Chapter 5

ALEXI's POV

I smiled as we drove the black SUVs to the address I had typed into my phone. I was driving the first car, with Nikolai beside me, whilst Misha and Jione rode in the other.

I was excited to catch the runner and torture her for all the information I could, it had taken us weeks to find the female, she only made one mistake, and that was working at my club. Stupid girl.

The male on the overhand was easier to track, but we could never catch him, the fucker always knew how to escape and which way to go so that we couldn’t give chase. He was also very smart about sniper points; Misha had never been able to get a shot on him.

But not anymore, once we have the female it’ll all come together, the leader will crawl back into the gutter if he knows what is good for him. If not, he will die just like his rats and runners.

“Nikolai, how far?” I ask, swerving around cars that were taking too long, stupid people didn’t know who they were messing with.

“Five minutes out boss.” He says, smirking. “I can’t wait.”

Of course, he can’t wait, he loves a good fight.

But this runner was female, she should be an easier catch.

“Well, it long be long.” I say.

“ETA boss.” Misha asks over the headset we all wear.

“Five.” I say blandly, pressing the button after realising I had forgotten to turn the damn thing on.

“Loud and clear.” He says, it means he knows where he is going to snipe from.

Good.

If she runs, we will get her.

I Hope she does, I wouldn’t admit it to Nikolai, but I love a good chase. The fight is always the easiest part.

We pull up outside a rundown apartment block, the building practically falling apart in front of us.

“She is a runner but lives here?” jione mutters, confused. “I thought a runner earns nearly as much as the makers, boss?”

I shrug. Why did she choose this place? It isn’t a safe neighbourhood, not for a woman living alone.

“Maybe to stay hidden.” Nikolai suggests.

I was inclined to agree with Nikolai. I couldn’t think of any other reason she would choose this place. If she was holder, it would be worse, she would be attacked regularly.

Is she a holder?

Did she choose this neighbourhood to hide?

I guess we were going to find out.

“Jione back steps, Misha position yourself.” I command, pulling out my gun. “Nikolai you are with me.”

We all move out, Nikolai and I taking the front door, our intelligence says that she is at home and that she is alone. This taken down should be our easiest yet, we run up the stairs, taking 2 at a time, Jione meeting us at the top.

It was apartment 42, just steps from where we were.

We walked down the hall casually, avoiding any stares from the people who lived here, not that they would say anything. They would all know who we are and what we are capable of.

“In position.” Misha said over the earpiece.

That was our call to move in, so we did. Nikolai kicked down the door and we entered a shitty apartment, barley anything in site.

Then we heard it, the bang of a window being slammed open. We ran into the bedroom as fast as we all could, a small figure jumping out of the small window onto the fire escape, I leaned out to see a red-haired figure taking the steps two at a time. She was fast.

Fuck. We needed to get her before she hit the street.

“Jione follow her.” I command, turning towards Nikolai, “We take the stairs.”

Nikolai and I run back out, rushing down the stairs as fast as we could, I would not lose this opportunity, it had taken weeks to get her location.

I wasn’t a patient man.

She was stealing from me, and she had to pay. So did the boy.

“Gone down street. Little Kitten shot at me, very brave.” Jione laughed down the line.

“Misha, get back to the car, follow her!” I shout.

I wasn’t going to lose her, not now.

We met Jione near the fire escape and went down the street together, we had someone on Misha’s team tracking her via surveillance cameras, it wouldn’t be long now.

“Ally to the left, I’m blocking the other side.” Misha said over the earpiece.

“We’ve got her now.” I say with a smirk.

I’m coming for you, little one, and you will face a fate worse than death.

STEPH's POV

I run around the winding alleyway, but it only leads to another one, the street blocked off, leaving me exposed. This wasn’t good. I was fast, but only when I had somewhere to run. I didn’t even know where I was going.

David never planned for this eventuality.

Do I go to him?

No, I can’t, Sarah lives there. What if she gets hurt?

Fuck. What am I going to do?

I throw myself into a corner by accident, grazing my side, but I didn’t care, I didn’t know where the Russians were, or how much they knew. I was in imminent danger with nowhere to go.

But I was so careful! I never let myself be caught or photographed. How did they find me?

I turned right, the end of the alleyway in sight, my heart hammering as I breathe a sigh of relief, at least back on the street I would have cover. I put my gun into the waistband on my jeans and slow to a brisk walk.

Just a little further.

I was smiling to myself, but that quickly faded when a black SUV swerved around the corner, the windows tinted out. Engine revving.

Fuck. The SUV has blocked my escape.

I begin to walk backwards, my hand on my gun, if I could just make it to the corner, i could lose him. Even if he was in a car, the alleyway was too narrow for it.

I turned to run when I was suddenly forced to the ground, my head slamming into the tarmac as I cried out, the gun pried from my grasp. I struggled but whoever held me was strong, it was like fighting against a wolf. I wasn’t going to win.

A hand clamped over my mouth when I tried to scream, pulling me up from the ground, the SUV blocked the view of the street so no one could see what was happening.

I was spun around and shoved onto my knees, my arms pulled tight at an awkward angle, my head bent towards the ground, and it hurt like hell.

Tears poured out my eyes, I was as good as dead now.

I looked up at the man kneeling in front of me, trembling in fear. There was no point asking for mercy, I would receive none.

He was broad shouldered and muscular, just as you would expect from a Russian Mafia boss, his eyes a dark shade of brown that seemed almost black. His hair shaved at one side and slightly longer on the other, it was a strange style, but it suited him. Like it was made for him.

He was hot. I was dead.

He smirks, pulling down my hood, “Not so fast now, are you Stephanie?”

Yeah, I’m dead.

I raise an eyebrow, the hand still over my mouth.

He gets the hint. He nods to the one holding me, and he takes his hand away from my mouth.

“Do not scream little one, I will snap your neck if you try.” Says a burly man, the one holding me. God he was scary, a large scar across his left eye.

I nod, “yeah, I know big guy, you can calm down.” I say, my tone clipped. I turn back to the leader, my voice holding slight hints of humour. “Get big guy here to let me go and I’ll show you how fast I am.” I say.

Someone behind me laughs, but I can’t see who, theres at least four of them though. The boss man doesn’t seem impressed with my joke, he taps my gun on his leg, watching me with curious eyes.

Fuck, my stupid mouth.

He was deciding my fate. Torture or death. I preferred death. At least then i would be free.

“You have two choices, malyshka.” He says slowly, “you can either chose to be mine or I can put a bullet in your pretty little head.”

I watch him, trying to figure out if this was some kind of joke.

Nope. He was deadly serious.

But what did he mean about me being his? Oh god, did he mean...