lower myself further in the seat. That’s the last thing I want. My sisters getting kidnapped and me going free. Guilt would eat away at me.

“You’re… Irish,” I force myself to say. The more I talk, the less afraid I feel, though talking to this man is the most challenging thing I’ve ever done.

“Yes. You’ve seen me before. At Cillian’s wedding to your sister. I was there.”

That’s right. I remember when Denis tried to force Natalya to marry Cillian Kennedy.

Mikhail and Nico had shown up that day. Nico shot Cillian while Mikhail saved Natalya.

I vaguely remember Liam being there but we never spoke.

Never interacted. He ran after Cillian was shot and Denis took me and my sisters back to his house to be prisoners while Natalya returned home with her husband.

“You were a lot younger,” he says. “Now I see you’re grown. Which one are you? Irina or Anastasia?”

“It’s Ana,” I say without thinking.

“You’re Anastasia?”

“No. Irina.”

He frowns. “What the fuck? What do you mean? You’re either one of them. Which one”?”

“Irina,” I whisper.

“Good. So, are you the youngest or the second youngest? I can’t keep track of all you Petrov sisters.”

“The second youngest.”

His eyes find mine in the rearview mirror. “You’re legal?”

What does he mean by that? “I’m nineteen.”

“That’s a relief.”

“I don’t…”

“For you to look as good as you do. I’d hate for you to be a minor.”

Goosebumps break out on my skin. This Liam guy is strange and scary and slightly… sexy? I don’t know. I’ve never met a man in person before that I had these weird thoughts for.

“Shit,” Liam mutters.

Looking out the window, I see Mark running towards the car… by himself. “What’s happening?”

Mark gets into the car. “Drive, drive, drive!”

It’s then that I hear gunshots and within seconds I see Mikhail and Nico running out of the house… in our direction.

“Shit,” Liam says again, starting the car and driving away before they can reach us.

Something overtakes my body and I slam my hands against the glass. “I’m in here! I’m in here!”

But it’s pointless. Liam’s car is too fast and Mikhail and Nico are too slow on their feet. We round the corner and I lose sight of them.

“What the fuck happened?” Liam asks.

“I tried to break into the house but I got caught. They began firing at me. I had to run.”

“You clearly didn’t take Natalya or Sasha.”

“I know. I couldn’t get to them. They were too heavily guarded. I’m sorry I let you down, Liam.”

He sighs. “Well, we have Irina. We just have to hope that she’s enough for Jack to not lose his shit on me.”

I’m silent on the drive. There’s no point in screaming. No one will hear me in the car. It’s better that I stay focus and pay attention to my surroundings. They didn’t blindfold me, which could be a good thing.

Or a very bad thing. Am I going to be killed? Is that why they don’t care to cover my eyes?

We drive out of the city and to a smaller town a few hours away from New York. I’ve only ever lived in New York city. My father never let me travel when I was younger and Denis obviously never gave me the opportunity.

Liam drives up a long dirt road that leads up to a house.

It’s a cross between a ranch style and a cabin.

Multiple men are hanging out on the front porch, smoking and chatting.

But their smiles disappear when Liam stops the car.

He pulls me out of the car himself. His hands are warm and strong on my biceps and I can’t help but notice that he smells like cinnamon and cigarette smoke.

A tall man leaves the house and stands on the porch, staring down at Liam disapprovingly.

“Hey, Jack,” Liam says with a lazy easiness.

“Liam. I only see one girl with you.”

“Yes. Mark fucked up. Got caught trying to steal the sisters and we had to run. Had to settle for just the one.”

Jack nods as he comes down the stairs and stands right before me. I try to run but Liam tightens his hold on my arms. Jack’s eyes linger over my breasts and move lower before returning to my face.

“She’s pretty. I’ll give her that. But she’s not Natalya or Sasha. I know what those girls look like. I’ve seen pictures of them with their husbands. Natalya is the lead dancer at the New York city ballet. Everyone knows what she looks like.”

“Mark fucked up. Once more. He grabbed Irina because she was easy to take. She’s one of their sisters.”

“Oh, one of the sisters? Well that’s just great, Liam.” He laughs but there’s no humor to it. “I asked you to steal Natalya and Sasha for me. Not their sister.”

“I know. But this is still a good thing. We can use her to hurt them. There’s one thing I’ve learned about the Petrov sisters and it’s that they love each other. I heard stories of how hard Natalya and Sasha were fighting to try and get their other sisters back. This will hurt them.”

“But it’s not Natalya and Sasha who I wanted to hurt. It was their husbands. And I doubt they give a fuck about their sister-in-law. I know I don’t give a fuck about my sister-in-law.”

“We have her now. Might as well make the most out of it. I know it’s not ideal, Jack, but what you asked for was almost impossible. Natalya and Sasha are too well guarded by their husbands.”

“And the fact that this girl wasn’t guarded means they don’t give a fuck about her.

You didn’t do as I asked, Liam, and I’m pissed.

But you make a good point. I’m not going to waste the girl.

Throw her into the kennels. I’ll figure out what to do with her later.

” He spits right onto my face, making me gasp. “Russian whore.”

The men behind him all laugh. I’m the only woman that I can see. Shivers run down my body knowing how dangerous of a situation I’m in. I could be ganged raped. I could be killed.

Jack sneers at me once more before he walks away. Liam tugs me to come with him and I stumble in my white heels. They look so pristine on the dirt ground.

My body seizes up and I can’t move no matter how hard Liam tugs at me. With a grumble, he lifts me into his arms and carries me over to a dog kennel. There’s a row of kennels, all outside, with dogs in them all except for one.

They must have prepared one of the kennels for my sisters to be in. Now it’s mine.

Liam nudges me inside. The kennel is large enough for me to stand up in at least. The dogs in the kennel next to mine – a rottweiler and a pit bull – both growl at me. I can’t stop the gasp that leaves my throat.

“You’re in for a long night,” Liam says, shutting the door and locking it. The kennel is made out of metal bars so at least I can see out of it. At least I’m not locked away in another room like I was with Denis.

“Please don’t leave me in here.”

He gives me a pitying look but there’s no compassion in his eyes. “You’re a Petrov sister. A Russian. We’re at war with them. You won’t get any sympathy from me, even if you are innocent.” He taps the bars once before walking away.

I slump to the ground and stay sitting like that for the entire night. I cried all my tears earlier and now I have none left.

Natalya

Mikhail and Nico come back inside after the shootout that just took place. Some guy in a ski mask just tried breaking inside the house.

“He’s gone,” Mikhail says. “Whoever it was. They left.”

“Like a dog with its tail tucked between its legs. Let whoever thought they could mess with us learn a lesson,” Nico adds.

I look around the room, seeing Ana, Sasha and our mom. But… there’s someone missing. “Irina. Where is Irina?”

Without having to check the house, I know what happened. She was taken. I failed at my duty to keep her safe.