Page 55 of Bratva Bastard

Dimitry hadn’t lost that expression of concern. “I’m not sure. I’ve had no reason to doubt him until now, but that answer seemed like total bullshit. It just didn’t make sense.”

I let out a half-laugh, almost amused by Andrei’s bullshit. But clouding any amusement was the rage I’d feel if he was lying.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

Misha finally spoke, after remaining quiet throughout the entire conversation. “Calm down, Maxim. We’ll figure it out. But if you keep huffing like a dog in heat, you’ll pass out.”

Dimitry burst out laughing, patting my shoulder “Don’t worry, brother. We got your back, and we won’t let anything happen to Crissy. As far as I’m concerned, she’s one of us. When she saved you, I promised her that we would have her back too, and when have you ever known a Koslov to break their promise?”

Misha nodded from the driver’s seat. “We’ll find her.”

“Next time we call Andrei, I want to speak to Crissy. We’ll see if he’s telling the truth.”

Why did all the important women in my life have to be missing? Which reminded me, “We need to figure out what to do about Mom’s ransom.”

Dimitry shrugged. “We’ve been looking for that woman for years. Every time we come close, she disappears. Vanishes from the face of the earth. I wouldn’t doubt it if she wanted to be hidden right now.”

“Then why would somebody call me using a voice changer and demanding ransom?”

Did he honestly think our mother had just disappeared on her own accord? I know that she did that to them, so I can understand why he would think that, but my mother had never left me without telling me where she was headed. She was always paranoid about something happening to her. This wasn’t some attempt to run away—she’d been kidnapped.

Misha pulled into the driveway, turning around to face me after he parked. “When they call you back, agree to the terms. We’ll meet up for the exchange and kill them then.”

I guess I’d have to listen to Misha. No other ideas had come to me, so what else could I do?

25

Crissy

My feet pushed me forward. One step after another, the leaves crunched beneath my feet, twigs broke against my legs. My lungs burned from running so far. But I couldn’t slow down.

Not yet.

If I didn’t have so much adrenaline coursing through me, I’d have probably been more terrified. I was running in the woods, alone, in the dark, with no idea where I was or who I’d stumble upon.

But I kept going, because what other choice did I have?

More than once, I’d heard rustling through the woods. But I didn’t hear voices, so I assumed it was an animal, and hoped it was a small one that didn’t bite. If something were to come at me, I’d be fucked. There would be no way I’d survive because I couldn’t even see two feet in front of my face. I just mindlessly ran, hoping I was getting far enough away from that clinic that they wouldn’t find me and that I wasn’t running in circles and back to the enemy.

Coming to a stop, I hunched over, so out of breath I thought I might throw up if I didn’t sit. My face was blazing with heat, and I had no water—nothing for hydration or sustenance. All I could do was sit there, dry heaving in the foliage around me.

I leaned my back against a tree, trying to steady my heart rate and breathing, but it was hard. Out of breath, nauseated, I felt dizzy—like I could pass out. The darkness around me spun. I couldn’t see anything, but it spun nonetheless.

After a while, I stood up and started again, this time walking. If I hadn’t seen the men yet, then I must be far enough away. It was getting lighter as the sun poked out above the clouds, greeting me with the morning.

And for the next few hours, I walked, and walked, until the setting around me began to look familiar. I couldn’t place it, but the familiarity led me in the direction I believed I’d find sanctuary.

But even after the hours passed, and the night crept upon me once more, I was still lost. I had no choice but to spend another night in these woods. Only, this time I slept. Finding a comfortable enough place to rest my head, I curled into a ball with my arms wrapped around my legs, holding in as much warmth as possible.

But I couldn’t keep from shivering. After shaking for so long, my muscles ached, and my back had a shooting pain that wouldn’t let up. I was severely dehydrated. So much that I hadn’t even peed since earlier that afternoon. There was nothing to relieve—I’d had no water. Not even a drop from the leaves.

What a fucking time for a drought.

But I made it through the night. I survived. And when the morning came again, I set off once more, pushing myself forward despite the churning ache in my stomach, the shooting pain in my back, and the midday heat that threatened to make me faint.

Still, I survived.

And when the evening grew closer once more, I’d finally recognized where I was.

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