Page 34 of The Pakhan's Secret Baby

She was just in my reach, and I let her get away because I got greedy.

I thought it would be simple, that there would be no complications and now she's just gone again.

I pull out my phone with shaking fingers and dial my most trusted lieutenant, Igor.

He answers instantly. “Rashid.”

“Listen to me. Gusev men just kidnapped Emory and the boy right in front of me,” I say and my voice is hoarse. "I want every street camera and Ring doorbell up on my computer when I get home. Get tech on it. No one sleeps until I know where they took her."

"On it, boss," he says and then hangs up the phone.

I pound the dash one more time as the driver pulls back onto the street. "Take me home," I order, realizing the chase is over for now. But I will find her, and when I do, Gusev will pay for more than just stealing my drugs.

He took my child and his mother. And he's going to regret it.

11

EMORY

The tattooed man shoves me into the backseat, and the door slams shut before I can twist around to find Lex. I hear him screaming and I pound on the window with both fists. "Give me my son!" My hands hurt and they tremble in terror as I whip around to see the second man climbing in the other side, holding Lex.

The doors lock as soon as he shuts his, and he shoves Lex into my arms.

Lex is thrashing, his little face red and soaked with tears, and I pull him against my chest hastily. "It's okay, baby. Mama's here. Shhh, it's okay." I cup the back of his head and rock him until the screams drop to hiccupping sobs.

I don't even have to ask who these men are.

I recognize their hideous tattoos and know they work for the man who controls my father.

"Shut him up," the driver says without turning around.

The tattooed man lights a cigarette and cracks the window before I can even protest.

He watches us as I pull Lex's hood tighter, tuck his face into the crook of my neck, and keep rocking him. "Hey, shhh," I soothe, but it doesn't seem to be working. He's hysterical, and after that I am too. He cries softer though, which seems to at least not annoy the ugly tattooed man so much.

When we turn onto a street I recognize, my stomach drops.

They know where I live.

Batya swears the Gusevs know nothing, but this proves they do.

They have probably always known where we live and they've just been biding their time, waiting for a reason to need to come to our home, which Batya has told me on countless occasions would mean the death of us all.

The driver pulls up to our building.

The tattooed man yanks my door open and grabs my arm hard. I stumble out sideways with Lex still clutched against me, but I manage to keep my feet under me.

But then the second man comes around, not even shy about the weapon in his hand, and jams it into my back.

“Walk, inside. Now."

"You can't do this," I hiss, clutching my boy hard. "You don't own us." I sound brave, but inside I'm trembling. Right out of the frying pan, as they say, and into the fryer.

I wonder what Rashid would say about this if he saw the way they're treating me.

My mind absently goes to the necklace in my pocket and I think about bribing them to go away.

The thing is probably worth thousands.