Chapter 9
ALEXEI
With Damien and Carson joining us, the space is a little cramped in the security room.
We’re all watching as people arrive at Sonia’s mansion for the auction.
From the underground chatter, we’ve learned there are four virgins up for sale. There’s no way Isabella will be able to get to all of them before they leave Columbia.
I’ve reached out to one of my contacts from the Ruin – a syndicate in Desolate, New York, to get more information on the virgins for me.
I check my phone, and not seeing a reply from my contact, I impatiently shake my head. I hate waiting for information.
“What are you thinking?” Demitri asks.
“Isabella won’t be able to free all the girls,” I murmur.
Carson shakes his head. “I’m still trying to process the fact that Isabella’s working against Sonia. I seriously never saw that coming.”
“If she’s as good as us, she might be able to free all four,” Damien voices his opinion. “But she’ll have to move fast with absolutely nothing going wrong.”
I glance from our brothers to Demitri, then say, “Unless we help her.”
“We don’t know who she’ll be going after first,” Carson says, shaking his head.
“She hasn’t disabled the tracker on her motorcycle.” My eyes find Demitri’s. “And she’ll probably go for the youngest two.”
“That’s what I’d do,” Damien agrees.
I nod, then say, “We’ll go after the oldest two of the group.”
Just then, the message I’ve been waiting for finally comes through, and I hurry to open it.
Thank fuck. It’s everything we need.
I put the information up on one of the bigger screens, and seeing the faces of the four girls makes anger start to simmer in my chest.
If there’s one thing I hate, it’s people preying on young girls.
Just like my father preyed on my mother.
It’s something I’ve kept from Carson in an attempt to protect him from our sordid past.
Demitri points to one of the girls. “Damien and Carson can follow this girl while you and I will take the other one.”
I glance at the younger two, hoping Isabella will be able to get to them in time. Then, getting up from the chair, I say, “Let's get ready.”
It only takes us five minutes to gear up, and then we leave the house. We test the earpieces we’re wearing before Carson and Damien head to their SUV.
When I slide behind the steering wheel of our vehicle, I wait for Demitri to shut the door behind him, then say, “Hopefully, we’ll gain some ground with Isabella by helping her.”
He pulls on his safety belt then chuckles, “Yeah, I wouldn’t hold my breath.”
As I steer the SUV onto the road, Carson follows us. We head toward Sonia’s compound and park the SUVs down the street. Then, bringing up the camera’s footage of the grounds and entrance of the mansion on my phone, we wait for the bidders to leave with their purchases.
Demitri has the camera showing the back of the property on his phone. “Isabella just snuck out. Reckless with all the guards.”
I glance at his phone and then look up the street, just in time to see her running away from the compound.
You can do it, little one.
My lips tug up into a smile as another burst of admiration for her fills my chest.
“Get ready,” I say, so Carson and Damien will hear.
I watch the entrance, and a couple of minutes later, people begin to leave the mansion.
“Your girl is in the white Maybach,” I say to Carson. Then, as the Mercedes nears the gate, I murmur, “In three… two… one.”
‘Got it,’ Carson replies as he pulls away and begins to tail the girl they need to save.
“There’s our girl,” I say when she’s led to a G-Wagon. I start the engine, and as the vehicle comes through the gates, I steer our SUV after them.
When we head in the direction of one of the private airfields, Demitri says, “Just as well we’re helping. They’d have the girl out of the country before Isabella could even think of trying to help her.”
“How are you doing, Carson?” I ask, checking in with my brother.
‘Looks like we’re heading into the city,’ he replies. ‘The fucker probably plans on getting his money’s worth from the girl tonight and then leaving her body in Columbia.’
“Be safe,” I mutter.
‘Always.’
When we near the airfield, Demitri says, “Lean forward.” I do as he says, and he pulls my gun from behind my back. I settle back against the seat again while Demitri checks my weapon even though I’ve already done it.
“Ready?” I ask as the G-Wagon comes to a stop near a private jet.
“Yes.”
I floor the gas, and as we speed toward the men climbing out of the G-Wagon, Demitri opens his window. I turn the steering wheel hard to my right while pulling up the hand brake, and it gives Demitri the perfect angle to take down two of the guards.
The moment I bring the SUV to a screeching halt, Demitri hands me my gun, and we get out of the vehicle.
The remaining guard fires shots in our direction, but Demitri drops him with a bullet to the head. The bidder looks torn between shoving the girl toward the private jet and leaving her behind to save his own ass.
“You’d think the fucker would have more protection,” I chuckle as we close in on him.
“Idiot.”
The man places his hands behind his head in a surrendering motion, only making me shake my head before shooting him in the right knee cap. He sinks to a kneeling position with a cry. “That’s better. If you’re going to beg, do it on your knees.” I smile at the man, shaking my head at him again while I wait for Demitri to pull the girl out of the line of fire. Training my barrel on the man, I say, “Picking flowers before they’ve even had a chance to blossom? Tsk.” I pull the trigger, and without any emotion, I watch as the body slumps to the tarmac.
‘We’re moving in on the target,’ Carson suddenly says over the earpiece.
“We already have our girl. You’re losing your touch,” I taunt him.
‘Fuck off,’ my brother grumbles, earning a chuckle from me as I turn toward Demitri and the girl.
I glance over her for any bruises or wounds, and not seeing any, I hide my gun behind my back as I lean down to catch her eyes. “Are you hurt, little one?”
Fearfully she shakes her head.
“What’s your name?”
“Paola,” she whispers with a quivering voice.
“You’re safe, Paola. We’re going to take you to a woman who will help you get home. Okay?”
It doesn’t look like she believes a word I’m saying, but still, she nods.
Demitri gently takes hold of the girl’s arm, then says, “Let’s get out of here.”
When we get to the SUV, Demitri gets into the back with Paola, so she doesn’t try to throw herself from a moving car. It’s only natural that she doesn’t trust us.
I start the engine, and as I steer the SUV away from the private jet and bodies, I pull my phone out and check the tracking device on Isabella’s motorcycle. It shows she’s on a highway heading out of the city.
‘Got our girl,’ Carson’s voice comes over the earpiece.
“Meet you at Isabella’s safe house,” I reply as I drive in the direction of it.
A half an hour later, we come to a stop a safe distance from the house, so we don’t spook Isabella. It takes Carson another fifteen minutes before he pulls up behind us.
Getting out of the SUV, I walk toward the other vehicle. Carson rolls down his window when I reach him, then asks, “Aren’t we dropping off the girls?”
I gesture down the street to where the house is. “Doesn’t look like anyone’s home. Bring your girl to my SUV. Demitri and I will wait for Isabella to get here with the other girls. You and Damien can head back and start preparing for the attack.”
I walk back to the SUV, and when I climb into the driver’s seat, I say, “We’re going to stick around with the girls. We can’t just leave them on the doorstep.”
“Okay,” Demitri replies, glancing at Paola, who’s still in shock from everything that’s happened.
Carson brings the other girl, and Paola seems to relax a little when she gets to huddle with her friend.
As we wait, my thoughts turn to the impending attack. We’ll strike at the crack of dawn.