Beloved by Brothers [Doms of Destiny, Colorado 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Chloe Lang

  Come directly to 11368 South Mainstee Road. Come now.

  Sincerely,

  Niklaus Mitrofanov

  Chapter Fifteen

  Phoebe stared at the warehouse on Mainstee Road. The building was run-down and every wall filled with graffiti. “God, what is Shane doing here?”

  Mitchell put his arm protectively around her. “Let’s go inside and find out, baby.”

  They walked up the steps to the door. When it opened, it creaked loudly, adding to her anxiety.

  They stepped into an empty room, twenty feet by twenty feet, loaded with boxes. The door directly in front of them was made of steel. There was a keypad next to it. What was on the other side?

  She took a deep breath. “Shane, where are you? It’s Phoebe. I’m here.”

  Without warning, she was grabbed from behind with a gun piercing her back. Mitchell and Lucas, their eyes full of shock and rage, had suffered the same fate.

  From the steel door, two more men with guns appeared. The massive door closed with a loud clang, followed by several metallic sounds. It looked and sounded impenetrable.

  Outnumbered and outgunned.

  She, Lucas, and Mitchell had flown to Chicago the day before, so they had to leave their weapons behind. God, how she wished she had Lady Equalizer right now. It likely wouldn’t have made any difference in this situation, since the bastards had gotten the drop on them, but it certainly would’ve made her feel better.

  “I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you before,” one of the two men in front of them said with a Russian accent. “I apologize for the reception of my father’s men. This is a very dangerous neighborhood. We take security very seriously.” He smiled, and she felt a chill run up and down her spine. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Roman Mitrofanov. You are?”

  This guy is Niklaus’s son. “Cut the crap. You know exactly who I am, mister,” she said, pulling courage from some secret place inside her, overcoming her fear. Shane needs me. “I am here to get my brother, Shane.”

  “Shane Blue is your brother?”

  “You know he is,” she answered.

  Was Roman just toying with her or did he really not know?

  Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Lucas and Mitchell. Two of the thugs, the biggest ones of the lot, held her guys by the necks with guns at their backs.

  Lucas and Mitchell clearly hadn’t given up, as the determination on their faces revealed they were looking for an opportunity to make an escape.

  “That means you must be Phoebe Blue, since Shane only has one sister. Pleasure to meet you. Who are your gentlemen friends, Ms. Blue?”

  “You harm one hair on her head, asshole, and I swear I will kill you,” Mitchell choked out.

  Roman smiled. “Sir, I don’t believe you are in any position to make threats. Besides, I only want to know who you are. We don’t have many drop-in guests.”

  The guy next to Roman stepped forward and punched Mitchell in the gut. “Answer him.”

  She had to stop this before someone got hurt. “His name is Mitchell Wolfe.”

  Roman’s jaw dropped. “One of the sheriff’s brothers?” He turned his evil gaze to Lucas. “You must be the other brother.”

  Her heart pounded violently in her chest. “We didn’t come here to make trouble. I only want to find my brother and we will leave. I swear.”

  “There seems to have been some sort of mistake, Roman,” the man holding her said. “Your brother would know what to do about this situation.”

  “Anton is not here,” Roman said in a growl. “I am. Now, shut up and let me think.”

  Phoebe realized that today might be her last day on earth. Her life was in Roman’s hands right now. She thought about Shane. Was he even in this warehouse or had that only been a ruse? By who? She thought about Jason and felt her heart break. Would she ever see him again? They’d left on a terrible note. Would that be the thing he would remember after she was gone?

  Stop it, Phoebe. You’re not dead yet.

  “Roman, is your father here? I would like to talk to him. I’m sure he could clear this all up.” What am I saying? Niklaus Mitrofanov is a mobster kingpin, a killer. But she needed time. Her attorney skills kicked into gear. That was all she had that might save them. She needed to get to the top, to the man who could make decisions. That meant she needed to see Niklaus.

  Roman’s eyes narrowed for a moment. Had she overstepped? Then he smiled. “I think father would like to see you, too. You and Sheriff Wolfe’s brothers.” He stepped up to the keypad and entered in some numbers.

  As the door swung open, Mitrofanov’s men pushed her, Mitchell, and Lucas forward.

  In the center of the windowless room was Shane, sitting in a metal folding chair with his hands tied behind his back. Both his eyes were black and his lips were swollen. Niklaus stood beside him with a gun pointed to Shane’s head.

  She twisted free of the man holding her and ran forward. The thug who had come through the door with Roman earlier caught her before she could get to her brother. Oh God. Please.

  “You let a woman best you, Oleg.” Roman taunted the man she’d escaped. “Thankfully, Peter was here to help.”

  Oleg glared at him but slinked back to the side of the metal door.

  “Hand our guest over to me, Peter,” the balding, fat mobster said.

  The thug passed her to Niklaus, who grabbed her by the arm. Peter then stepped back beside Roman.

  Niklaus smiled. “Ms. Blue, I’m shocked to see you.”

  Shane choked out, “Sis, you shouldn’t be here.”

  “I came because of your text, Shane.”

  “What text?”

  The men holding Lucas and Mitchell pulled them behind her and to the side.

  “Did you get your hands on a cell phone without my knowledge, Mr. Blue?” Niklaus slammed the butt of his gun into his face.

  “Stop it,” she screamed, horrified by what she was witnessing.

  “Father, Blue has never been left alone.” Roman moved on the other side of Shane, opposite Niklaus. “There is no way he could send a text to anyone.”

  “That better be true, Roman.” Niklaus’s face darkened. “We need to wrap up our business here quickly and get back to your brother.” He placed the barrel of his gun at Shane’s temple.

  “Don’t hurt him,” she pleaded, tears rolling down her face. “Please. Tell me what I can do to stop this.”

  “Maybe you can help, Ms. Blue. I haven’t been able to get your brother to talk. With you here, I think he might…how do you say it in English…sing like a pigeon? Your brother has been working with an enemy of mine. You’ve heard of him, I’m sure. Mr. Kip Lunceford. Pity. Kip and I were friends once. But like everyone else, he wanted my diamonds.”

  “I can’t believe this. Shane, tell me this isn’t true.” You can’t be mixed up with Lunceford, too. You just can’t.

  Shane turned to her but didn’t say a word. She noticed he was twisting his wrists in the ropes. He was trying to get free.

  The mobster laughed. “Roman, who are these other men?”

  “Sheriff Wolfe’s brothers,” his son answered.

  “Isn’t this my lucky day. I knew the sheriff would come looking for my diamonds, but I had no idea he would recruit his brothers to help.” Mitrofanov glared at Lucas and Mitchell. “The jewels aren’t here, boys. They are safe and being guarded by my other son, Anton. Too bad for you. Where is your brother, gentlemen?”

  The metal door swung open, revealing Jason and Corey with their guns drawn.

  Her first thought was how happy she was to see both of them, but the one that followed, the rational one, made her heart stop.

  Outgunned and outnumbered.

  Nothing had changed. Their chances of surviving Mitrofanov and his men were trifling.

  “Sheriff Wolfe, I see you are joining the party,” Niklaus said. “As you can see, there are six of us and only two of you. Use your head and put down your weapons.”

  “
Not on your life, Mitrofanov,” he said, his gun aimed directly at the mobster’s head.

  Her heart thudded in her chest. Something was going to tip the scales and end this standoff. She couldn’t see how things would land in their favor.

  “Niklaus Mitrofanov, I am a US marshal,” Corey said. “Don’t make this any worse than it already is.”

  “Ah. You must be this scumbag’s brother, too. All the Blue siblings under one roof. My roof.” Niklaus’s tone told her he was losing patience. “I’ll say this one more time, gentlemen. Put down your weapons.”

  The steel in their eyes gave their answer.

  “Please, Corey, put your gun down. Jason, I love you. Do as he says. I beg you.”

  “I can’t do that, baby.” Jason’s tone was gentle but firm.

  “Lovers? You and Ms. Blue? Sheriff, I had no idea.” Niklaus grabbed her, pulling her against his fat body, placing the barrel of his gun to her head.

  She held her breath, believing this was her last moment on earth. Time seemed to slow to a crawl.

  Shocked, she heard the back door open and all of them glanced that direction.

  Joshua Phong and another man ran in.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mitchell and Lucas use the opportunity the diversion had given them, elbowing the men holding them in their guts, sending the bastards to the ground.

  In the very next instant, her men were pulling her free from Niklaus, who was aiming his gun directly at her. They covered her with their bodies as Jason fired at the bastard.

  As shots rang out everywhere around her, she saw the mobster’s eyes widen, his gun tumbling to the ground. Mitrofanov slumped over, dead.

  She screamed when she saw Roman point his gun at Jason.

  Shane, now free of his restraints, jumped in front of Niklaus’s son, taking the bullet meant for Jason.

  “No. God, no. Let me go.” She struggled to run to Shane, but Lucas held her tight. “Please. I have to get to my brother.”

  Roman, the last of Mitrofanov’s men still standing, swung his gun her direction.

  Before the bastard could get a shot off, Jason killed him.

  * * * *

  Jason ran to Phoebe, who was already leaning over her brother, his friend.

  She pulled out her cell and punched in 911. “Talk to me, Shane.”

  “Black will come, sis,” Shane whispered, and then closed his eyes. Thank God he was still breathing.

  “What did he mean by that, Jason?”

  “No clue.” Jason ripped off his shirt, twisting it into a ball and placing it on the wound in Shane’s chest.

  “My fucking phone is dead.” Her face was filled with alarm.

  “Use mine, sweetheart. It’s in my left pocket.”

  The room was littered with four bodies—Niklaus, his son, and two of his henchmen. The other two, who had been holding Mitchell and Lucas, had surrendered. Corey placed them in handcuffs. Josh was helping Agent Smith, who had also taken a bullet in the shoulder.

  Phoebe touched his arm. “Jason, your phone is dead, too.”

  “Fuck.” He wasn’t about to let Shane die. His old friend had just saved his life.

  Keeping his shirt, which was now soaked in blood, pressed to Shane’s chest with one hand, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his ROC. He’d already run through the security prompts before coming inside the warehouse to be ready to get in touch with Brown at a moment’s notice. “Use this, baby.”

  She took it and began to dial.

  Lucas and Mitchell came up beside him, stripping off their shirts to place on top of his.

  Don’t die on me, Shane.

  “This isn’t working either.” The panic in Phoebe’s voice was obvious to him.

  Before he could try to calm her down, the two metal doors closed, their locks engaging.

  “Oh my God.” Phoebe stared at Brown’s device. She swung it around to him so he could see.

  Kip Lunceford’s smiling face filled the screen.

  “He’s on mine, too, Jason,” Corey said.

  “Here, too,” Agent Smith informed.

  “Hello, Sheriff.” Kip’s twisted smile filled Jason with disgust.

  “Is this live?” Josh asked.

  “Young Mr. Phong, I can assure you this is very live,” Kip taunted.

  Jason looked up to the ceiling and saw the cameras. “That’s how he’s seeing us.”

  Was the fucker in St. Louis? Were Brown and the rest of the team closing in without his knowledge?

  “You are correct, Sherriff, about the cameras. That and your CIA top-of-the-line devices.”

  “How did you hack into them, Lunceford?” Agent Smith asked.

  “Like taking candy from a baby, Neil. Now, if you will all just be quiet for a moment, I will tell you why you are here.”

  Jason felt rage roll up inside him like a tsunami. “You want us to believe you had something to do with this, Kip? Bullshit.”

  “You underestimate me, Sheriff. I had everything to do with it.”

  “You’re lying, asshole” Corey cursed. “You might’ve been watching from the cameras when we came in here, but Jason and I came to Chicago to find my brother.”

  “True, Marshal. You came because of the photograph I sent the lovely Joanne Brown, didn’t you? Little did you know, Shane had a gun to his back.” The motherfucker smiled. “Photoshop has helped me more than you can know.”

  “Son of a bitch,” Corey shot back.

  Kip frowned. “My mother is dead, Marshal. That’s not nice to say about her.”

  Lunceford had killed his parents. He didn’t give a fuck about anyone.

  “Get on with what you have to say, Lunceford, and be done with it.” Jason noticed Phoebe’s hand was shaking, but she continued holding the ROC so he could see it.

  “Please, Mr. Lunceford, unlock the doors,” she pleaded. “My brother needs an ambulance.”

  “Ms. Blue, it’s so nice to see you, but you are wrong about your brother. All of you have been so wrong.”

  Jason wondered what the creep meant by that.

  “He’s been shot,” Phoebe choked out. “Can’t you see that from the cameras? He does need medical attention.”

  “Unfortunately, he won’t survive today, Ms. Blue.” Lunceford cleared his throat as if he was about to deliver a sermon. “I’ll get back to your brother and what I know about him, but first, let me begin with how I came up with this brilliant plan. It all began with Niklaus trying to stiff me of my money.”

  “It wasn’t your money,” Jason said. “It was TBK’s.”

  Lunceford shook his head. “You’re wrong again. I am the reason TBK exists. I was there in the early years. They are still using my platforms for many of their programs. I wanted my just rewards. Using some contacts I had, I was able to get a meeting with Mitrofanov.”

  How far is Lunceford’s reach? Jason bristled but held his tongue.

  “Pulling the Russian’s strings was child’s play. I played on Niklaus’s ego and greed. We both had one thing in common. We want to burn Destiny and all its citizens to the ground.”

  “Stop wasting our time, Lunceford.” Jason despised the bastard. Somehow they’d fallen into Kip’s trap, but it was his duty to make sure they all came out alive. “We know that already.”

  “Fuck off, Kip.” Josh stood. “I’m going to get us out of here.” He went to the keypad and Corey joined him.

  Mitchell and Lucas headed to the other one by the front door.

  “Knock yourself out, Mr. Phong. The only way to open the doors now is from the other side. You killed Mitrofanov’s men. No one is coming.”

  “You bastard,” Phoebe shouted.

  “Where was I?” Kip asked, ignoring her. “Ah, yes. When Niklaus made it clear that he was going to keep the five million for himself, I engaged my plan. I always have several contingencies in place. It’s a game to me, folks. And I always win. Like now. Ms. Blue, did you know that I’m the one behind the Braxton suit against Ste
ele Ranch? Of course you didn’t. An associate of mine, God rest his heroin-addicted soul, took on the identity I set up for him.”

  “Mr. Harrison Rutledge. You knew him?”

  “No. I created him. A fictional character that I knew Braxton would hire. I’m very proud of my creation. Rutledge is one of my best works.”

  “Why? What do you have against Jennifer Steele?” Phoebe asked.

  “Only that she is a citizen of Destiny, but that wasn’t the reason I got the ball rolling with the lawsuit. It was part of my contingency plan, Ms. Blue. Braxton’s headquarters are in Chicago. Niklaus’s base of operation was also in Chicago. Are you catching on? It was my plan all along to get you here when I deemed necessary. That’s why my associate requested the deposition to be this morning. Then I sent you a text from your dear brother, and, voila, you came. My plan worked perfectly.”

  Knowing Lunceford had been pulling strings to get to Phoebe enraged Jason. “I will kill you, asshole. I will find you. You won’t be able to hide. I will rip you to shreds.”

  “Which brings me to another part of my plan, which also turned out just the way I wanted. Sheriff, I’m so glad to see that you and your brothers are back with Ms. Blue. Anyone can see you belong together.”

  “You had nothing to do with that, motherfucker.” Mitchell’s emotions were clearly raw and full of rage.

  “But on the contrary, I had everything to do with it. Mr. McCrae and I became friends quite a while ago.”

  “No fucking way.” Lucas’s eyes were filled with rage.

  “Yes, fucking way. I wanted to be able to get the sheriff to Chicago, too. With you and Mitchell. Life is like a chess game, gentlemen. I’m hundreds of moves ahead of my opponents—that’s everyone from Destiny—at all times. Poor McCrae. He was in love with you, Phoebe. Truly. A deluded fool, but harmless. Andy believed I would be able to get you to fall in love with him, Ms. Blue. I’m sure I could have, but that didn’t fit into my plan. When McCrae went off script and sent those roses, he almost ruined all of my work. I had to bring in another associate to retire him.”

  How many people does Lunceford have working for him?