Chapter 64 Nikolai
I woke up to the sound of crying.
"Anya?" I turned over.
She was thrashing in bed. Her face was twisted in pain. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"No... please... Nikolai... help me..." She was muttering in her sleep.
"Anya, wake up." I shook her gently. "You are dreaming. Wake up."
But she did not wake. She just kept crying. Calling my name over and over.
"Nikolai... do not let them take me... please..."
My heart clenched. What was she dreaming about?
"Anya!" I shook her harder. "Wake up!"
Her eyes flew open.
She looked at me like she did not recognize me. Then she threw herself into my arms, sobbing.
"You were sleeping," she gasped between sobs. "They took me and you were just sleeping. You did not wake up. You did not save me."
"Shh, it was just a dream." I held her tight. "I am here. You are safe."
"It felt so real." She clutched my shirt. "They dragged me away and you did nothing. You just kept sleeping."
"Who took you?"
"I do not know. I could not see their faces. But they were strong. And you... you did not even move."
I pulled back and looked at her face. She was terrified.
"It was just a nightmare," I said. But even as I said it, unease crept up my spine.
What if it was not just a nightmare? What if it was a warning?
"I am scared, Nikolai." She whispered. "What if Viktor does not give up? What if he comes for me anyway?"
"He will not. We have leverage. He knows what will happen if he touches you."
"But what if he does not care? What if he is willing to lose everything just to destroy us?"
I did not have an answer for that. Because she was right. Men like Viktor Morozov were unpredictable when their pride was wounded.
"Then I will kill him," I said simply. "Before he gets anywhere near you."
"You cannot kill everyone, Nikolai."
"Watch me."
She looked at me with those sad, beautiful eyes. "This is not the life I wanted for us."
"I know."
"I wanted peace. A normal life."
"There is no such thing as normal for people like us."
"Maybe we should just disappear. And go somewhere no one knows us."
"And spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders? Never trusting anyone? Always afraid?"
"At least we would be together."
"We are together now. And I am not running from Viktor Morozov or anyone else." I cupped her face.
"So what do we do?"
"I will show Viktor that I am not afraid. And if he comes for us, he will regret it."
She nodded slowly. But I could still see the fear in her eyes.
We lay back down. I held her close, stroking her hair until she finally fell asleep again.
But I could not sleep.
I carefully extracted myself from Anya's arms. Got out of bed quietly.
I went to my study and called Mikhail.
He answered on the first ring.
"Pakhan? It is three in the morning. What is wrong?"
"I need you to double security. Triple it if you have to."
"Why? What happened?"
"Nothing yet. But I have a bad feeling."
"About Viktor?"
"Yes. Something is not right. His been silent."
"You think he is planning something?"
"I know he is. And I want to be ready when he makes his move."
"I will have more men here within the hour."
"Good. And Mikhail? Keep a special watch on Anya's room. No one gets near her. No one."
"Understood."
I hung up, poured myself a drink and sood by the window watching the darkness.
I pulled out my phone again. This time I called someone I had not spoken to in years.
Boris Volkov. The best information broker in Moscow.
"Nikolai Markov," Boris answered. His voice was raspy from smoking. "I wondered when you would call."
"You know why I am calling?"
"Viktor Morozov. Yes. Everyone in our world knows about your little war."
"I need information. What is he planning?"
"That will cost you."
"Name your price."
"One million. Cash. By tomorrow."
"Done. Now tell me what you know."
Boris was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Viktor is calling in favors. Big ones. From the Italian Mafia. The Yakuza. Even some Eastern European cartels. He is building an army, Nikolai. One that will make your forces look like children playing with toys."
My blood ran cold. "How long do I have?"
"Three days. Maybe less. He is moving fast."
Damn it. The seventy-two hour deadline was real.
"Anything else?"
"Yes. He put out a contract on the girl. Anya. Five million to whoever brings her to him alive."
My hand tightened on the phone. "When?"
"Two hours ago. By now, every mercenary and bounty hunter in Russia knows about it."
I felt sick. "How do I stop it?"
"You cannot. The contract is out there. The only way to cancel it is if Viktor dies or withdraws it himself."
"Then Viktor dies."
"Be careful, Nikolai. He is not alone anymore. He has protection. Lots of it."
"I do not care."
"You should. Because if you go after him now, you will walk into a trap. And then there will be no one left to protect Anya."
He was right. Damn him, but he was right.
"What do you suggest?"
"Fortify and prepare. Let him make the first move. Then counter with everything you have."
The line went dead.
I stood there. The weight of the world crushing down on me.
Five million. That was a fortune. It was enough to tempt even the most loyal men.
How many people in my own organization might be tempted? How many would betray me for that kind of money?
I could not trust anyone. Not completely.
Except Mikhail. And Dmitri. And maybe Viktor, my guard captain.
But everyone else? They were potential threats now.
I finished my drink. Went back upstairs to check on Anya.
She was still sleeping.
I climbed back into bed and pulled her close.
"I will not let anyone take you," I whispered into her hair. "I promise."
She stirred and held onto me tighter.
And I made a decision.
Tomorrow, I would move Anya to a safe house. Somewhere even my own men did not know about.
Dmitri would go with her. The rest of us would stay here. Make it look like business as usual.
And when the assassins came, we would be ready.
Because Viktor Morozov wanted war. And war was what he was going to get.
But first, I needed to get Anya somewhere safe.
Because if anything happened to her, I would burn this entire city to the ground.
And I would start with Viktor Morozov's corpse.
The next morning, I woke Anya gently.
"We need to talk," I said.
She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What is wrong?"
"Everything. But I have a plan."
I told her about the contract. About the assassins.
Her face went pale. "Five million? For me?"
"Yes."
"Nikolai, that is... that is insane."
"That is how badly he wants you."
"So what do we do?"
"You are going to a safe house. Today. With Dmitri. Somewhere no one can find you."
"And you?"
"I stay here."
"No." She grabbed my hand. "I am not leaving you."
"Anya..."
"I said no! Every time we separate, something terrible happens! I am not doing it again!"
"This is different. This is to keep you safe."
"I do not care! I would rather be in danger with you than safe without you!"
I looked at her stubborn, beautiful face. And I knew I could not force her.
"Fine," I said. "But you do exactly as I say. You stay close to me. Understood?"
"Understood."
We got dressed and went downstairs together.
Mikhail was waiting. With bad news written all over his face.
"What now?" I asked.
"Two of our guards are dead. Found this morning with their throats cut."
"Who?"
"Petrov and Sokolov. Both were on night watch."
My jaw clenched. "It has started. The assassins are already here."