Page 62 of Bratva Hostage

“Yes, but he found out she called, so she might not be much longer. We have no time.” My heart pounds as I storm toward the foyer. “Get the rest of our brothers and all the men we trust, whether they’re in our family or not. We move out immediately.”

Maksim nods, no questions asked. He vanishes to rally the troops while I hurry back to my office to collect gear. My mind seethes with images of Thorne hurting her. I won’t let that happen. She’s mine to protect. I rummage through a locked cabinet, grabbing a sidearm, extra magazines, and a rifle. Each piece of equipment I handle with a single purpose: rescue.

My phone dings. A text from Grigor:On my way with men.Will coordinate with Aleksei.That’s all I need. We’re going in. Pool deck, maintenance gates. We’ll slip in quietly, jam the cameras, get her out before Thorne can bring his network down on us, and then I’ll find the son of a bitch and kill him myself.

A wave of guilt and relief tangles in me. She’s alive. She wants me to come for her. Despite everything, she trusts me enough to risk that call. If I fail now, I don’t deserve my title as her husband. I don’t deserve her.

I jog to the foyer, weapons in hand. Men gather, suits or black gear, each armed. Maksim stands at the front with his phone pressed to his ear, relaying instructions to a second wave. Before long, all of my brothers and their respective men fill the space, waiting for my word.

They all turn to me, their silence thick with anticipation. “She called,” I announce, my voice echoing against the high ceiling. “She’s in Thorne’s possession. She gave us a way to slip in without triggering an alarm. There’s someone on the inside helping her, and we need to be cautious of the cameras. If we jam them, neutralize the guards, we can find her.”

A ripple of tension goes through the men. They know this could be a trap. They also know we can’t stand by.

“We’ll keep the second wave outside the compound, block any backup,” Akim offers. “Keep Thorne pinned while you extract Cecily.”

I nod and look over each face. “We go now, no time to waste. Thorne might hurt her for calling me. We move in stealth if possible. If it escalates, we fight our way out.”

Nikolai slings his rifle over his shoulder. “Understood. Vehicles are ready.”

I glance at the clock. It’s late, perfect for a covert approach. My pulse quickens with the knowledge that in a few minutes, I’ll be on Thorne’s doorstep. Fear and fury mix inside me, but I push them aside for focus. She needs me to be strong. She needs me to be the man who’ll tear down kingdoms for her. That’s exactly what I intend to do.

I check my pistol one last time before flicking off the safety and making sure everything’s set. The men around me do the same—clicking magazines into place and securing their vests. After what feels like forever, I exhale and turn to my brothers.

Akim comments, “We’re risking a war with Thorne. The question is whether we care.”

“If he wants a war, he’ll get one,” Aleksei answers. As the head of the family, his word is gold. “But first, we get her out.”

He inclines his head. That’s the end of it. We all know the consequences. We don’t care. She’s worth every bullet if that’s what it takes. I pivot and march toward the front door. The men follow in a tight formation. We pass the final set of guards, who open the door to the night. Our SUVs wait outside, engines idling, headlights dimmed to avoid drawing attention.

The memory of Cecily’s voice resonates in my mind, how she said, “I’m scared.” The urge to soothe her drives me forward. I can’t fail. She’s out there, counting on me. On us.

Hoisting my rifle across my chest, I set my jaw and step outside. My men file in behind me, weapons ready. Each step is a promise: I’ll find her, no matter what stands in my way.

We climb into the vehicles, closing the doors with a muffled click. Aleksei takes the driver’s seat of the lead SUV and Grigor slides in beside him. Akim coordinates from the second wave as the rest of us settle in, radios in hand and guns at our sides. The night envelops us like a cloak, providing perfect cover for the operation.

I meet Akim’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “Let’s roll.”

He shifts into gear, and we surge forward. Our convoy exits the estate gates with each vehicle loaded with menprepared for anything. We have a plan, and we have the fury to back it up.

Cecily, hold on. I’m coming.

Chapter 24 - Cecily

My father’s face contorts into a terrifying mask. The same one I remember from childhood. The same one that always used to send me into a panic. Back then, he used his anger as a weapon, and it worked. He knew how to hurt me.

But not this time.

This time, I don’t shrink back. This time, I’m not the small, powerless girl who lived in constant fear.

He speaks in a low voice that carries authority born of decades of cruelty. “I gave you a chance to come back. Instead, you went behind my back and called the very man who caused all this? Do you understand how reckless that was?”

My hands flex at my sides. He’s trying to intimidate me, but I refuse to back down. “I understand more than you realize. I understand that you don’t care about me, or Seraphina, or anyone or anything except for your control. You kept me as a prisoner for years. Did you ever once consider what that did to me?”

A muscle twitches under his temple. “You speak to me as though I owe you an apology. I gave you everything you could’ve ever wanted! A home, a family. You were naive then. Maybe you still are. Dimitri Barkov is no better than me. He sees you as leverage, nothing more. Why do you think he married you? Out of love? Don’t be foolish.”

Hot rage ignites in my chest. “You don’t know him. You don’t know what he and I share. You never cared enough to see me as a person, so I don’t expect you to understand. But Dimitri does. He cares about me.”

“Is that so? Then where is he now?”

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