Dominik would have anticipated this. And still, he betrayed me, knowing full well how everyone in our family would suffer for his mistake.
“And they didn’t just do recon,” Matvei tells me before sliding his phone over to me.
I look down to see a paused video feed from one of our security cameras. The one pointed at the expensive black van. I tap on the play button and watch the van pull back onto the street and drive out of view. A few seconds later, I hear a popping sound, followed by the feed going black.
“They destroyed our cameras,” I say.
“Several of them,” Matvei replies with a grim look on his face.
My jaw tenses for a second as I hold back another wave of annoyance. Someone is deliberately testing us.
The vehicles don’t have any clues as to who owns them, and I know that we won’t find any signs of who was driving them either. Even if they drove right in front of the cameras, they were probably wearing masks and had fake plates.
I lean back in my seat and rub my bearded jaw, forcing it to release all the tension built up in it. “I don’t believe the bikers my brother dealt with are involved in this. I think we sent a strong enough message to them.”
All of my men nod their agreement.
It’s not completely rare for local organizations to unite against a common enemy, especially a powerful one like the Bratva. Our territory in the city is beneficial logistically and strategically, and I don’t doubt that there are plenty of other people who want a cut of it for themselves.
What better time to join together and strike than now, when it seems like we’re falling apart from the inside?
“I want extra patrols nightly in those areas,” I tell them as I push the photos to the side. “Repair the cameras within the next hour. I want video to keep track of their every move.”
More nods as spines straighten and eyes narrow in determination. What looks bad on me looks bad on them too.
We obviously have some damage control to do in terms of our reputation, and I don’t plan to become the weak fool that these other mobs see me as without Dominik.
“Timur, assemble a group to begin watching for suspicious vehicles tonight. If they get a chance, have them tag the parked vehicles with trackers,” I order him. “We need to figure out who is behind this so we can retaliate.”
If they’re already getting this bold so quickly, then it won’t be long now before they try to strike first.
“Yes, sir,” Timur responds in Russian.
“I want a better update in the morning,” I tell the others before dismissing them all with a wave of my hand.
When I’m alone again, I finally exhale. I’ve always had to make sacrifices for my little brother, but losing everything our ruthless father built, an empire I had to take on before I was ready, isn’t going to be one of them.
Dominik’s disloyalty is already costing me, and things are only going to get worse from here on out if I don’t stomp out thepeststrying to take my territory.
I breathe in deeply through my nose before standing and leaving the room. My thoughts automatically drift to the woman in my cage. She hasn’t been acting as I expected at all, though. Not a single word has left her mouth, and no food or water has gone into it either.
I meant to sleep in my bed, but I passed out in my office chair last night. Who knows if she got any sleep or not.
I turn the corner of the hallway towards my bedroom and hear faint clinking and thuds from inside. My eyebrows rise as I approach the open door, faintly detecting the sound of Simeon’s voice, the guard in charge of bringing Alina food, water, and whatever else she needs.
“Ungrateful bitch!” he bites out in Russian after I hear a clattering sound from inside.
I storm into the room just in time to see Simeon grab Alina’s arm and drag her across the cage floor away from the mess of spilled food and water on the ground. I blink, and I’m already in the doorway of the cage, my hand clamping down on Simeon’s shoulder.
“Take your hands off her,” I growl.
Simeon’s face pales the second his eyes meet mine.
I don’t give him a chance to say anything before I grip his black t-shirt and yank him out of the cage. His feet trip over themselves, but he doesn’t even have the time to fall before I slam his face against the bars.
Simeon groans in pain, his body stiffening in fear as I hold him there.
“What the fuck happened?” I question him in Russian, keeping my voice steady despite the way my breath quickens.
