In the Beginning (Volkov Bratva #1)(2)

“Daddy! Hide and seek!”

Dr. Cameron blinked, smiling at his five-year-old daughter, Lauren, as she stood in the entryway, clutching a white and pink blanket in her tiny fist. She was tiny for her age, barely reaching his waist, but what she lacked in size, she made up for in energy.

Between his hours at the hospital—and time spent worrying about his fate—he hadn’t seen much of Lauren and that brought another sharp lance of pain to his chest. To never see her beaming smile, to never read her another bedtime story, she was what he would miss the most.

He had only just arrived home twenty minutes ago after a two day run at the hospital where he worked as the lead surgeon. Susan had run out the door to grab a late dinner, accustomed to his hectic schedule. Lauren had been occupied in front of the television, singing along to Blue’s Clues in her adorable high pitched voice.

Dr. Cameron was tired, exhausted really, but he could never deny her anything, especially when time was running out. “One game,” he told her sternly but with affection, knowing that if she asked for ‘just one more’ as she always did, he would cave. “It’ll be your bedtime soon.”

With a quick peck on her cheek, he sent her off with a gentle push, making a show of covering his eyes and counting loudly. She scampered off, her giggles echoing through the empty house. He had no worries of finding her as she made a habit of always hiding in the closet near the front door, burying herself beneath their winter coats.

When the sound of her running feet tapered off, Dr. Cameron stopped counting, stomping his feet loud enough for her to hear as he glanced around the corner. Sure enough, the door was cracked and he could almost hear her smothered laughter.

“Now where oh where did my little Lauren go?” He called out, walking around the living room scratching his head. Out the corner of his eye, he could see Lauren’s brown hair for just a second before she scurried back out of sight, making him smile.

Just as he circled around, intending to sneak up on her, the doorbell rang twice in quick succession, halting him in his steps.

Dr. Cameron frowned, a number of possibilities of who might be on the other side running through his mind, making his heart race, but he quickly banished the thoughts.

I kept my word.

They might have been criminals, but the men he worked for were quite blunt with how they would handle anyone that crossed them. He had to believe, for the sake of his family that they would keep their word as well.

Though he hadn’t been expecting any company, Susan might have invited someone over and forgotten to mention it. She was a local seamstress, and often did a lot of work for women looking to get their bridal gowns taken in or hemmed. More often than not, they came at all hours of the night, panicking when they thought they might walk down the aisle less than perfect.

Dr. Cameron took one glance at the closet door, then pushed the curtains shielding the front porch to the side, gazing out the window to see who stood there.

Two young men—probably in their mid to late twenties—one with a gleaming bald head, the other with a tiger head tattooed across his jugular, the skin still puffy and red from the new ink.

They looked harmless enough, distinctly lacking the distinctive marks he had grown familiar with that might have sent Dr. Cameron into a panic. Yet anyone showing up at nearly seven in the middle of the night that he didn’t know was suspicious.

He was tempted not to answer, pretend he wasn’t home and hope that they would leave in peace, but their gazes had already snapped to him, looking at him with a cold...was that determination? He knew then, without a doubt, that he was about to die. If he ran now, no one would be safe, not his wife, not his daughter, not even his coworkers. They never left any loose ends, it was their way.

Tiptoeing back over to the closet, Dr. Cameron peered down at his daughter. “Stay quiet, Lauren,” he said in a hushed whisper. “No matter what you hear…no matter what happens, don’t make a noise, okay?”

At her hesitant nod, he gave her a small smile. “Daddy loves you honey.”

“Love you too, Daddy.”

The words nearly brought tears to his eyes as he stared at her, committing her face to memory. If he were to die, there was a chance that he would lose all his memories of his time on earth, but he hoped that even in the afterlife, he would remember his daughter.

With a heavy heart, he took a step back, pushing the closet door up to expel the crack, just leaving a sliver open that it wasn’t completely dark in there, knowing Lauren would be afraid. He quickly blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall, not wanting to show any weakness.

He swallowed, clearing his throat, finally greeting his visitors with a tight smile.

“How can I help you gentlemen?” He asked with a calmness he didn’t feel.

“You’re wanted by the Boss,” the bald one said, his voice laced strongly with an Eastern European accent.

Dr. Cameron stepped to the side, allowing them entry, angling his body in front of the closet. Thankfully, he was a man of above average height and build and was able to shield most of the door.

“I didn’t know I needed escorts,” he said ruefully, keeping the men’s attention on him.

Sure, it was not unusual for the Boss to call on Dr. Cameron. His job was to be available at any time, ready to fly out to New York at the drop of a hat.

“You’re here alone?” The other asked, his eyes skirting the interior with a calculating gleam. He stopped on the television where cartoons were still playing then to the number of toys that were littered on the floor in front of it.