Page 5 of Prey of the Bratva

“Yes?”

“Be careful.”

Something in Sera’s tone made me still for half a second. It was not fear or doubt. Just a concern.

“I’m always careful, Sera,” I said.

I ended the call before anything else could be said. For a moment, I stood there in the quiet. Then I reached for the keys. Getting out of the house was easy, but staying unnoticed was the part that required effort. I stepped outside with the same calm composure that I confidently carried everywhere, my expression neutral and posture relaxed. The guards did not question me. They never did. The car was already waiting.

“Where to, ma’am?” the driver asked as I slid into the back seat.

“Design district,” I said without hesitation. “I have an appointment.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The car pulled away smoothly, and I leaned back, my gaze drifting to the window, but my focus remained sharp. I tracked the route in my head, measuring every turn and every stop. Five minutes in, I leaned forward slightly.

“Actually, take Biscayne,” I said. “I need to stop somewhere first.”

The driver nodded, adjusting the route without question. Another five minutes passed.

“Stop here,” I said curtly.

He hesitated briefly. “This isn’t the district, ma’am.”

“I am well aware of that.”

The tone was enough to force him to pull over. After all, there were not a lot of people who would make the mistake of questioning Misha Chernykh.

“Wait here,” I said, already walking away.

“Yes, ma’am.”

I did not look back as I turned the corner into a side street and kept walking. The first switch was simple. A rideshare I had arranged under a different name pulled up exactly where it was supposed to. Without looking left or right, I slid into the back seat as quickly as I could.

“Where to?” the driver asked.

“Keep driving,” I said. “I’ll tell you.”

Confusion flickered across his face in the mirror, but he did not argue. I let him take two turns before giving him a location. Once we were halfway there, I changed it and then changed it again. All of it was necessary in case we were getting followed. By the time I stepped out, any pattern was long gone.

The second car was parked in an empty lot three blocks down. It was a simple black Honda, completely unremarkable and easy to miss. I retrieved the keys from my pockets, and the engine turned over smoothly. I exhaled slowly as I pulled into traffic, and for a moment, everything felt controlled again. Just then, I checked the rearview mirror, noticing a dark SUV lingering behind.

It was not close and did not seem too obvious, but it was there. My grip on the steering wheel tightened just slightly, and I took a turn, noticing how it followed. It was not one of the Chernykh cars, and I did not recognize the number, which made it all the more concerning. Despite that, my mind adjusted instantly.

It could just be paranoia, but I still needed confirmation.

I did not panic or speed up. Instead, I slowed down slightly, forcing the car behind me to either pass or reveal itself. But the car stayed.

Interesting.

I took a sharp turn into a narrow street without signaling, and the SUV hesitated but continued to follow. My pulse remained steady.

Good. Now I knew.

I drove another block before abruptly pulling into a crowded side street, weaving through parked cars and forcing a break in the line of sight. When I checked again, there was nothing. The SUV was gone, but I still could not find it in me to relax. I kept driving and changed directions two more times. Only when I was certain I had lost it did I continue toward the docks at last. I was rather close to my destination, and it took me less than 10 minutes to finally get there.

The air changed as I approached the waterfront. I could smell the familiar scent of salt, rust, and decay. The warehouse stood exactly where Sera said it would be, looming against the water like something forgotten. I parked at a distance and cut the engine. For a moment, I sat there, my gaze fixed on the structure ahead.