Page 80 of Forcibly Sold to the Bratva
“What’s our next move?” Rurik asks, bringing the bottle of scotch to the coffee table.
I take another sip before answering. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?” Bogdan looks at me incredulously. “We storm their compound and take her back.”
“And then what?” I shrug. “We force her to stay? I’m done assuming things, brother. If she wants to be with me, I need to hear it from her own mouth.”
“So you’re giving up?” Melor asks.
“No.” I run a hand through my hair. “I’m trying to find a solution that doesn’t end with more bloodshed, and until I do, I hope she lets her intentions be clear.”
But as I speak, an idea strikes. There is only one thing we can do to prevent more bloodshed, to stop putting Arina in the middle of all this, and that’s a truce with the Sokolovs.
Although a bitter idea to swallow, I can’t see another path that ends with Arinasafelyby my side willingly.
I’m about to suggest the plan when we hear the sound of tires screeching outside.
“Who is that?” Faddey asks.
Nikandr gets up and moves to the window. Then, he looks back at us with a shocked expression. “It’s the Sokolovs.”
“What?” Agafon exhales.
I quickly rise to my feet, for a brief moment wondering if this is divine intervention, and if Arina spoke to them and told them the truth about us. Without listening to my brothers’ protests to let the guards handle it, I rush to the door and swing it open.
Tikhon, Andrei, and Alexei stand there, each looking furious. I will calm my heart down and deal with the hope that’s just been dashed. I’m about to ask them what they’re doing here when Tikhon shoves past me.
“Where is she?” he demands, walking through my house, his eyes darting around as if I’m hiding her somewhere. His brothers follow right behind, and I grab Alexei’s arm in panic. “What is Tikhon talking about?”
“Arina’s missing,” Alexei spits, jerking away from my grip. “She disappeared from the party. I know you took her.”
I feel a cold dread settle in my stomach.
“I haven’t seen her since our... confrontation,” I say carefully. “I assumed she was with you.”
Tikhon turns to face me. “Bullshit. Your men took her.”
My brothers are now all in the foyer for back-up, picking up on what’s happened.
Agafon steps forward. “We didn’t take her, Sokolov. And if you’re here, that means you don’t have her either. So before we blow each other up over this, can we please focus on what matters? Where the hell is Arina?”
The Sokolovs go quiet. In fact, all of us do. A situation like this is dangerous, and every single person in this room cares about Arina.
I feel the floors and walls spin as horrible possibilities play through my mind.
“When did you last see her?” I ask, panic seeping into my voice.
“I don’t know,” Tikhon growls and throws his face into his hands. “She said she was going to the washroom and she never came back.”
My mind races, piecing together what could have happened. I was the one who saw her last. Where the hell did she go off to?
“Did anyone else at the party seem interested in her?” I ask.
“No…” Tikhon shakes his head.
“Enemies,” Agafon steps forward. “Give us a list.”
“There are so many,” Tikhon, for the first time, looks ashamed.
