Ivan’s POV:
We were at the warehouse to inspect the new shipments that were delivered yesterday. Normally, I’d let Maxim do it but he’s not here anymore, and since Sidorov was new to how we run things around here, I’ve been accompanying him to the warehouses for weeks, whenever shipments came in.
Sidorov was in charge of organizing the inspection while I just supervised. I had nothing to do while I waited for them to get the crates ready and I was restless.
I leaned against the wall and let my eyelids flutter shut. I needed a minute or two to get my shit together. I was doing that a lot lately, trying to hold onto the control I prided myself on. But the moment I relaxed, hazel-coloured eyes framed with thick, long lashes on a round, stunning face appeared before me. A long, silky hair that was perfect for grabbing and soft pink lips that were almost always in a pout tilted up to a smile.
I swallowed down a groan as my mind wandered to the last time I’d touched her. It’s been so long since I got laid. It’s like since I’ve gotten a taste of her I couldn’t get enough and I didn’t want anyone else. I even tried and failed.
I hate the fact that she makes me lose control. It was something I’d perfected over the years since I was a teenager, and it becomes nonexistent when it comes to her. I hadn’t argued with her when she pushed me away at her engagement party because I badly needed that factory reset, I had an organizationto run, and people depended on me.
I didn’t need to let my dick control me, except I don’t think only my dick was involved in this messed-up situation. My head was equally fucked up. Agitation and annoyance always fill me up when I see her with that fiance of hers. The need to own her and make her mine was overwhelming sometimes, I knew she wanted me just as much, she was always so responsive to my touch and kisses.
But would it stay that way when she finds out how much ruin I was going to cost her father? When she finds out that I would be the cause of her father’s untimely death?
“Open the crate,” Sidorov said to my men.
My eyes snapped open at his voice, and I shoved my thoughts away. If my cousin, Sidorov, noticed how out of it I was-which isn’t the first time he would have noticed how distracted I was-he wouldn’t let me live it down. He and Sasha already give me enough shit. They think they know everything and they also think I’m smitten with Sophia.
Three of my men jammed crowbars under the thick wood lid and it cracked open. The cover fell to the ground next to the box as the contents were revealed.
Sidorov inspected the box carefully to make sure the guns were complete and in good shape.
He nodded at me to let me know that the crate was intact. They carried out the same procedure on the next two boxes. By the time they opened the fourth box, Sidorov’s expression changed.
“Fuck,” he groaned. He and Alek exchanged a look before they both turned to me.
I pushed off the wall I was leaning on and walked over to them. I stood over the crate. It was empty. The crate was supposed to be holding shipments of more guns. Anger bubbled inside me.
“Fucking open up all the remaining crates!” I growled through clenched teeth.
All my men got to work including Sidorov. They picked up crowbars and headed for the other crates, popping them open one after the other. And all of them showed up empty.
“What the hell happened here?” I barked. When no one answered I fired a shot at the knee of one of my men, Fedor. He fell to the ground, rocking back and forth as he held his bleeding knee.
“You were in charge of this shipment. I can’t understand why these crates are empty. Three hundred rifles and handguns suddenly disappeared into thin air, how?” I stood over Fedor, my gun aimed directly at his face.
“B-boss, I-I don’t know,” He managed to choke out.
His reply pissed me off. He’d been working for me for a long time now. He knew I hated those words, especially in a situation as serious as this. I kicked his wounded knee hard. And the scream he let out was enough to cause bleeding ears.
“You expect me to believe that bullshit? That you don’t know what happened with the shipment? Where the fuck are my guns, Fedor?”
Boss, I swear, I’m telling the-” I smacked his face hard with my gun, shutting him up as he coughed out blood. I turned to look at the others standing around, they each avoided my gaze.
These fuckers must have a death wish. That’s fine, I don’t mind spending hours to get an answer out of them, by any means necessary.
“So no one here knows what happened to my fucking guns?” I growled. “No one is willing to speak or is this going to be a long night where you have to say goodbyes to your partners and families?” I asked calmly as my gaze swept over every one of them. There were a few who looked as if they were ready to bolt at the first chance they got.
“Try that shit and it will be the last step you’ll ever take,” Sidorov threatened.
This incident was a deliberate act and it was obvious. It wasn’t a fuck up as the culprits had wanted it to look like. A fuck up was if the warehouse was being discovered by the police, which was nearly impossible since I had some policemen on my payroll who let us off easy and stayed out of my business. This was an inside job.
Sidorov kicked an unconscious Fedor in an attempt to wake him up but he looked like he needed medical attention instead. “Who were the men under this bastard,” He asked me
Three men stepped forward. “Sir.” They said in unison.
I put my gun away. “The rest of you clean this place up and call in our doctor.” Then I turned to the three men who worked under Fedor. “Let’s have a chat.” We would be doing more than chatting, I’m certain they know something and I could go all night making them talk.
A flash and an audible click caught everyone’s attention. I turned. A man stood there, eyes wide, camera in hand.
Our eyes met and the man snapped out of the trance of being caught and turned on his heels, running away.
“Don’t let him get away!” I barked out at the same time my men chased after him.
He didn’t run that far, he couldn’t. Sidorov was faster, he charged ahead and slammed the man to the ground.
The man screamed and tried to get away but Sidorov threw a punch to his chin as he held him down.
What the fuck was happening? First, missing shipments, and now a reporter discovered one of our hidden warehouses?
I certainly had a rat or two amongst my men and I was going to fish the culprits out.