Page 25

Climbing into that taxi is so much harder than I think it will be.

I duck into the open door and slide myself onto the seat. It’s like someone has a taut rope tied between Radmir and I and the moment this taxi starts driving, they are going to cut it. And I will never see him again.

I want to cry and scream and beg him to forgive me before I leave.

But I can’t.

I have to do something to redeem myself first. I have to save Ruvim.

The taxi driver, oblivious to the extreme tension, smiles and asks me where I’m going. “For now you can head into town. I just need to make a phone call then I’ll let you know,” I say tightly.

My eyes drag towards Radmir and Renat, standing at the top of the stairs near the front door. They are both watching me. Like laser beams digging into my soul.

I pull the taxi door shut and flick my phone unlocked to call Andrei.

The taxi pulls away from Radmir’s home and I swallow away the tears of regret and pain and guilt.

Andrei is at Marat Enzos house. He is the oldest of three. They have one younger sister, Eva. Marat took over the family business when his father died two years ago. I don’t particularly like or dislike him, but his sister is sweet.

Marat was more attentive to me since my brother died. But I realize now it was all a part of his plan.

He went from disinterested to pretending to care. To feeding me information via Andrei.

At the events I’ve been to with Andrei and my own brothers, events where the Enzo family is also in attendance, I’ve never sensed that they intended me any harm. But clearly their willingness to destroy my life in order to get to the Kuznetsovs—it was something I underestimated about them.

Thinking about all the time I spent around them—it burns rage deep inside me. And Andrei. How could he do this? Grigor was his best friend.

The taxi stops outside Marat’s house. For a moment, I can’t move. I can’t bring myself to climb out.

I’m terrified. What if they know that I’ve switched sides? But the thought of helping Radmir get his brother back pushes me forward.

Andrei hurries over to me and hugs me as Marat’s security guy opens the front door.

“Jade. You fucking did it,” he says, excited. “You fucking got that killer’s brother and now… Well—” he smiles triumphantly.

“Hi,” I say, grinning, forcing the anger I feel towards him down, deep inside me where they won’t sense it. But it’s there.

Marat walks over to me, cool and suave. His dark eyes and Cheshire cat grin are rich with confidence.

“Jade, welcome back, you did a brilliant job,” he says, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

He had my brother killed.

I smile.

“Thanks.”

He tricked me into ruining my life for his own sick, fucked up goals.

“Are you hungry?” he asks, leading me into the dining room where they’ve been having lunch. Just a casual day, sitting with his family and Andrei, enjoying some food.

“Hi Jade,” Eva says happily, standing up and hurrying over to me to hug me. “They told me what you did. I’m so impressed you could handle all of that. I would have been terrified,” she gasps. “But you must be… Happy, at least to have that peace of mind, I mean for Grigor,” she says his name softly, also hurt by his death.

Whether this is an act or not—I can’t tell.

“I’m relieved to be out of there,” I say, letting out a deep breath to emphasize it.

“Come sit with us.” She takes my hand and pulls me towards the table. Her wavy blonde hair flowing down her slender back, her bright blue eyes welcoming and friendly. If I was to guess, I’d say she doesn’t know. But I’m done guessing. I’m done letting people have the benefit of the doubt. If I’m ever going to trust someone they need to prove it to me.

I guess, that’s what Radmir is waiting for now—for me to prove myself to him.

I know he won’t forgive me. But at least, if I get Ruvim back to him, I can forgive myself. I hope.

Marat and Andrei sit down again too, and they dish up some food for me while they ask questions about what it was like living with the enemy. I chat, keeping my answers short, but letting them feel confident that I hated it.

“So, where is he?” I ask, about an hour into our lunch.

“That scum—” Marat hisses. “He fought back pretty hard when we took him. He fucked up two of my guards. But yeah, we have him locked away at the warehouse on the docks in an underground area. Even if his brothers found the location, they would never find the hidden entrance to the basement. It looks like a stainless filing cabinet in my office.” He chuckles, stabbing his fork into a piece of meat on the bowl in the center of the table.

“Oh, that’s clever. So, there’s no chance of him escaping,” I reply, acting as though I’m impressed.

After another thirty minutes, lunch comes to an end and I yawn, making a bit of a show of it.

“Guys, I’m exhausted. It’s been a long while since I had a relaxing shower in my own place. I’m going to head home.”

Andrei perks up. “I had them bring your car here,” he says with a smile. “Thought it would be easier for you.”

“Thank you,” I say warmly.

But of course, as soon as I’m in my car and away from those savages, I head straight towards their warehouse on the docks. I’m doing what I promised. I’m going to help Ruvim get out of there.

Parking around the corner, out of sight from the main cameras on the front of the building, I quickly message Radmir to let him know I am seventy percent sure his brother is here, but I’m going to head inside to check and will confirm.

He doesn’t reply. I see him come online, read my message, and go offline again.

My heart aches. But I can’t bother about that now. I need to focus.

Getting into Marat’s office is easier than I thought it would be. The guards are playing poker at a small table just outside the warehouse, engrossed in the game and not doing their job.

I manage to slip past easily.

Inside the warehouse it’s relatively quiet, being a weekend, most of the workers aren’t here.

I hurry up to Marat’s office, searching around for the right filing cabinet because one wall of his office is made up of rows of the damn things. I tug at one and the metal door opens. Files.

More files.

A drawer of files.

Shelves of files.

Yes. I finally found the secret door. It looks just like the rest of the cabinets but when I open this one I’m staring down a long dark passage instead of at rows of brown files.

My heart leaps wildly as I duck low to walk through the metal doorway. It’s dark as I descend the stairs into a basement.

My eyes adjust the deeper I go, until I turn a corner on the winding stairway and my heart clenches tightly.

Ruvim is chained to the wall, looking miserable and exhausted. His face is bruised, and his head is hanging.

I run over to him.

“Ruvim?” I whisper, lifting his face in my hands. His eyes flicker open.

“Jade?” he mumbles.

“Can you stand?” I whisper.

He blinks a few times.

“Uh… Yeah, yeah I can stand,” he says, his throat dry and his words rough.

I search around us for something to break the lock. This place is a torture chamber of tools and horrible-looking things. I need something to cut the bolt or something to—

“The keys are hanging on the wall,” he says weakly.

“Oh my word, thank goodness,” I sigh in relief as I stand on my tiptoes to grab them.

Ruvim wraps his arm around my shoulders as we climb the stairs. I do my best to support his weight. He is clutching his hand against his side and wincing in pain with each step.

We get out into the office upstairs and he is taking sharp breaths.

“Are you ok? Do you want to rest for a moment?” I ask quietly, glancing nervously around us.

“I want to get the fuck out of here,” he replies, leaning against the wall.

“Ok, lean on me again. The guards are all playing poker or something by the entrance. I think… I mean, if you can walk a little quieter and move a little quicker, I think we can get out without being seen.” I bite my lip, realizing it won’t be anywhere near as easy to get out as it was to get in.

“It’s fine. I can walk fine when we get there.” He nods.

We head out into the main section of the warehouse and my heart sinks. Right to the pit of my stomach, drowning in fear.

Standing in front of me is the man who killed my brother. John Grecko. His lifeless cold eyes drag slowly over Ruvim and I.

“Where are you two going?” he chuckles.

“What are you doing here?” I snap back at him, trying to come up with a good story, but there isn’t one.

Marat walks into the warehouse.

We’re fucked.

We’re caught and there is nowhere to run. Not that Ruvim could run even if we had an escape route.

Ruvim stands taller, pushing his shoulders back despite the pain he’s in. He glares at Marat.

Marat chuckles and shakes his head.

“Oh dear, Jade. What is going on here?” he says smoothly.

“I know what you did, Marat. You hired Grecko to kill my brother. You used me. Why ?” I demand, fiercely.

“Ah. I see. Well, Jade, your brother got himself into some trouble and I saw an opportunity.”

“What trouble?” I snap.

“He thought he was smarter than he was. He made a deal and talked the talk and in the end he lost me millions.”

“Money? You killed him over a deal that went badly?”

“I had no choice. He had to serve as an example to anyone else who thought they could get away with that type of behavior. Besides, I saw another opportunity in his death that would allow me to take down a very strong enemy.”

“Radmir?” I mumble, my anger growing.

“Yes, all of the Kuznetsovs.”

“And Andrei was happy to kill his best friend?” I ask, tears glittering in my eyes. Tears that I don’t want Marat to see. I don’t want him to take any satisfaction in my pain.

He laughs coldly. “We couldn’t trust Andrei with the truth. He was a pawn just like you were. We used him to get to you. He’s clueless. A lose thread at this point.”

“We’re just tools to you,” I whisper, more to myself than him because all I see in his eyes is a smug look of satisfaction with himself.

Grecko lets out a rough growl from behind him.

“Marat, we can’t let her go,” he warns.

“I know. I think it’s time we just get this over with and kill the brother too. Someone fetch Andrei. Take him down to the basement as well. Let’s get it all done today,” Marat says, waving his hand and calling the security team over. “Take them both down to the basement and chain them up,” he demands.

He turns to Grecko to discuss things with him and guards grab at Ruvim and I. But neither of us is going to make this easy and we both start fighting like wild cats.

The guard who has me, lifts me in the air and slams me down onto the ground with such intense force that it knocks my air out and leaves me writhing in pain.

I hear gun shots and wince, thinking that Ruvim made a run for it and got taken down.

But the gun shots continue and when I glance up I see Marat’s men in panic, running, snapping to attention and pulling their guns from their holsters.

“Around the front,” someone shouts.

“And the back.”

One of the guards falls flat on his face in front of me, the hollow hole where his eye was has been blown up by a gunshot into the back of his head.

I turn away, wanting to puke.

But I’m free, and there’s no time to let fear take over now.

I push myself to my feet and scream for Ruvim, seeing him ducked behind some crates, I bolt towards him.

Men are flooding into the warehouse, all wearing black Kevlar and dark face masks. My heart is beating a million miles an hour.

“Ruvim,” I gasp, checking over him as we crouch low together.

“I’m fine,” he snaps.

“What’s going on?” I shout, frantic.

“It’s my brothers, and the Dubrovs,” he shouts back, his voice almost lost over the gun fire.

My entire body heaves with relief. They came. Even though I told them to wait—they came.

I move to peak my head around the side of crate and Ruvim grabs me, dragging me back. “Don’t be stupid. Stay low until the shooting stops,” he warns me.