CHAPTER 3
Anna
I groan as I slowly ease myself out of bed. I'm in my usual pajamas, a t-shirt and underwear.
I look down at my leg. The whole right side has a nasty bruise painted with many colors: brown, grey, black, yellow and green. All that's missing is purple.
I smile as I make my way towards the shower. I could use this to my benefit and maybe get some sisterly points with Colt. I can wear a pair of shorts, but he would feel bad and that would break my heart. My dumbass deserves this for not paying attention.
I quickly dress in leggings and a long t-shirt. My hair is put into a messy bun at the top of my head as I make my way down to the kitchen. My stomach is growling, that's what woke me up.
My family doesn't use chef's, maids and butlers as much as the Ivanov’s do. Colt is up early and making us all a healthy breakfast.
He's making himself one of his famous green drinks. Where he pulls everything out of the ground and puts it into the blender. It tastes like ass but for some reason it makes you feel good.
He watches as I walk in and then he looks over to the blender. I shake my head no, not even giving him a chance to ask.
“Omelet,” he smiles already knowing my answer. He's already started my food. My favorite omelet in the world is filled with cheese and mushrooms. Of course, they have to be the fresh organic ones. It is so good especially when Colt makes it.
He hands me the plate as I say thank you. God, I love my brother. I waited to sit down till his back was turned. All I need is him getting worried and taking a look at my leg.
Colt and I eat in silence for the next ten minutes. We start to hear the rest of the house slowly waking up.
Before long, Finn and Mason have joined us at the table. Colt was able to slam back his two huge overloaded omelets and started working on theirs.
I'm only halfway through mine. Jax comes down whistling some happy tune, creeping us all the fuck out.
Colt stops cooking and me, Mason and Finn share glances of awkwardness, then our attention focuses back on Jax.
He smiles at all of us, then gives me a kiss on the top of my head. Jax walks over to the fridge as I sit and wonder if my brother has actually gone mad or maybe he just has good news.
None of us have taken our eyes off him as he grabs a bottle of water and a cup of coffee. He sits down at the table next to us, still humming.
“What?” He laughs, he knows damn well, what.
None of us say anything, we just continue to stare at him.
No words are said as the awkwardness in the room goes up. Colt finishes up Mason and Finns omelets, then he quickly makes one for Jax.
I finish eating and I'm just watching my brother. Jax finally shares his good mood with us. “The team we hired got a huge break. We believe we found the location where Maxim is staying.”
“Really?” I don't know why it surprises me. I just figured Maxim would be on top of things, he seems to always be ten steps ahead of us.
“Yes, it's in the warehouse district. It was hidden pretty well under almost a hundred shell companies. The paper trail was a nightmare, the team traced it back to Maxim.
“We had a surveillance team go out there a few hours ago and they saw some activity. They didn't get too close to the warehouse, they don't want to be noticed.”
It takes me a few minutes to digest this information. I'm very happy that we found him. I would really like to get back to the rest of my life. But I also know what this means. Maxim cannot live, my brothers will have to kill him.
That makes my eyes fill up with tears. I quickly put my head down and start blinking to get rid of them. No one can see me like this, especially not my brothers.
We did find the house I was held hostage in a few weeks ago. The place was stripped clean from top to bottom. There was no sign that anybody had been living there.
Nothing, not even a paper trail at this point could link me or Maxim there. I realize I would love to hire their cleaning crew for the house. Living with four other guys has a huge downside and none of them are that clean.
My brother's talk about the intricate details. I zone out after about three seconds. They are in awe that Maxim was able to hide his properties so well.
It seems illegal that we’re able to use shell companies, but it isn’t. That's what a lot of Mafia people do, even famous and rich people. Everyone seems to be doing this, except for us. But there's really no point, we have nothing to hide.
The only thing we did have to hide was the apartment, that was done under a fake identity. No one will ever figure it out unless they find the person that actually gave us the identity.
I think my brothers are fascinated with Maxim. They keep talking about how smart and challenging it was to be able to pull that off, but I think they're more happy with themselves that they were able to figure it out.
“I'm going back to work today.” Finn looks around the table at all of us, “I have several patients that I urgently need to see and a few meetings I need to attend.”
Jax doesn't answer right away, he seems to be thinking it over for a little bit. “That should be fine. I don't believe you're in any danger. I wish you'd wait to see what we find at the warehouse.”
Finn shakes his head, “no, I can't. If I need to I'll take some guards with me.”
They agree for him to go with a few extra guards just as a precaution, but nobody really thinks anything will happen. Maxim has his eyes set on me. Why would he go after my brother? Especially one that was never really involved with his sister's case.
“Okay, well that settles it.” Jax states as he stands up and takes his dishes over to the sink. I really want to ask him ‘why can't you wash them off and put them in the dishwasher’, but I refrain, he's in a really good mood. “Let's reconvene back here in an hour, then we'll head out.”
I start to make my way upstairs when Finn brushes by me and gives me a quick hug as he runs out the door. Jax turns to Colt and Mason and asks them to make sure we've got at least four SUV’s and to gather our trustworthy guards.
I wear my usual ensemble that I always put on whenever I go on a job. That includes my black cargo pants, black combat boots and my black Henley sweatshirt.
This time I decide to strap a knife to each thigh and put one in each of my boots. It doesn't hurt to be more prepared. We have no idea what we're going up against or how many guys.
Everyone is ready and waiting outside when I get downstairs. All the guards pile in the four black SUVs. These are upgraded. The Moretti’s spent a lot of money making these bulletproof and the metal of the vehicle a lot thicker. If we’re ever attacked, we have more of a chance in car accidents and other threats.
Colt comes over and wraps his arm around me, “we need to wait ten minutes, we need another car.”
I laugh, “no we don't, we could just use Wilma.” I'm not sure which one of my brothers had my Jeep brought back to New York from Aspen but I'm grateful that they did.
“All of us will fit in it, you can even drive.” I say as I look at Jax who's within earshot and is probably listening.
I can see his tongue in his cheek as he thinks. “Let's do it. I would rather get this over with and not wait.”
Me and my damn mouth, I end up in the backseat next to Colt in my own car as Jax drives, and Mason takes passenger.
At least it's not too long of a drive. It takes just a little over a half an hour to get all of the vehicles, plus the twenty-four guards and the four of us there to the warehouse.
The SUVs are parked at a predetermined location with the warehouse in sight when we pull in. There's absolutely no activity, even during the day, this is shocking for the warehouse district.
No vehicles are anywhere in sight except for ours. There are no signs of life. It looks like this place is abandoned and hasn't been visited in years.
Jax mutters ‘damnit’ under his breath as we all get out of the Jeep. He was thinking the same thing I was.
Jax has several of the guards start to do a clean sweep of the place, but we already know that no one's here.
I look around the desolate buildings as I wonder if this was a setup. Did Maxim somehow know we would find this place? Maybe it's just a coincidence, this is one of his buildings, but he isn't here.
The only one to answer those questions of mine is the owner currently not available. I hate seeing the disappointment in my brothers’ face, but it won't be around for long.
The Moretti's will get back up and get to work no matter what the obstacle.