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Where the hell am I going to get 20 grand from right now? Boris isn’t around. I run out of the door without knowing where I’ll go. I exit the compound from the closest side gate, not bothering to walk to the main one. If a guard finds me, there’ll be questions I won’t have time to answer.
I run out to the street and hail down the first cab I can find.
“Where to, Miss?” the cabbie asks.
Boris and his family are my only hope now. I don’t know anyone else who has access to that kind of cash, and with Boris gone, there’s only one person I can go to. I ramble off the address and tell the driver to hurry.
The streets of Philadelphia blur as my cab races toward Anoushka's place. Fear and fury war inside me. The guards let me in, and I pound on her door, sobbing.
“Anoushka! Please, you have to help me!”
She opens the door, hair all wild, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
She sees I’m distressed and extends her hands, enveloping me in a hug. “Robin, what is it? What's happened? Where’s Boris”
The words tumble out in a rush. I tell her everything I can. How my father was a deadbeat, my mother struggled with a gambling addiction, and how, since she died, people have been banging on our doors to pay off her debts. How I have a terrible uncle, and my brother Adam is in trouble if I can’t pay off $20,000 tonight. Anoushka's face hardens, jaw clenching. She marches to her safe, spinning the combination.
Stacks of bills fill her hands. “Take this. Put it in your bag,” her tone brooks no argument.
Gratitude swells in my chest. Anoushka is with me. Together, we can take on the whole damn world.
I turn on my heels and am about to rush out of the door when Anoushka stops me, her hand on my arm. Her worried eyes look me up and down. “I can transfer the money, too,” she realizes.
“No,” I shake my head. “Uncle wants me to drop it off at a place called The Crescent Inn.”
Anoushka furrows her brow. “Robin,” she warns. “The Crescent Inn is just a facade—a sweet name for a dark, horrid place. It’s full of dangerous men and drug dealers. You can’t go alone. I’m coming with you.”
“No, Anoushka,” I retort. “You don’t have to.”
“I want to,” she insists.
I can feel the lump in my throat, the knot of emotions tightening in my chest. All this time, I thought I needed to protect Adam from the Zolotovs, but at this very moment, I realize how short-sighted and impossible that thought was. Anoushka is putting her own safety on the line for my brother, a kid she’s never met. Now, I think Adam would be a lucky kid to have them in his family. I’m a lucky woman. Anoushka’s offer is a stark reminder of the bond I now share with this family—a fierce loyalty that goes beyond blood. With a nod, I accept her offer, knowing deep down that I couldn't do this alone.
We hurry out to her car, the engine purring to life as she navigates the dimly lit streets of Philadelphia. My mind races with thoughts of Adam and the danger he's facing because of my family's past mistakes. I think of Boris and how I’m going to tell him everything when we get back home tonight. I watch as Anoushka drives fast but safe, almost as though her need to protect my brother runs more urgent than my own.
From today, there is no longer a need to be afraid of bringing Adam into this world. He will be safe here. People would die and kill for him. Guilt gnaws at me for not being by his side, but I push it aside, focusing on the task at hand. Once I have him by my side, I’m not letting go. I will bring Adam back with me tonight.
As we approach The Crescent Inn, the air grows heavy with tension. Anoushka's grip tightens on the wheel, her eyes scanning our surroundings with a practiced wariness. We pull up to the rundown motel, the flickering neon sign casting an eerie glow over the scene. I can see shadows moving in the dimly lit parking lot, figures lurking in the darkness.
Anoushka cuts the engine, turning to me with a determined expression. "Stay close to me, Robin. We stick together, no matter what happens."
I nod, my heart pounding in my chest as we step out of the car. The cool night air sends a shiver down my spine as we make our way toward the entrance of the motel. Our footsteps echo in the silence, every noise magnified in the tension-filled atmosphere.
We’re about to open the door to the lobby when two burly men block our path.
Their presence looms over us, blocking our way with arms crossed over their broad chests. The one on the left sneers, a cruel glint in his eyes as he looks us up and down. "You lost, ladies? This ain't the place for pretty little things like you," he taunts, a predatory edge to his voice.
Anoushka stands her ground, her posture unyielding as she meets his gaze with a defiant glare. "We're here to settle some business. Stand aside," she commands, her voice steady and unwavering. I can't help but feel a surge of admiration for her fierce determination.
“Business, huh?” he asks. “With whom?”
“We owe you no explanation,” Anoushka says. She takes my hand in hers and begins to walk forward, but more men surround us.
Suddenly, one of them yells. “That’s a Zolotov,” pointing at Anoushka.
Anoushka and I look at each other with a jerk of our necks. Something is very, very wrong.
A man grabs me, and another one grabs Anoushka. With their arms around our shoulders, they pull us into an alley.
