Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Maksim

Two days have passed since Abby ran out of the restaurant, and she’s been ignoring my calls ever since. I stare at my phone, willing it to ring, but it remains stubbornly silent.

“Fuck,” I mutter, tossing the device onto my desk with a thud. Restless energy courses through me, making it impossible to focus on the stacks of paperwork that litter my workspace.

The door creaks open, revealing Alyosha’s lanky frame as he cautiously enters the room. “Boss, we need to discuss the Booker Carlson case.”

“Yeah, come in.” My voice is terse, betraying my frustration.

Alyosha hesitates for a moment before stepping inside. “Booker didn’t give up any useful information during the interrogation,” he reports, eyes downcast. “And his computer was highly encrypted. We’re having trouble cracking it to find the mastermind behind the scamming scheme.”

I clench my fists, feeling the anger boil within me. This fucking scammer has targeted innocent people, preying on their suffering, and now we can’t even find the bastard pulling the strings.

“Damn it, man!” I snap, my anger reaching its boiling point. “You’re telling me you’ve made no progress at all? None?”

He flinches, looking taken aback by my sudden outburst. As soon as the words leave my mouth, I recognize the unfairness of my anger. “I’m sorry,” I say, running a hand through my hair and sighing. “It’s not your fault. This is just frustrating.”

“Understood, boss,” he replies quietly. “I’ll keep working on it.”

“Good. Keep me posted.” I dismiss him with a wave of my hand, and he slips out of the room, leaving me to brood alone.

As soon as he’s gone, I let out a frustrated growl, slamming my fist against the desk. The pain is sharp and satisfying, momentarily distracting me from the ache in my chest—an ache that has nothing to do with the case and everything to do with Abby.

The door to my office swings open again, and Lev strides in, a grin plastered across his face. “So, how’s our fearless leader handling his new responsibilities?” he asks, plopping down into one of the chairs opposite my desk. “You know, taking care of the woman with four babies on top of all our regular business?”

“Lev,” I warn, shooting him a glare. His light-hearted teasing doesn’t sit well with me right now, even though I know he means no harm. “This isn’t a joke.”

“Alright, alright,” he concedes, holding up his hands in surrender. “Just trying to lighten the mood. But seriously, have you heard from her? Is she alright?”

“Nothing,” I admit, my voice strained. “She’s not taking my calls. And it’s driving me insane.”

“Look, Maksim,” Lev starts, his voice cautious. “You know you shouldn’t have brought her to the apartment, right?”

“I know,” I reply, sighing heavily. “It was a foolish move.”

“Then why’d you do it?” Lev questions, folding his arms across his chest.

“Fuck if I know,” I admit, my voice strained. “There’s just something about her.”

He studies me for a moment before asking, “So, what now? What’re you gonna do with her?”

I rub my temples, feeling the weight of my decisions pressing down on me. What would my father do?

Strike that, I won’t be calling him for advice on this. He’s just as likely to tell me to silence the girl and take in my heirs, as he is to give me any actually useful advice.

“I’m not sure yet,” I confess. “But for now, I want to keep an eye on her.”

“Keep an eye on her? You think that’s enough?” Lev raises an eyebrow, concern etched on his face. I can tell he’s worried about how deep I’m getting myself into this mess.

“Right now, it’ll have to be,” I say firmly, locking eyes with him. He knows better than to challenge me when I’ve made up my mind. “Keep a tail on her. Bug her devices. Don’t let her speak to anyone about what she thinks she knows. Other than that, hang back.”

“Alright, then,” Lev relents with a nod. “Just remember, we’re walking a fine line here, Maksim. One false step could bring everything crashing down.”

“Don’t I fucking know it,” I mutter. “Find Kirill and Vlad,” I instruct him. “Their priority is to protect the children and make sure she doesn’t go to the police.”

“Got it,” he says, standing up and heading for the door. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Thanks, Lev.” My appreciation for his loyalty is genuine, even as my thoughts remain consumed by Abby and the tangled mess we’ve found ourselves in.