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“I should have been. Anya Volkov is stronger than she looks. That girl can pack a fucking punch.” That brings a proud smile to my face, my girl knows how to handle herself. “She gave me a choice.”
“And what choice was that,Andreas?” He doesn’t look pissed at the way I spat his name, he just seems… at ease?
“Allow her to shove a pill in my mouth that would slow my pulse and heart rate making everyone think I was dead, or she would actually kill me.” I can’t keep the surprised look off my face. “Oh, she didn’t tell you?” It pisses me off to admit that she didn’t but I understand why she kept this to herself.
“That’s why Vor and Krill offered to help her, isn’t it?” I ask.
“Yes. She proved she wasn’t like her father when she let the leader of her enemy live. Anya will be spared in this war but her kin will not. Ivan, Alek and Vlad will all pay with their lives.” The conviction in his tone has me believing him.
“Why are you doing this? I get you hate the Bratva but you had a chance to disappear and leave Russia. Why stay?” His eyes take on a faraway look and I can tell he is reliving a memory.
“The story I tell everyone is that the Bratva turned my girlfriend into an addict and put her on the block.” I screw my face up in disgust. “The real reason I started the Crows and the reason why I want them all dead is because Dante Volkov was my best friend and…” He trails off allowing me to put the pieces together.
“Holy fuck, you were in love with Anya’s cousin?” He doesn’t cringe or deny my claim.
“Dante wasn’t like his father or brother… He was good and kind. He wasn’t made for this life and he paid the fucking price for being born into this fucking life. I vowed to get revenge for him years ago and I am a man of my word. You’re here, Gage, because we could use the help of your family and the connections they have to overthrow the Bratva.”
“What exactly are you asking of me?” I eye him warily waiting for him to reveal his true motives.
“I’m offering your family a safe harbor here with the Crows until we take down Vladimir. Help me and I swear to you there will never be a skin trade in Russia again. On my honor, you have my word no Crow will harm Anya Volkov or ever come after her for the crimes of her father and uncle.” I clench my hands into fists at my sides and grit my teeth in anger.
“You so much asthinkof touching her and I’ll kill you with the fucking pen in my pocket.” He throws his head back and laughs, then claps me on the shoulder and motions for me to follow him. This guy is fucking nuts!
* * *
I’m fucking wrecked and dead on my feet, I have learned so much about the Crows and how they operate. I thought they were just some punk street gang trying to play with the big boys but I was so fucking wrong. The Crows have men on the inside of the Bratva, politician’s here and throughout the world. They own shares in banks, hotels, pharmacies, schools, you name it they probably own half of it. They run under a shell cooperation that leads back to offshore companies that can’t be traced back to them. Andreas might be right, they might just be as good as the Bratva, if not better.
“So, you see now why we can overthrow them? They may have the cops and the army but they don’t own them all.” Andreas and his men haven’t been buying people like Vlad, they have been tracking down family members that have been trafficked and returning them. They don’t need to buy people when they earn their loyalty. “We will help you if you help us.” I take a sip of the scotch Andreas poured me earlier and stare at him in a new light. He is young but somehow looks way older and younger at the same time.
“You want to do a hostile takeover to push him out of government, but how? You can’t impeach him, can you?” He reclines back in the suede couch and rests his arm over the back. He seems so at ease. We’re sitting in his office that looks nothing like the gym I was in earlier. They decided to leave the outside of the building and all the main rooms run down and destroyed while they remodeled the basement and set it up as their headquarters. I must say, when we came down here, I didn’t expect it to look so… nice. Andreas shoots me a dark smirk, the cunning glint in his eyes sets me on edge.
“The takeover is already in motion. The general whose daughters we saved is already preparing to take over leadership of the Russian army. The officers we have on our side are already making moves to clear out Vlad’s guys. The hotels, clubs and all his other dealings are being dealt with as we speak.” This news shocks me. While we have been playing catch up for weeks these guys are already way in front of us.
“What about the ports?” I ask. A dark look takes over his face and his lip thin into a hard line.
“The containers are being shipped, but not to America. They are being moved to Dubai where the girls will remain until this situation is resolved, then they will return. The Crows aren’t just based in Russia, we are everywhere, Gage, and all we want is to end the tyranny people like Vladimir impose on us.” Before I can respond a knock sounds at the door. Andreas calls out to come in. Vor walks in which doesn’t surprise me but when I see who follows after him, I’m on my feet in a split second.
“What are you doing here?” I rush to say as my brothers and Vince fill the room. Bishop comes to me and claps me on the shoulder, his guarded look has dread pooling inside me, something happened.
“That was a clever move bugging Anya and yourself.” Pride swells inside me, I look to the others and frown when King and Knight both refuse to meet my gaze. I look to Vin next and my stomach cramps with unease, guilt shines in his eyes and it throws me. I turn back to Bishop and flinch when he rests a hand on my shoulder.
“What the hell is going on, Bish?” I ask hesitantly. Bishop flicks his gaze to Andreas for a beat before focusing back on me.
“I’m only saying this in front of him because we heard enough today to bury him if he betrays us.” I shoot Andreas a look but he doesn’t seem surprised that I’ve been recording us this whole time and my brothers have heard everything. He just shrugs and motions with his hand for Bishop to continue saying whatever it is he was going to.
“Your girl walked right into a trap. Vlad knows she was playing him and he gave her to her uncle to… I’m sure you can piece that together for yourself.” Bishop’s words play over and over in my mind. I thought I would rage and break shit but instead all I feel is deep-seated worry and self-loathing. I knew I shouldn’t have let her go back. I fucking knew it was too easy to get inside the boss’s house and bug his office but allowed myself to think I was… better than him.
“I have to get her back. I won’t let that fucker touch her, Bishop,” I growl out.
“I know.” His gaze implores me to listen before I shut down and go after her. “He is waiting for you to go after her. I need you to trust me–”
“Fuck you. If that was Kiara you would already be there,” I snap, he doesn’t get angry at me, just nods.
“I didn’t realize she meant that much to you. If you’re comparing her to Kiara, she must be more than a bed warmer?”
Is she?
I ponder it for a second and realize without even trying, Anya Volkov has left a mark on me. She has managed to make me feel more alive than I have felt in years. I wouldn’t go as far as to say I love her… wait, do I? Fucked if I know but what I do know is I need to get her back and find out if what thisthingis between us is the real deal.
