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I barrel through the streets of Philadelphia, my pulse racing. The skyline looms, a jagged silhouette against the predawn light as I push the car to its limits, heading straight for Damien's place.
"Family first" echoes in my head, Lev's last words before we hung up. It’s a mantra that's been drilled into us since we were old enough to understand the weight of our name—Zolotov.
I skid to a halt outside Damien's brownstone and slam the car door behind me as I storm up his steps two at a time. My knuckles rap on the door in quick succession.
"Damien!" I bark the moment the door swings open. He stands there, all casual control, but the fire in his eyes matches mine.
"Inside," he says, stepping aside to let me pass. Lev is already there, pacing like a caged animal, tattoos on his arms seeming to move with his agitation.
"Talk to me," I demand, my voice a bullet shot into the air between us.
Damien doesn't waste a second. "Robin's a victim, Boris. Innocent. She's been tangled up in her uncle's mess. The guy's been squeezing her dry because of her mother's debts," he explains everything he’s learned through his men, who happen to be ex-Mossad, and it's like a punch to my gut. Robin—the girl who'd crept under my skin without permission, whose laughter sounded like hope, has been a victim her whole life, exploited by her uncle.
"Damn it," I hiss, my hands curling into fists. It's one thing to deal with enemies you know are playing the game. It's another to find out someone you care about—someone innocent—is caught in the crossfire.
“Her uncle,” I explain. “He texted her tonight saying he needed money.”
“She could have gone to Anoushka to get it,” Damien nods.
"Where could they be?" Lev breaks in, stopping his restless movement to shoot a glare at Damien.
"Anoushka's GPS," Damien starts suddenly, moving over to his sleek laptop sitting atop a mahogany desk that looks too polished for this dirty business. "There." His finger jabs at the screen where a blinking dot hovers ominously in an area I know all too well.
"Rival turf, the Abatos’s," I growl, recognition dawning like a siren’s warning. "It's a damn trap."
"Looks like it," Lev agrees, anger simmering just below the surface.
"Then we're walking right into it." I reach into my pocket, pulling out my phone. We've dealt with rival families before, danced around their threats and posturing, but this is different. This is personal.
"Wait, Boris," Lev starts, but I’m already punching in the number, the command in my veins leaving no room for hesitation. I know I might look weak in front of our Pakhan—our Boss—but he is family, and right now, I need to gather all the family I can.
"Boris? Is everything alright?" Ivan's voice comes through, sharp even at this hour.
"Robin and Anoushka have been taken into enemy territory," I say without preamble. "We need your help to get them back from the Abatoses. Please."
"You don’t have to ask twice, brother," he replies, the gravity of the situation instantly clear in his tone. "Gathering the men. We move fast and hard."
"Thank you," I acknowledge, ending the call. Ivan stays true to his words: we protect our own.
I look at my brothers, seeing my resolve mirrored in their faces. "Let's bring our girls home."
***
Ivan’s warehouse is a fortress of weapons and strategies as his men meld with ours in preparation for what’s to come. Damien leans over blueprints of The Crescent Inn, where we’ve pinpointed Anoushka’s exact location.
Ivan’s fingers trace routes like a maestro commanding an unseen orchestra. Lev checks weapons with a focus that belies his usual recklessness.
"Double-check everything," I command, my voice a low rumble in the charged air. “There’s no room for error."
"Got it, Boss," the chorus of hardened men affirm, each one a blade honed by loyalty and blood.
Ivan’s eyes meet mine; there's no need for words—our shared blood speaks volumes.
"The strategy?" he asks, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
"Direct assault risks hurting them, yet we need stealth to find them." My gaze flicks across the faces surrounding us. "We split up. Half create a diversion and half go in quiet. Extract Robin and Anoushka before hell breaks loose."
"Agreed," Ivan nods once, sharply. "My men and I will lead the distraction."
