Page 14 of Bratva Hostage

Chapter 5 - Dimitri

I can’t get the memory of her mouth on mine out of my head. Every time I close my eyes, I feel the press of her lips and the unexpected rush that burned through me. It’s wrong, and I know it’s wrong, but it won’t leave me alone.

I stand in the hallway outside the main control room, where half a dozen of my men are monitoring surveillance feeds. My phone buzzes with new updates on Thorne’s whereabouts, and I force myself to pay attention. Evan Thorne is still at large. He’s got resources, contacts, and a vendetta that won’t die. Yet all I can think about is one stolen kiss with his daughter that happened in a moment of pure frustration.

I step into the control room, greeting the men with a brief nod. Multiple screens show different areas of the Barkov estate. Guards patrol the corridors, courtyards, and gated walls. Everything is calm for now. The men look in my direction, waiting for instructions.

“Aleksei gave you the new rotation?” I ask one of them.

He nods. “Yes, Sir. We’ll keep watch through the night.”

I look at the monitors for another moment, looking for anything unusual. Each camera angle is clear. No sign of intrusion. I should feel relieved, but an uneasy feeling worms its way in. Maybe it’s just the tension in my head that won’t go away.

I move to the corner of the room, checking my phone. Maksim wants to meet in the study, and he wants me there soon. I step out, telling the men to call me if anything changes.

When I get there, Maksim leans against the desk. Nikolai sits in a chair, scrolling through messages on his phone. Akim stands by the window, and Aleksei is nowhere in sight.

“Finally,” Maksim grumbles. “We have a lead on a courier who might know where Thorne is hiding. He’s due to make a run tomorrow night.”

I take a seat in an armchair. “Which sector?”

“West side of the old district.” Maksim glances at Nikolai. “You want to handle it?”

Nikolai shrugs. “Sure. If he’s got any intel, I’ll find out.”

Akim chimes in. “I’ll send two men with you. Minimal show of force.”

I nod. “Keep it quiet. We don’t want Thorne slipping away because we scared one of his contacts into hiding.”

Nikolai sets his phone aside. “Understood.”

Maksim studies me with one brow lifted, and I try not to squirm under the scrutiny. “You look distracted.”

I fix him with a level stare. “I’m focused on finding Thorne.”

He exhales and pushes off the desk. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Akim slides his hands into his pockets. “You’ve been wound up ever since you brought that girl here.”

“You mean Cecily,” I offer.

Maksim nods. “She’s the daughter of our enemy, yet you’re letting her roam the estate. You keep an eye on her, but you’re not acting like she’s dangerous.”

“She’s under our protection because Seraphina, who is also the daughter of our enemy, asked us.”

Nikolai taps the edge of his phone. “Do you think Thorne let her get caught on purpose?”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?” Maksim questions. “You know Thorne will do anything to gain an advantage. Maybe letting his daughter walk into our hands is part of his plan. Hell, he married one of them off to us for intel, remember?”

I scoff. “As if I could forget.”

“You’re the one who’s been dealing with her,” Maksim points out. “Has she asked about the estate’s defenses or questioned the layout? Does she linger near cameras, guard stations, anything like that?”

I flash back to her wandering the corridors, searching for exits and probing any weakness I left exposed. She’s trying to escape, not gather intelligence for her father. Yet, the thought ignites a flicker of doubt.

“She’s not a spy,” I declare, though part of me wonders if I should be more cautious. “She wants to get out, not feed information to Thorne.”

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