Page 28 of The Bratva's Captive

“How the fuck did this happen?” I demanded. It was blunt and to the point, but I had zero patience.

“The intruder disabled the cameras outside the building,” the supervisor said.

“How?” Saul scowled. “How the fuck is that possible?”

“They had to have someone on the inside,” Nik said.

“A mole? A traitor?” Damon growled as he shook his head. “Who?”

I held up my hand to quiet them all. We needed answers and facts, not jumping to conclusions and speculation.

Nothing conclusive came from the security head’s report. He didn’t leave anything out, describing what he’d personally looked into and the men he questioned. I didn’t doubt the man’s ability to do his job, and I stood by the dedication of all the guards and soldiers we employed here.

It didn’t seem like anyone had fucked up for this to happen.

But it was crystal clear that someone wanted to fuck with us.

No surveillance cameras captured the intruder. Not a single alarm went off and no guards were near the route that the intruder had to have used to climb up to Father’s balcony and then enter to inject him with that drug. A slight residue of a noxious gas had been traced on Father’s face, and that the person had knocked him out with something like chloroform first, before shooting that poison into his blood, told us they’d come thoroughly prepared.

I dismissed the head of security to wrap up this hellish night with a family meeting.

“They wanted to kill him,” Nik said.

I nodded. It could’ve sounded like an obvious observation, but it wasn’t. If someone merely wanted to harm him just to show that we weren’t as safe and protected or invincible as we thought we were, that would’ve been one thing. Using that specific poison on him was intended to end his life.

“And to think I had almost talked myself out of going to speak with him,” Grandmother mused, staring straight ahead with a vacancy in her eyes. “I wanted to speak with him about eligible Mafia daughters for an arranged marriage.”

I hung my head for a moment and schooled myself not to lash out at her. Father was almost killed today and shestillhad to bring that shit up? Now?

“Had I not gone in his room to speak with him about anything,” she said, “and had I not seen him so drugged and unresponsive like that then…”

Saul hugged her. “He wouldn’t be here,” he finished for her. “I’m not crazy about your forcing one of us to marry and start havingkids, but I’m glad you went in there and found him when you did.”

I lifted my head. He had a point. The doctor confirmed that had he been unconscious for any longer than he had been without medication, he would’ve died.

“I want to know who the fuck is doing this,” Damon growled.

We all did. But with our focus on keeping Father alive after the poisoning, the men we sent out to run after any intruder were slower to act. They’d found no one on or near the premises. A search carried on and men were actively seeking clues in Father’s room, on the balcony, throughout the house, and outside where an intruder would’ve had to flee. And nothing had been found. Not a single clue was spotted.

“Whoever they are, they are covering their tracks well,” I said.

“And whoever they are,” Nik added, “they’re determined to pull off a takeover.”

I furrowed my brow, glaring at him.

Saul spoke up before Nik could explain how he’d come to that conclusion.

“We’ve heard rumors of a potential coup and takeover,” Saul said. “I’ve heard people talking about it.”

“Me too,” Nik said. “And that has to be why someone would go to such lengths and risks to trespass here and try to kill him in his own bed.”

“Fuck that. No one is taking over anything. No one will even come close to taking over the Ivanov name.” I gestured at myself. “I’m here.” I looked at each of my brothers who could take overfor my place as the eldest, too. “You are all present and ready to lead too.”

“But after that?” Grandmother asked.

I faced her, hating that she might have a point now. With Father alive and ruling, I and my brothers were the backup. He’d be recovering for a long time, but in the meantime, while I was in charge in his place… there was no backup beyond my line of the generational power.

Narrowing my eyes, I dared her to piss me off. This whole night had been a whirlwind of danger, fury, and tension. I had absolutely no patience to hear her whine about my needing an heir.

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