Unwanted Sacrifices (Russkaya Mafiya Book 3) (21 page)

“Stop ordering me around!”

“No, dammit. This is bullshit!”

“How is it bullshit? I’m the one who’s hurt, and I say I’m fine! Now back off!”

“It’s because I should have protected you! I should have been there to keep this from happening in the first place!”

“It’s not your fault; this was my father and Kolya, along with their helpers.”

“It is my fault, and trust me, I know about them. We’ll discuss this after you’re looked over.”

I have to admit I’m a little frightened about what he may already know and tell me. I’m not sure if I want to know if my father or Kolya planned to do other things with me, what I experienced was bad enough.

Nikoli holds his hand out to help me up and I gratefully accept the help. I’m glad he hasn’t had a chance to really look me over and notice the fading bruises all over my back also. If it wasn’t dim up here with the curtains, he’d be able to see everything like a bad game of tic tac toe.

“I killed a man by the name of Chek. Do you know who that is?” he asks suddenly and I feel my chest squeeze tight in the beginning of a panic attack at that name.

“Did you just say Ch-Chek?”

“Yes, we captured him in the UK from his business and flew him back here. I thought he knew where you were but no matter what I did to him he wouldn’t admit to having you, but every once in a while he’d say something to get me suspicious.”

“Oh?” It comes out as a squeak.

“He said you were a Minski and then I see that gash on your back and it’s the same as the Minski’s mark for their women, you want to enlighten me if you know anything about it?”

I stare at the floor and whisper, “Chek is the one who gave me that mark, said he was preparing me for Kolya.”

“Bastard! I knew it!” My hands shake with fury. That motherfucker, touching her like this. I would chew him up and spit him out if he were still here. Taking a deep breath, I attempt to speak rationally, even though it’s eating at me. “We can get it fixed or covered, something. A tattoo perhaps, if you’d like or maybe laser removal? I’m not keen on the idea of you wearing the mark of that family, but I won’t pressure you to be put through any more discomfort.”

“I would like it to disappear. Actually as soon as it’s healed enough, I want it gone.”

“Good, we’ll take care of it.”

“You were at Perfectcore?” I question sadly as my gaze finds his.

He blinks, tilting his head and nods. “Yeah, Tate and I went, hoping to get a lead on where you were.”

“I was at Perfectcore. They kept me on the seventh floor, locked in a cement dungeon and you’re telling me you were right downstairs?” I start low but graduate into a yell by the time I finish.

“You were there, the whole time?”

Tears rush to my eyes and my lips begin to tremble as I shake my head at him.

“Oh Bina! Fuck, I wish I would have tried to break into that stupid keypad and come find you!”

Shaking my head, the tears flutter over my too warm cheeks. “No, there were guards all over; Beau had to kill some of them to get me out.”

“Beau, where did this Beau magically appear from anyhow? Tate and Viktor didn’t even know he was with you. He could be working with the enemy!”

“It’s not like that!”

“Nyet? Then explain it to me, because clearly I’m not seeing it the same way!”

“Why are you being like this? Didn’t you want me to come back?” I begin to sob, confused why he seems so angry at me.

“Of course I want you back! I begged for you every fucking day you were gone, but I was the one who was supposed to bring you back! You were supposed to see my face save you, not some half-blood Russian who magically fucking appears!” he roars and I sit back on the bed, my face in my hands as I cry.

I didn’t think it would be so hard once I got home. I guess I was expecting everything to be exactly the same. I never took into account how me being kidnapped would affect everyone else. I was just worried about making it back here.

“I’m sorry, Nikoli. I love you and I’m so, so sorry you had to experience me being taken and feeling so helpless. Please, just be happy I’m home. You have no idea what it was like in that place, and being here, able to feel your arms around me and see your amazing smile, it’s more than I imagined I would get, once I was stuck in the horrifying prison.”

“God, I am stupid man. You just get here and I yell and make you cry and boss you. Please forgive me.” His hand runs down my arm and I grab it, to hold onto tightly in mine.

“Always my love.”

He pulls me into his arms, holding me tightly and kisses me sweetly on top of my head. We stay like that.
Frozen.
Just loving each other until we’re both able to calm down and collect ourselves.

Taking a deep breath, he steps back and turns to the stairs, “Come, let’s get you looked at by the doctor.”

“Alright.” I easily agree and slowly follow him down the steps to our kitchen where the doctor sits, patiently waiting.

“Ready?” The friendly looking older African American lady asks.

“Yes, I’m sorry for the delay.”

“Oh, no need to be sorry. You’ve had a traumatic experience and it’ll take time for things to level out again. We’ll get you back there though. Let’s go sit on the couch and chat. I’ll check you over and write you a prescription if you need anything. After all that, we’ll discuss me coming back and seeing you again to make sure you’re healing correctly, all right?”

“That sounds good, thank you.”

I don’t want her attention, but maybe she can help with my newfound fear of locked rooms.

TEAMWORK

two days later…

We’re at Viktor’s cabin
‘having dinner.’ It’s really an excuse so we can talk about what to do while all of our women are safe and in the next room over.

“I want this trash,” I grumble out and each man shakes his head—Tate, Viktor, Beau, Alexei, and Spartak. “Chek knew about two of my sisters and my mother, and then I find out from Bina that he’s the one who was keeping her.”

Viktor speaks up. “Whoever this person is has to be at least the same age as Gizya and Victor or older which means he’s probably in his late fifties to be able to make such orders that long ago to take Nikoli’s mother and still be doing it today.”

Tate nods, “Yep, we know he answers to ‘Master’ and he’s an international man. The girls we found in the container were from all over the world. Chek gave us info to another container but it was empty with an inventory sheet of just last names. We counted fifteen again. It looks like that’s the lucky number for their big transports. According to what Beau found out about level seven at Perfectcore where they keep the girls, it sounds like they’re equipped to hold two sets of fifteen at a time.”

Beau interrupts, “That’s correct, but also, not all of the rooms were occupied and some women were…well they aren’t alive anymore.”

Alexei turns to him angrily. “It’s been about four days since you were there, has it not? And you’re saying some were already dead? Who’s to say others haven’t died by now as well! We should have been on this the moment you touched down!”

“Look, I told my father about it and he has some people watching the entire place in case they try to transport or bring more in. You’re all lucky I’m not calling this in to my chief and telling him everything that I found out.”

“Is that a threat?” Alexei jumps to his feet and I feel giddy inside that another person in this group doesn’t feel so comfortable with the latest person to pop into our tight-knit organization..

Beau jumps up, facing off with Alexei and it’s the first time I can easily recognize his father in him.

“You want to test me? Just because I’m not some damn kingpin, it doesn’t mean you want to fuck with me bro.”

A chuckle escapes at his bravery and all eyes shoot to my wide smile.

Viktor cocks his eyebrow and orders, “Enough Lexi, calm down. He’s a part of my family; please show him a little respect. We all need to work together on this and Beau has sources we aren’t privy to.”

Alexei huffs but does as he’s told. Beau sits as well, then we continue.

“Also Sabrina spoke about knowing Kolya Minski. I wanted to update you that he had an unfortunate accident and won’t be returning to the states.”

And Beau moves up a notch to me. “Serious?” I respond.

“Yep, he’s toast…literally.”

“You’re definitely part of this family,” I chuckle. “So what are we planning then?” I ask and Viktor turns to me.

“We’re planning a cease and desist. We send in a large number of men to clear out the building and then we obtain any women still alive. Anyone deceased, we’ll leave alone and alert the local authorities so their families are able to get some kind of closure. We charter a bigger plane than the jet and fly the girls here, have a few doctors on standby to help them get well, and then offer them a chance to go back to their old lives, or give them a new life if needed. I’ve spoken to Roman about it all on his end and everything is in the works as we speak.”

“The same plan we spoke about this morning?”

“Yes, just catching everyone else up,” Viktor finishes.

Beau draws in a quick breath. “My mother told me you were all bad, I wasn’t expecting you guys to want to help them. If anything I was wondering if you were partially behind it and that’s what started this whole mess.”

Tate shakes his head. “No, Beau. Since Viktor and I took over, things have changed. Now we aren’t squeaky clean or anything, but we’re trying to make our family businesses legit. Viktor has abolished the sex trade from his side and I’ve stopped all of the money laundering and drugs running through my clubs so far. We’ve pushed our father and yours completely out.”

He conveniently leaves out that we’re heavily into weapons trading and linked to a notorious biker club. But I guess we can’t be all good, or we wouldn’t be criminals.

He nods and we’re interrupted by Elaina, “Dinner’s ready!” She beams and we all stand, ready to eat.

SABRINA

We sit for dinner;
I have Blondie to my right and Spartak beside me to the left. On the other side of Nikoli sits Vishna with Beau beside her. To say things are tense for Niko would be an understatement. I’m sure his neck is going to be sore from twisting between Spartak and Beau, keeping tabs on them.

“Spartak, have you read anything good lately?” I ask quietly and he looks up at me surprised.

“Umm, no, ma’am.” He shakes his head and takes a big bite of his food, effectively ending our conversation.

Okay then.

The guys continue their talk from the living room and it’s thrilling to hear their plans to rescue all the other women we had to leave behind at Perfectcore.

After listening to them shoot ideas around for a while, I interrupt, “Will we be able to help out at the club also?”

They all quiet, turning their attention on me. It’s so freaking annoying when they do that. I know it’s being respectful, but it makes me really uncomfortable to have everyone focused so intently on me.

Tate’s gaze meets mine and he smiles kindly, “Yeah, Sabrina, you girls can run the entire show over there. I know we’ll need lots of supplies: new clothes, sanitary products, food and medical supplies. I’m sure the doctors will be grateful for your help.”

“Good, I would love to be a part of this,” I beam back and Nikoli reaches over, squeezing my hand to show me support. He’s been nothing but a rock since I’ve come home. He’s been building me up with his words and making me feel like a queen with his actions. “When is this happening?”

Nikoli pulls my hand to his lap and speaks up, “We’ve agreed for it to happen tonight. We have men from Russia flying over to handle everything. A friend in the UK is supposed to make sure all of the women get loaded onto a plane that Viktor is chartering as soon as possible. We hope to have them here by late tomorrow night if everything runs smoothly.”

“Wow! So fast.”

“Da, pixie.” He grins. “Now onto other things, if I may have your attention please?”

I quiet along with everyone else and stare curiously as a huge smile graces his face.

“My love, Bina, has agreed to marry me when she arrived, so I hold her to it.” He stands and pulls a small square box free from his inside suit pocket, his eyes meeting mine. “Moy Sabrina, you still agree to be mine, to let me love you with everything that I am?” he asks, opening the box and removing the tiny ring from inside.

“Da, Blondie.” I respond, beaming a bright smile and he lifts my hand, sliding the ring securely onto my finger. He keeps ahold of it and kisses each of my knuckles sweetly. Chaos breaks out as our friends clap and cheer us on.

Nikoli mouths, “I love you,” and I nod and say it back. His cheeks grow red and he sits back down, brimming with excitement.

Once everyone calms down again, Niko releases my hand so I can eat. A flash catches my eye as I bring my glass of water to my lips and I realize it’s my new engagement ring. Quickly, I replace the glass to the table and bring my hand close so I can get a good look at what he’s picked out for me.

“Holy shit, Nikoli!” I gasp as I take in the size and weight of the pink diamond securely resting in a platinum band on my tiny finger. The ring would make even my own mother envious if she were to see how obnoxious it really is. “It’s huge!”