by T N Lowe
“I’m sorry Maks; she is a lot faster than she looks.”
I grit my teeth, “Get some of the other guys and keep looking for her. It’s freezing outside, and she doesn’t have a coat on.”
Leaving Boris, I go back into the ballroom and find Patrick talking to his brothers. Shaking off my anger and anxiety for Shauna; I interrupt Liam, “Excuse me. Patrick, may I please have a word in private?”
Patrick rolls his eyes and huffs, “What can I do for you, Maks?”
“Can we please speak somewhere private, this is important,” I plead.
“Fine, we can speak in the manager’s office,” Patrick answers leading me from the ballroom and to a large office attached to the check-in area.
Closing the door I say, “You will be pissed, but please hear me out.”
Patrick’s body goes ridged but answers, “Okay,” through gritted teeth.
“The arranged marriage between the Vory and The Family was a sham. My father wanted me to get close to Lena, make her fall in love with me then take The Family from you.”
Patrick shoots up from his perch on the desk, “What the actual fuck, Maks?” He roars balling his hand into a fist and punching me in the jaw.
Falling against the bookshelf I hold my hands up, “At the change in leadership party I saw how in love you and Lena were. Then I watched you at the dinner you hosted for Shauna and me, and it was grossly evident you are it for Lena. There was no way I could break you up; that is why I said those horrible things to Shauna.”
“If what you say is true why the hell did you come back?” Patrick asks balling his fist up again ready to hit me again.
“I planned on taking Shauna to lunch and apologizing for my behavior then leave her alone. But as we ate lunch, she captivated me and I couldn’t let her go. After I returned to Philadelphia I met with my father and told him the plan would not work. She doesn’t want anyone else and the security you and Samuel kept around her was also too tight. He spoke to his advisors, and they developed another plan. They wanted me to continue to see Shauna, become a trusted member of the family then kill you.”
Patrick lunges at me hitting me in the stomach this time knocking the air from my lungs. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t have you killed right now for putting my cousin, wife, and son in danger.” Patrick asks as he hits me repeatedly in the face.
“Because,” I gasp for breath, “I would never kill you or harm your family. I’m here for Shauna; I love her.”
“Let’s say I trust you, why the hell are you telling me?” Patrick asks sitting on the desk a murderous rage in his eyes.
“Shauna overheard my father telling a Vory elder I would kill you and take The Family. Boris, Gennadi’s bodyguard, caught her running from the room; he tried to catch her but lost her a block from here. Boris and some of the other men loyal to me are looking for her, but Patrick, she is in danger. If one of my father’s men gets to her first, they will kill her.”
“Jesus Christ, Maks. Why the hell didn’t you tell me this earlier? We could have done something sooner and without the dramatics,” Patrick says holding his head in his hands.
“You will never know how sorry I am for keeping this secret from you,” I say hoping he can hear the sincerity in my voice. “I tried to fix this, which is why I was in Moscow. I spoke to my Uncle and the Vory elders convincing them this plan to overthrow you is ridiculous. It would be better for the Vory to join The Family and reap the benefits of being a Family member.”
“What was their answer?”
“They are still debating. There are a lot of people who feel The Family is too powerful to be run by an outsider; they want someone who was born into a mafia family.”
“I’m not an outsider. I may not have been born into The Family, but I’ve spent my whole life with them,” Patrick argues.
“I agree, you are a great leader and will bring The Family into the twenty-first century, but not everyone is loyal to you.”
“We’ll deal with them later. Right now I need to get my wife and son to safety then find, Shauna. Give me twenty minutes to get them packed. Wait for me here, don’t leave.”
Chapter Sixteen
Shauna
Maks doesn’t love me. He’s been using me to get close to Lena. He will kill Patrick. I have to warn Patrick, I should have before I ran from the hotel like a child. Pulling my cell from the clutch, I dial Patrick not bothering to read the message notifications on the screen.
Patrick answers with a brisk, “Shauna, where are you?”
“Patrick, I have to warn you. Maks and his father are planning to kill you and taking over The Family. You and Lena need to get someplace safe.”
“I know Maks told me everything. Lena and Andrew are on their way to a safe house now. Gennadi knows you overheard his conversation; you are in danger. Where are you?”
“I’m safe. And what do you mean Maks told you everything? What the hell is going on?”
Patrick takes a deep breath, and I know he is getting annoyed with me not answering his questions. “Gennadi’s bodyguard told Maks what you heard and that you fled. Maks found me and told me everything. He loves you Shauna and is worried about you. Now please tell me where you are. Gennadi has issued an order to kill you.”
“What are you going to do with Maks?”
“Shauna where the fuck are you?” Patrick shouts into the phone.
Before I can answer the phone is being transferred to someone else, and I can hear Patrick in the background muttering about stubborn women. “Baby girl,” Dad says into the phone. “I need you to tell me where you are. Patrick was not lying; you are in trouble.”
“I’m at the train station. I bought a ticket to go back to D.C.”
“Good when you get back to the city I want you to go straight to my house lock the gate and set the alarm. We’ll be there as soon as we can. I love you, Shauna.”
“I love you too Dad,” I say before he ends the call.
Putting the phone back in my clutch I scan the room looking for someone who stands out. Like me wearing a six hundred dollar dress sitting in the Wilmington train station. Shaking my head at my paranoia, I stand from the uncomfortable plastic chair and make my way to the ladies’ room. After using the facilities, I walk onto the platform to wait the last ten minutes for the train to arrive.
As I wait for the train, a large man with thinning black hair stands next to me. Looking up, I see he is about ten years older than I am, he looks nice, but something in my gut tells me he’s not as nice as he looks. Giving him a tight smile I slowly put more space between us as the train enters the station. After coming to a stop the doors open and the few remaining passengers exit the car. Once it is clear, I race in taking a seat at the front of the vehicle setting my clutch in the seat next to me.
Closing my eyes, I let the tears burning my eyes fall. How could I have been so stupid to think Maks loved me? We have only known each other for a short amount of time. Maks is a God among men and he wanted little old nerdy me? God, how stupid could I be? Now I’m running home to hide from the bad guys at my daddy’s house. My life has turned into a bad Lifetime movie. Brushing my tears away and trying to stay positive; now I won’t have to move to Philadelphia away from my family and friends. The thought makes the tears fall again; I loved Philadelphia and couldn’t wait to call it home. Banishing my tears, I remind myself how happy Mom will be to have all her children in the tri-state area. I let myself wallow in self-pity for the rest of the train ride to Union Station.
***
Exiting the train and making my way into the main terminal of Union Station I see the man from the Wilmington station following me. As he gets closer, he calls my name, “Shauna wait.”
I run as fast as I can in these ridiculous shoes which are killing my feet. Looking over my shoulder, the man is chasing after me, facing forwards I see Oleg. Running to his side, I say breathlessly, “Oleg, I’ve never been so happy to see you. There is a man chasing me.”
“Miss Shauna,” Oleg answers leading me out of the train station and into his waiting black Range Rover. “Where to?”
“Can you please take me to my parents’ house?”
“Yes, Miss Shauna,” Oleg answers.
Chapter Seventeen
Maks
“Tell me you found her,” I answer the phone briskly.
“No, she got away from me,” Gleb answers.
“Where the hell is she?” I demand.
“She’s with Oleg. I’m trying to catch up with them know.”
“Where is he taking her?”
“Maks, it is not good. He is taking her to Virginia.”
“He is not taking her to-“
“I think he is,” Gleb replies.
“Gleb you need to find her,” I pled.
“I will do everything I can Maks,” Gleb says ending the call.
Patrick comes back into the office with Connor and Shauna’s brothers in tow. “Where the hell is my daughter?” Connor asks.
This is going to be very unpleasant, “Shauna is with one of my father’s men in Virginia. I have someone I trust following them. He won’t let anything happen to her.”
“You better hope so, if something happens to my sister I will kill you,” Manus says with Brenn and Carson standing with him.
“I love your sister more than you will understand. I won’t let anything happen to her.”
“I knew you were bad news from the second Shauna called after your first date. I warned her away from you, but you had to prey on her insecurities. You made her fall in love with you.” Connor says balling up his fist.
“Mr. Daly I can promise you I did not prey on Shauna, and I know she is too good for me. She is beautiful, smart, and kind hearted I couldn’t help but fall in love with her. I’ve been trying to fix the situation with my father since I discovered I was in love with Shauna. Tomorrow my father will be called back to Moscow, the Vory elders are going to force him to step down, and I will become Pakhan,” I explain.”
“When did you find this out?” Patrick asks eyeing me suspiciously.
“I got the call while you were arranging transportation for Lena and Andrew. My Uncle is revoking his diplomatic immunity to ensure he returns to Moscow as soon as possible.”
“And the others conspiring against Patrick?” CJ asks
“We will have to deal with them later; I need to get to Shauna before something bad happens,” I tell CJ and the others trying to push past them.
“Not so fast, we’re coming with you,” Manus says.
“Fine, but we need to leave now. Shauna is in danger,” I say pushing pass the group and calling for Boris.
“Yes, sir,” Boris answers.
“I need a helicopter to Fairfax Station, Virginia.”
“I’ll have one here within the hour,” Boris replies.
“That is not soon enough, I need one now,” I demand.
“I have one on the way,” Patrick says moving past the Daly men. “It will be here in ten minutes.”
Ending the call I follow Patrick outside to where the helicopter landed climbing in and putting on the headphones I’m handed, Patrick asks “Where are we going?”
“Old Dominion campground,” I reply.
Chapter Eighteen
Shauna
My pity party ends as Oleg exits the car to unlock and open a large gate. Looking around, I spot a sign above the entrance Old Dominion Campground. “Fuck, I need to get out of here now,” I tell myself. But your dumb ass left everything in Delaware. It’s winter and you don’t have a coat or real shoes. I take a deep breath to calm myself. Then I search the Range Rover for anything I can use as a weapon to escape.
“Who the hell keeps their car this clean?” I yell at the car rummaging through the consoles. There is nothing in here, not even a roadside kit. This is the northeast most people at least keep something in their cars in case they get stuck; everyone but Oleg apparently. I watch as Oleg pushes the large gate open and locks it into place as he turns to return to the car I hop into the back seat and click my seat belt.
As Oleg slides into the driver’s seat, I demand to know where we are. “Mr. Volkov needs to speak to you in private,” Oleg answers.
“I’m sure he does,” I mutter under my breath as my heart pounds against my ribs.
I always imagined if I were ever kidnapped, I would be full of rage and ready to tear the throats of the men who took me. But here I am a quivering mess of nerves in the back of a Range Rover with nothing to defend myself wearing an evening gown and six-inch stilettos.
Isn’t there some old wives’ tale you can kill a man with a stiletto heel? I guess we will find out because it’s all I have. I tell myself as Oleg drives us through the campground to a small log cabin at the end of the campground. Parking the Range Rover he opens my door, “Time to get out,” he says in his deep accented voice.
“Oleg, you don’t have to do this,” I pled with him.
He shakes his head in an answer then reaches into the car and unbuckles my seat belt, “Now you can get out, or I can help you. Your choice.”
I step into the freezing cold air, wishing I had brought a coat. Oleg grabs my arm roughly and drags me into the cabin. Slamming and locking the door Oleg announces us, “Mr. Volkov I have the girl.”
“Please bring her here,” Gennadi says pointing to the couch across from his leather chair.
Oleg picks me up and carries me like a small child to the couch then tosses me into the seat. “Anything else, sir?” Oleg asks before being excused.
“No, that is all. Thank you, Oleg,” Gennadi says before turning his stony gray eyes to me. “Miss Daly you have information I need.”
“I have no answers to give you,” I tell Gennadi.
Standing from his chair, Gennadi smacks me across the mouth, “You will not speak to me with such disrespect,” he bellows.
“Explain the encryption you used to pass messages through your games,” Gennadi asks taking his suit coat off and tossing it on the back of the chair he vacated.
When I don’t answer he smacks me across the cheek, “You will answer my questions,” he shouts.
I rub at my cheek willing my tears away. I will let no one but especially not this man bully information from me.
“What type of information do you move on your little video games?”
I look Gennadi in the eye, “I will not tell you a fucking thing.”
Gennadi rears back and punches me, “Such a nasty mouth. As a Pakhan’s wife, you will need to learn to respect your husband and do as you are told.”
“There is no way in hell I will ever betray my Family, and the marriage to Maks is off. As soon as I get free, I will make sure Patrick and Samuel ruin you and your beloved Vory. Soon no one will remember the Vory exsisted.”
Gennadi laughs, “And what makes you sure you will leave this cabin alive?”
“My father will move heaven and earth to get me. I’m sure he is already on his way here,” I say holding my chin up high.
Gennadi laughs again, “Don’t hold your breath, no one knows where you are.”
“Maks does,” I shot back.
“Yes, but he would never betray the Vory bratva or his family.”
Standing from the couch I smile, “Right now Maks is in the lion’s den. There are people in my Family who specialize in making the strongest men talk. If you think for one second your secret is safe think again.”
Gennadi grabs the tops of my arms before shaking me then pushing back to the couch. Slapping me harder than before he screams, “Tell me what I want to know. How can I access the communications from your stupid game apps?”
I don’t answer him, or give him any indication I will answer his questions. Gennadi rears back ready to hit me again. He opens his mouth to speak again but gunfire irrupts outside the cabin door. Gennadi pulls a gun from under his suit jacket and points it at my chest as Oleg burst through the front door of the cabin, “It’s Maks with an army.�
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“It’s not an army, it’s her brothers and father,” Gennadi says looking through the window. Coming back to the couch Gennadi rants in Russian, “As a boy Maks could never do as he was told, always had to fight me. But he crossed the line this time, choosing a woman over his own family.”
Oleg nods agreeing with Gennadi, “They’re getting closer, sir.”
“Wait until they are closer then kill them all,” Gennadi orders.
I laugh then stop from the pain in cheek, “You won’t see them coming.”
Oleg and Gennadi laugh. Gennadi pulls back and hits me in the face, “Shut up, bitch.” Oleg turns to look out the window again as a bullet comes flying through the window striking Oleg in the chest making him fall to the floor. Gennadi stars at Oleg’s body on the floor in shock. Jogging across the room pulling me off the couch by my hair, “Let’s go,” he says pushing the muzzle of his gun in my back. Opening the front door Gennadi forces me onto the porch where Maks, Dad and my brothers all have their weapons trained on Gennadi.
“It’s over. Let Shauna go,” Maks bellows.
“I can’t believe you chose a woman over your family,” Gennadi yells back.
“I’m choosing what is best for the Vory bratva,” Maks replies a gun pointed at his father.
“What makes you think you know what’s best. You are not Pakhan, and you never will be.”
“It is no longer up to you,” Maks says smugly. “The elders agree with me. Endar is revoking your visa and calling you back to Moscow.”
“You spoke to the elders?” Gennadi bellows caulking his gun and digging it into my right side.
Tears drip down my cheeks, “Dad,” I plead.
“Shh, it’s okay baby girl. Gennadi, you have three daughters, please don’t do this,” Dad pleads.
Maks brings his gun up, “Please do not make me do this.”
“Connor this has nothing to do with you,” Gennadi shouts.
“Bullshit, she is my daughter. Now let her go, or I will drop you where you stand,” Dad yells.
I look into Gennadi’s eyes and see the desperation in them and know this will not end well. I look up and lock eyes with Maks, even though he used and lied to me, I still love him. I will always love him.
