AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Andrei nods slowly. “We’ll back you up, little brother. But let's do this smartly.”
I smile, relief flooding through me. Having my family by my side, I feel invincible. Whatever happens next, we'll face it together.
“We need leverage,” Sandra states, her blue eyes thoughtful. “If we can present the Chechens with the real culprits behind Ilya’s father's demise, they might be more inclined to negotiate.”
I nod. “That's what I've been thinking. I've had a mole in the police department doing some digging. From what I’ve found, both of Iosef’s parents are dead.”
Leo raises an eyebrow. “So, no direct family for the missing fiancé?”
“There's an aunt, alive and possibly in the city. If we can find her, she might provide us with some information. Perhaps shed some light on what really happened that day,” I reveal, taking out the sheet of paper with the family tree printed on it.
Damien whistles. “You always did have the best connections.”
“There are rumors he isn’t actually dead, though I can’t get any concrete leads on that,” I explain. “That’s why I think it’s important to talk to the aunt.”
“Who told you he ran?”
“A source,” I say, and they understand that’s all the information I’m willing to share.
Samuil cracks his knuckles, that familiar glint of eagerness in his eyes. “So, we find this aunt and ask her some questions?”
“It’s not that simple,” Andrei cautions, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “We don’t want to scare her. It’s crucial that we approach her tactfully.”
Nikita, ever the voice of reason, adds, “She might be our only lead to understanding what happened. If she feels threatened, she might clam up, or worse, go to the Chechens.”
“We’ll have to split up,” I suggest. “Some of us can work on finding more information about the aunt and approaching her. The others should focus on keeping Ilya safe and looking into possible hideouts or places Valentina might be.”
Leo nods. “I’ll team up with Damien. We can work the logistics, get ourselves prepared for war if need be.”
“We need to check on the weapons shipment,” Damien adds.
“I’ll handle the aunt,” I say.
Sandra cuts in. “I’ll handle intelligence on potential places the Chechens might be holding Valentina. Darling, care to assist?”
“It would be my pleasure, dear,” Andrei replies with a smile.
Samuil nods toward me. “And I’ll go with you. You could show up at this aunt’s place, open the door, and be staring down the barrel of a Chechen gun.”
“Hopefully, it won’t come to that,” I say. “But backup is welcome, all the same.”
With the plan settled, my penthouse room transforms into a mission hub. We pull out laptops, maps of the city, and use connections to gather as much information as we can.
Andrei's deep voice is the last I hear before my team disperses. “We find Valentina. We protect Ilya. We make the Chechens regret they ever crossed the Antonov-Nicolaevich family.”
As we finalize our strategy, Nikita steps forward, her ballet-honed grace evident in every movement. "I'll watch over Ilya. This hotel is probably the safest place he could be.”
“Thank you,” I say, my gratitude genuine. It's not just about keeping Ilya safe. Nikita might be able to soothe him in a way none of us brutish men can.
Samuil, meanwhile, has already started loading up, collecting weapons and tools I’d moved with me from my apartment. “Ready when you are,” he says with a grunt.
I take a deep breath, pulling my coat tighter. “Let’s find this aunt.”
Exiting the hotel, Samuil and I quickly head to the garage. Samuil breaks the silence, his voice gruff, “You think this aunt knows anything?”
I shrug. “It's a shot in the dark, but she’s our best lead. We have nothing else to go on.”
Samuil nods, keeping his eyes on the road. “Just remember – we’re playing with fire here. The Chechens won’t be too pleased if they realize we’re poking around.”
