As soon as she was out of sight, Dmitry turned, breathing heavily and looked around the room with a dangerous hysteria in his icy eyes. Unable to control himself, he picked up the long dining table covered with papers and threw it as hard as he could across the room. The heavy oak went flying through the air, hitting the wall and split into, leaving a dent in the wall and knocking down the priceless framed art.
Men dove out of the table’s path from both sides to keep from getting hit. They stood amazed at the man’s strength and his hidden anger.
“
Was the call traceable?” Dmitry finally asked when he could speak again. He looked down at his hands that were shaking and clammy from anger. Clasping them together, clenched down on his jaw and breathed out through his nostrils to calm himself.
“
It’s a bouncer, but according to this, it has to be within…” the man at the computer typed in a few calculations and hit ENTER. “It’s within Europe or the far western part of the eastern bloc,” he answered quickly.
“
That doesn’t narrow down shit,” Liv said, looking at the monitor in frustration.
“
No, it does,” Dmitry said with a glimmer of hope, pulling a piece of paper from his small notepad. Marking off two names from the list, he passed it to Gabriel – his hands trembled as did his voice. “Start on this list. I have two serious enemies within 500 miles of Prague. I want them and all their men dead in the next three hours.”
Gabriel took the handwritten list and looked over at Liv, who came quickly to assist him.
“
I can pinpoint and get accurate maps with easy access,” Liv said to Gabriel as he walked over to his computer.
Dmitry’s mind was spinning quickly. Sucking his teeth, he ran his finger over the bridge of his nose. “She said it’s
sunny
. She remembered what I taught her. That’s good. She’s thinking. She’s a survivor.” He took another deep breath. “Isolate the parts of earth that are dark right now. Eight hours of difference or more. Then get with Gabriel and go through that list. Pinpoint the remaining seven organized crime families and prepare to hit them all in the next eight hours.”
“
Seven families in eight hours?” Liv asked.
“
Did I fucking stutter?” Dmitry screamed, pulling out his gun. “Yes, kill them. All of them. Get your teams on rotation. Only leave one team here, instead of the original plan. Send the others out with the rest of your men. Gabriel will take his own team and hit the two I just gave him with Anatoly and his men. And I will stay here on this
fucking
phone and get my daughter back.”
“
Yes, sir,” Liv answered quickly.
Chapter 11
The phone call had ended too abruptly for Balthazar’s taste. Frustrated and feeling the loss of his control over the situation, he violently knocked the glass of water and pitcher from the small working table in the corner on the hardwood floor only inches away from Anya, who sat shaking in the corner with her legs curled up to her chest.
“
I want my daddy,” she cried.
“
You
want your daddy
?” Balthazar taunted the girl loudly. “Well, you can’t have him until he pays!” he stood over her screaming to the top of his lungs.
Tears ran down Anya’s eyes as he stood ready to flog her for her insolence. But the blonde woman, Manon, quickly stood in his way towering over the both of them.
“
What the fuck do you think that you’re doing?” she asked, pointing her long finger at his chest. The tip of her ruby red nail indented his shirt with force, egging him on to make a move so that she could forcefully have him put in his place.
“
That little bitch knew what she was doing!” he yelled, backing off just a bit. “She could have given away our location!”
Manon pushed him in his chest hard with her long fingernail. “How is that? She doesn’t know where she is. All she said was that it was
sunny
. We could be anywhere for goodness sake. Get a hold of fucking yourself.” She looked back at the girl and snapped her fingers. “Take her back to her room. Now!” Running her hands over her hair, she threw her hands up. “You’re unbelievable. She’s a child. You’re a grown man. Can you please act professional?”
“
Professional? She should have never been allowed to talk to him. That was your choice and it could have cost everyone everything!”
“
Well, she didn’t! Look, I run this. Not you!”
“
Correction, Vladimir runs this and where is he? Huh? Where the fuck is he?” Balthazar screamed.
The bodyguards quickly picked Anya up and carried her away and threw her back into the darkness of the dank little room housed off from the kitchen. Crying, she banged on the door for a moment and then went over to the dirty mattress in the corner to lie down.
Manon closed her eyes as she listened to the girl cry. This was going to drive her crazy, she could tell. It seemed easier on paper to plot revenge than to take it out on an innocent girl in real life. Suddenly, she wanted to back out. Suddenly none of this made sense and she found herself asking what the hell what she thinking dragging an innocent child into her twisted story…her niece no less.
“
No more talking for her. He’s had his fucking
proof of life
now,” Balthazar said when Anya was gone. Straightening his glasses, he rolled his eyes and waltzed over to the refrigerator to retrieve something else to drink. He needed something stronger than water and went for the chilled Chardonnay in the back of the ice box.
“
She is a child, Balthazar. If you can’t handle a
child
, then I’ve picked the wrong man for this job,” Manon said, disgusted by his quick temper.
“
Picked the wrong man
?” Balthazar repeated in disgust. “You would have never been able to pull this off without me. Don’t get any fucking ideas,” he threatened. “I know how flinty you types are. You’ve never worked hard for a damned thing your entire life, so you think that you’re entitled to every fucking thing and when things don’t go your way, you run. Well this is one situation that you nor your fucking boyfriend can fucking run from!”
The woman’s temper flared at his insinuation, and she quickly put him in his place. “First of all, I let
you
in on this, so don’t you get any grandiose ideas. This is still a three-way deal, and Vladimir and I only let you in on this because we thought that you could control yourself. And I don’t run. Let’s not forget that I am a Smirnov and Vladimir is still a fucking Sidorov. You on the other hand are just playing the part, but you are fucking with real Vor and real royalty, so I suggest that you play your part well or you will regret the day that you ever laid eyes on me!”
“
Oh, it’s a little more than that, dear. You also need my men and my resources. And don’t you
forget it
. And you still haven’t answered my question about where Vladimir is,” Balthazar said, slamming the steel refrigerator door closed.
“
He’s doing his part as we discussed. He has to stay out of sight for obvious reasons, but without him none of this would be possible, or do I really need to remind you of that fact?” Her nostrils flared as she talked. Pushing a strand of blonde hair from her face, she sat down and calmed her ramping frustration. “We’ve made contact. Once Vladimir calls us and verifies that he is in position, we call Dmitry back and give him the account number and require the next payment. Things are still going as planned.”
“
He doesn’t sound as eager as you’d thought he’d be. What happened to taking him down a few pegs? Sounds to me like you’ve only pissed him off. And you don’t piss a man like this off unless you have something to back it up,” Balthazar said, pouring a glass of wine.
“
Oh, he’s eager alright. He’s just not showing it,” she said coolly. She grabbed the bottle and poured herself a glass. “Leave the thinking to me. You just get ready for the next step. Trust me. He’s going to tear down his walls around him before it’s all over and our revenge will be sweet.”
“
You and your boyfriend are in it for revenge. I’m in it for the millions, and no matter what, my plan will work,” Balthazar reminded as he stormed out of the room.
With her hands on her hips, she stood watching him as he stormed off. Breathing hard, she turned and shook her head. Balthazar was going to be a problem. It was evident now, but she had to figure out a way to fix things before they got out of control. And quietly and undetected, she had to get her own emotions in check.
Drinking the wine alone in the room, she closed her eyes and tried to focus.
Chapter 12
Gabriel only had a few minutes to say goodbye to Briggy before he and Anatoly headed out on the chopper, so he had to find her quickly. Running up the stairs to the second floor as fast as his feet would take him, he found her watching over the twins quietly in the nursery alone.
She looked up at him startled when she saw that he had changed into black fatigues and wore a vest and guns.
“
What is this?” she asked, standing up from the rocking chair. Her eyes were wide with concern.
Gabriel moved to her and bent to kiss her forehead. “Don’t get worried now. Everything is going to be fine. I just have to go with Anatoly to take care of something. I’ll be back in a few hours.” He tried desperately in his explanation not to lie and at the same time worry her.
But Briggy could clearly hear the anxiety in his voice. Reaching up to touch his face, she let a tear fall to her cheek. “Liar,” she said, resting her head on his lower chest. “Dmitry brought you hear to send you away, didn’t he?”
Gabriel held her close. “He brought me here to help…the same as you. We all have a part to do in getting Anya back,” he said, trying to reassure her before his departure.
“
Some of us have a bigger part to play than others,” her voice trailed off. She only hoped his part wasn’t so big until he didn’t come back.
It was if he knew what she was thinking. “I used to do this for a living. If anyone is qualified to go out and look for her, I am. You know that.” Lifting her chin, Gabriel bent and gently kissed her lips. The taste was sweet, putting a need into his loins that he had not been able to fulfill since Anatoly had called in Angola. He looked into her doe-like blue eyes and rubbed her shoulders, sating his desire for the moment. “I’ll be back. Promise. Don’t worry about me.” A grin crossed his full lips, making butterflies erupt in her stomach.
Warmness rolled over her entire body. The smell of him drove her made with want and the idea of losing him scared her senseless. “I love you, Gabriel,” she said, pulling his hand to her cheek.
“
I love you, too,” he said, feeling himself almost lose his nerve until he glanced over and could see movement out of the corner of his eye.
Curiosity pulled him over to the crib, and he couldn’t help but look over at the baby boy sleeping under the blue and yellow blanket.
“
Wow,” he said utterly amazed. “Look at that.” His rumbling deep baritone faded into a whisper.
Briggy smiled. “That one is
Konstantin
,” she said, touching the baby’s golden locks. He flinched a little under her soft fingers and his eyes opened. Blue and bright they fluttered wide to land their gaze on Gabriel first.
The connection was instant.
Gabriel stood entranced, clutching the side rail of the ornate crib with the smell of baby powder wafting up to his nose.
The smell of innocence.
It made him realize how important this all was. This wasn’t about money or power. It was about family and for the first time in a long time, he was a part of one. He could fight for that; he
would
fight for it.
The infant boy was angelically beautiful. Skin like a soft golden sunset, hair curly and thick, full rosy cheeks and pouty pink lips, his innocent existence cemented Gabriel’s’ reason for being here and choosing his course of action. He looked at the baby with a covetous smile, wishing that he might have one just like him with Briggy one day, if he was lucky, if he lived through this.
“
He is beautiful isn’t he?” Briggy whispered. Her French accent sounded like soft silk against his ears.
“
They both are,” he said, looking over at the other one who mirrored his brother. “How could someone harm something so sweet?” he asked with a frown. The idea simply confounded him.
“
I’ve been asking myself that all day,” she said, tearing up. “Poor Anya. I remember the day that I met her. She was barely older than these boys.” She began to cry, instantly thinking of how Royal must truly feel inside at the moment. Pure chaos and hysteria.
Gabriel realized then that Briggy too had a vested interest in the family. Before when he had gotten the call, he had selfishly only thought of his family as his own, not taking into account that she had known them much longer than he had, that the Medlov family was as much her family as his. Instead, he saw her as more of their former employee, but now he saw the entire picture. He placed a loving hand on her shoulder and tried to soothe her.