Chapter 47

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

DECLAN

From the moment Kira's call ended, I have been pacing the patio that runs along the length of our home as we wait. The hours that pass feel like days as we all wait for Kira to send a follow-up text of where she— and Quinn— will be tonight. My brothers take turns coming out to give me updates, most of which are insignificant, giving them the opportunity to check on me. They know me— maybe better than I know myself —and can see that I am holding it together by a thread.

A thread that I can't allow to break.

The sun is sinking over the horizon, and the last of the amber light dances on the surface of the water as darkness begins to cloak everything. The wait for this information has been so long that I'm beginning to think it isn't coming. If Yuri catches on to Kira's plan, he could prevent her from reaching out to us, or worse. It doesn't matter which; losing Kira in any capacity will completely sever the only lifeline I have to getting Quinn back.

My brothers have been alittle more productive while we wait. Both the Suburban and the Tahoein the driveway are loaded with enough weapons and ammunition that they could be considered an armory; at some point, Finn mentioned needing to grab an anti-tank missile from his apartment. Something we should all probably address with him later. They've ensured I'm well-armed, too, with two Sig Sauer pistols tucked into a holster at the rear of my pants. Not knowing what we're walking into, I alsohave a KA-BAR knife hooked to my belt andfour additional magazines secured at the front of the holster. I can only assume my brothers are equally as strapped with weapons, leaving us collectively prepared to attack a small country.

Dec!" Liam shouts, knocking on the wall of glass separating us to get my attention. When I turn toward him, he presses the lit-up phone to the glass. "She sent it."

Heading inside, I find Conor, Liam, and Finn heading out the front door as Tristan takes a moment to say goodbye to Layla. I give him a moment– the moment I would want with Quinn– before approaching to say goodbye to Fiona, who's sitting beside her.

"I love you, mo chuisle ." Tristan places a final kiss on Layla's lips before turning his attention to me. "I'll be outside."

After taking a few moments to compose myself, I lift Fiona from the couch and pull her into my arms, holding her tightly and inhaling deeply. " Daidi has to leave for a little bit."

"Can I come?" she asks with a broad smile.

"Not this time, a stóirín . I need you to be a big girl for me. Make sure you listen to Layla, okay?" She nods her response. I stare at her for a moment, deploring this situation and the impossible choice the Bratva are forcing me to make. " Daidi loves you so very much, a stóirín ."

"I love you too, daidi ." She wraps her little arms around my neck as she places a sticky kiss on my cheek. Pulling in, I hold her tightly to me. If this is the last hug I ever give her, I want her to remember it. " Daidi, you're squishing me."

"It's just because I love you too much." I release her from my embrace and place a kiss on her forehead before lowering her bare little feet to the floor.

"Take care of her," I plead as I pull Layla in for a hug.

She nods against my chest, knowing exactly what it is I am truly asking of her. "Like she were my own, Declan."

Her words are all I need to hear, and I turn on my heel and head straight toward my brothers and climb into the passenger seat of the Suburban with Tristan and Finnigan. Liam and Conor are going to follow immediately behind us in the Tahoe, ensuring we have two options to get the fuck out of Brighton Beach with Quinn when this is over.

I glance at the GPS as we pull through the gates. We won't be arriving at the address Kira gave us for nearly ninety minutes.

A fucking eternity .

With the five of us communicating via Bluetooth in the cars, Liam works on his laptop to learn all he can about where we are going. It's a historic apartment building, which comes with advantages and disadvantages compared to storming someone's home. A bigger building like this makes it easier for us to slip inside unnoticed. Unfortunately, it also means there are a lot more people inside—innocents and Bratva.

The odds are not in our favor here. They took Quinn. The manpower Emil had to make that happen, I can only imagine he is a lieutenant—or at least in line to become one after what he has already accomplished.

And, the Pakhan is coming.

"This is a fucking suicide mission," I grumble as we discuss the amount of firepower the Bratva is going to have in and around this building. "We'll never even get through the front fucking door."

Liam's voice billows through the speakers, "What if… What if we don't go through the front door."

"Oh, fuck yes!" Finn exclaims. "Let me a blow a fucking hole in the side of that bitch!"

"Not what I meant, Finnigan." I can practically see Liam shaking his head as he responds to Finn.