AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We need a plan, and we need one pretty fucking quick. That auction will not happen on our watch. So if anyone has any quick but effective ideas, I’m all ears,” Stryker says, standing at the head of the table, his gaze roaming over all of us.
The room is deathly quiet for a minute before Alexie, of all people, clears his throat and calmly sets his folded hands on the table. “I have an idea. It’s not foolproof, but I think it will work.”
Tears are streaming down Nat’s face, but she looks across the table at Alexie, hope shining bright in her watery eyes. “What are you thinking, Alexie?” she murmurs as she wipes her cheeks with the sleeve of the zip-up sweater that she shrugged on when we started this meeting.
“I’ll call my Father an–”
“No! Hell-fucking-no. We’re not taking any chances that might give that piece of shit a heads-up that we’re here. I knew you being so complacent with us in taking down your Father was bullshit,” I shout through clenched teeth.
Of course, as soon as there is a chance to alert his Dad to where he is and what is going on, he’s going to take it. It’s not happening. I’ll be damned if I let him destroy the people in this room. Looking around the room, no one else is saying anything.Can they be this blind to what is going on?
“Calm down, Prince-y. I have no interest in helping my Papa. He will, however, be thrilled to hear from me. It has been a very long time since he’s seen or gotten word from me,” he retorts with a smug as fuck grin on his face.
Staring daggers at him, I prop my chin on the palm of my hand and lean forward. “And just why, after all this time, would Andrei Volkov answer the phone and talk to his long-lost son? You’ve been gone for months. Do you think he’ll just spill his darkest secrets to you? What if he asks where you’ve been? Then what?” I question, angry that I even have to point this out.
“HA! You think little boy things, Prince-y. Just as I stopped thinking about killing you. Shame. Papa will be shocked to hear from me, yes, but I can easily explain that away,” he purrs.
“Ho-” I try to interrupt him, but he sends a knife flying across the room, and it embeds into the wall right beside my head.Where did he get a knife?He’s fucking unhinged.
“QUIET! I am not done talking, and I am sick of your doubts. I will tell him I left to get rid of Natalia because I wanted a fresh pussy. He always wanted me to marry another organization’s daughter to unite our families, giving him more power.”
The entire room is silent as what he said sinks in. Conrad cuts his gaze to Luci, and she takes her time looking at each person before she shrugs her shoulders.
“It’s true. To expand his control, Andrei wanted to marry both of us off. Pissed is an understatement of his reaction when he found out we were together,” she tells us.
Stryker slides Alexie a phone, and Conrad queues up his laptop. “Go ahead, Volkov, make the call. This better work, though.” Nodding, Alexie grabs the phone and dials it. He sets the phone back down on the table in front of him before hitting the speakerphone button.
We are all sitting in absolute silence as it rings one...two...three...four...
“Who the fuck is this, and how did you get this number?” a cold, raspy voice yells.
“Papa, it’s me, Alexie. I’m ready to come home. I’m sorry I have been silent, but I had to leave to getPrintsessaoff my back. She was getting clingy, and I wanted a newer, younger pussy.”
A dark laugh comes across the line. “Yes, I understand, although I am still upset. Maybe myPrintsessawill be good for Ivan. That would give me better leverage over the bastard. He has always been obsessed with my girl,” he ponders out loud.
Alexie’s ink-covered fists ball up tight, and he grits his teeth before a fiendish chuckle leaves him. “Yes, I could see that being most beneficial to us. Anyway, Papa, I’m in Vegas now, but I can be back home in New York by sun up.D’yavol boitsya nas.”
There is utter silence on the phone, and Alexie hits the mute button. He glances up to see us all looking at him puzzledly after not understanding what the fuck that last phrase meant.
“He said the devil fears us. It’s a passcode of sorts we use in situations like this, so Uncle knows we are safe and not held under duress; that he can trust us,” Luci says empathetically, and then she nods at Alexie to go on.
“No need,Moy Mal’chik. I will be in Sin City for business. Meet me Friday night at ten PM at a place called Cooters Clubhouse. Ivan and I have an event I’d love for you to see. Maybe you’ll even find some freshpo?ose. You’ve been gone too long, my son. I’m glad you reached out,” Andrei commands.
Just as Alexie is about to hang up, his dad’s voice once again echoes through the room. “Now that I have found you, I’ll call myPrintsessato get her home.”
Surprised, Alexie’s expression shows how shaken he is by this before snapping back into character as his dad continues. “Never you mind. She fucked this one up, anyway. I had to send Ivan to remind her of her place in our family. No worries, she won’t be in Vegas, and once we get home, we shall send her off to wed Ivan or another of my associates, Aldo Bianchi. He has always wanted a taste of her, and that would unite us with the Italians back home. I’ll have to think about this, son. See you Friday,” he sings-songs, and then we hear the click of the phone. Alexie hangs up as well and slides it back across the table to Stryker.
The silence in the room is deafening. We are all just staring at one another without saying a word. You could easily hear a pin drop in this room right now. “What? Why is everyone quiet? I told you it would work,” Alexie inquires with a confused tone.
“Is your Dad always so fucking cold and rigid? I thought Nat was like a daughter to him, but he acted like she was nothing more than a chess piece to be moved around a board to him,” I bite out as I crack my knuckles in annoyance at the conversation we all just witnessed.
Staring at him, I wait for him to give me a good fucking reason why the man who raised Luci as his daughter could be so heartless. A strong voice comes from down the table. “Yes. Power is more crucial than anything to Andrei. He would wed the both of us off to someone to broaden his control over things. It’s not the first time he’s mentioned it, and it won’t be the last. Alexie is his pride and joy, so I was safe from an arranged marriage since I was his. However, since I was just declared ’used up’, I’ll be married off for power,” Nat explains with a sigh. Everything she just spewed is disgusting. It’s revolting that she can be so calm when talking about herself in that way.
A loud clap has all our attention snapping back to Stryker. “Moving on, now that we have a way into the event, Alexie, can you go to the auction with Marcela as your date? I’m assuming it would be unusual to show up alone to such an event. Am I correct?” Alexie nods in agreement. “Perfect, then you two can help the rest of us slip inside dressed as guests. We’ll take them down from the inside out. Andrei and this Ivan fellow are our top priority. So, with that being said, King and I will see to that.”
He looks to Conrad before continuing, “Conrad, I want you to find us a van that you can set up in to be our eyes and ears from the outside. Nat, once you slip in and the chaos starts, I want you to help Alexie and Marcela free the victims and get them to safety. Because of Alexie’s information on this place being more of a gentlemans’ lounge instead of a regular strip club,We are also going to need tuxes and fancy dresses. Conrad, can you make that all happen?” Stryker pauses, waiting on an answer.
Conrad, looking offended, gasps as he holds a hand to his heart. “Can I make that happen?” He starts furiously clicking on his keyboard. We all wait with bated breath as he furiously taps on his keyboard. “Van and equipment are handled. Everything will be delivered by my guy tomorrow,” he states easily.
