6. Chapter Six
Chapter Six
Aria
T he moment Finn leaves, I realize he made a mistake. The cabin isn’t reinforced like the other house was, meaning, when I open the door, I’m able to walk right outside. He forgot to tie me to the bed.
It’s shocking to realize that Finn made a mistake. He must have gotten distracted with what happened that he forgot all about me.
Well, that’s good enough for me.
I leave the cabin but there’s no car I can use so I know I’ll have to walk until I can find someone to help me. The thought of hitchhiking sounds horrible but if I have to do it, I’ll do it. I just hope I won’t find myself in another bad situation.
The longer I walk, the more clear it becomes to me that I really am in the middle of nowhere.
A long road covered by woods on each side is the only thing I see.
I stay on the edge of the road in case Finn comes back.
I can run into the cover of the trees. But I also don’t want to get lost. I need to find a house, a town, something to help me.
I walk as fast as I can without pushing my body too hard. I haven’t had much to eat these past few days – the little bit of food Finn finally gave me was not very filling. I know he’s trying to make me weak so I can’t fight back. I just want to return home and be done with Finn forever.
I want to forget about the strange moment we had after he saved me from Zach. It meant nothing. He means nothing to me and I mean nothing to him. That is something I can never forget.
Hopefully Finn will be gone for most of the day dealing with all the men at the party. But there’s another problem that arises as I walk: it’s starting to get dark outside. That’s only going to make everything more dangerous.
A coyote could get me. Or I could get lost and wander forever until I died of starvation.
I have to keep my head. I am Aria Romano. I do not give in to my fear. I have survived being in Finn’s clutches for the past couple days. If I can do that, I can survive anything.
A car starts to come down the road. The urge to run out and ask for help is strong but what if it’s Finn? Or someone worse?
I dive towards the trees and watch the car go by. It’s not Finn’s car when I can see it better. Damn it. In the dark it’s hard to make out cars when their headlights are so bright.
I’ll just have to keep walking until I find the nearest town. I know we passed through one on the way here. But it could take me hours and I’m not sure if I have hours. Not when Finn realizes I’m gone and goes looking for me.
I pick up my speed just a little bit.
Dante
Viktor wants another war and I know I can’t have that. Neither can Erik.
“You should have controlled Elio,” Erik grumbles as we head over to Viktor’s house. “Now, because of him, Viktor will start another war. He might start working with Finn again. Maybe he already has.”
“I need to find Finn and kill him for stealing Aria.”
“I wanted him dead so many times and you always hesitated. I hate to say it, Dante, but that shit is coming back to bite you in the ass.”
“Thank you,” I say tightly. Erik and I are not friends but we’ve worked well together over the past few years. We’re married to sisters after all. We try to make our alliance for Anya’s and Nadia’s sakes.
“We just have to convince Viktor not to go to war again. It was hard enough getting him to agree to peace. That only lasted a couple of weeks,” Erik says
“I didn’t plan on Finn kidnapping Aria. I didn’t plan on Elio trying to shoot Viktor because he thought he was behind it. Finn played us like fucking fools.”
“What’s new?”
Viktor’s large mansion is a sight that I don’t want to see right now. I have to go in there and kiss his ass.
It’s just me and Erik. We figured the less people who came the better. I made sure not to bring Matteo with me since I know Viktor doesn’t like him for what he did to Sergei Belov. I need Viktor on our side right now.
His guards let us inside and he meets us in the front entranceway.
“You’re not going any further,” he says. His gun is visible in the waistband of his pants.
“Dante has come to apologize,” Erik explains.
“I have?”
Erik sighs.
Right. I have to suck up my feelings to make peace again.
“I have,” I grumble. “I am sorry about Elio. He is just upset about his daughter being kidnapped. Finn told Matteo that you were behind this. We didn’t believe that, of course, but Elio doesn’t know you like we do.
So, he attacked when he shouldn’t have. I know you’re not behind Aria’s kidnapping. ”
“You’re right. I’m not. I had no part in Finn’s plan. But the fact that Elio, one of your men, turned on me as easily as he did, shows that there is no trust between us. I don’t agree with what Finn did but I can’t blame him for being mad at you two. I’m still not thrilled with you two.”
“Are you going to really start another war with us?” I ask. Straight to the point. Things are easier this way.
Viktor thinks on it for a moment. “I’m undecided. But I’m leaning towards war.”
“I thought you wanted to end the animosity between us for your wife and sister,” Erik says.
“I do. I don’t want them to get hurt. But it’s clear to me that neither of you will hurt my wife or sister.
Inessa and Julia are safe from Finn. He could have kidnapped them and he didn’t.
No. Instead, he chose to target you, Dante.
He wants you to hurt. I’m inclined to agree with him. I wouldn’t mind seeing you get hurt.”
“Are you still not over what happened with Nadia?” I ask.
“I don’t take kindly to being made a fool.
You kidnapped Nadia. You made me and Erik worry for weeks.
Maybe it’s time Finn returns the favor and makes you worry about Aria.
It’s only fitting. I don’t want an alliance with you two.
I am shown constant disrespect. I’m fucking tired of it.
So, I suggest you two leave before I choose to kill you right now.
I know my guards took your guns before coming in here.
It would be an unfair fight. But I will fight fair. ”
“Great,” I mutter, giving Erik an annoyed look.
He steps forward. “Is there nothing we can do to convince you to trust us again?”
“Kill Finn, I guess. He’s the one causing all these fucking problems. And kill Elio. He clearly doesn’t trust me. I can’t work with men who don’t trust me.”
“I am not killing Elio,” I respond on instinct.
Viktor shrugs. “Then we have no deal. We’re back to where we started a year ago.
You leave my wife and sister alone and I’ll do the same for your wives.
For your daughter, Erik. I will not hurt them.
This war is between us. That is my one promise.
If we go at each other, it’s only us men who will be hurt. That I can give you.”
“What if I kill Finn?” I ask. “I kill him, get Aria back, then can we make peace? Elio is off-limits. He was just acting irrational because he was worried about his daughter. You can’t fault him for that.”
“The point still stands, Dante. Elio doesn’t trust me. And I don’t trust him. I don’t trust your second in command, Matteo either. How can we ever be on the same page if there’s no trust between us? You two should go. I’m done discussing this.”
Erik nods and motions for me to follow. Once we’re back in the car with our guns, Erik says, “We failed.”
“Viktor will come around. He has to. He did once before.”
“He used to be on my side until I made an alliance with you.”
“Don’t blame this on me. You never had to make an alliance with me.”
Erik shoots me a glare. “You kidnapped my wife’s sister and then she fell in love with you.
What the fuck was I supposed to do? Let you die?
Nadia would have been crushed, which would have crushed Anya.
And I will do anything to protect my wife.
They are the reason we have this alliance. Viktor has no ties to us.”
“He was going to when he agreed to marry Aria.”
“We should have offered that deal to him before he fell in love with Inessa. He’ll never leave her to marry Aria now. Maybe there’s some other deal we could make him.” Erik is silent a long moment. “He does have a sister.”
I scoff. “He is not going to use Julia to secure a marriage alliance with one of our men. It’s not happening and you know it.
He might even see it as a sign of disrespect if we offer one of our men to his sister.
He probably thinks Julia deserves the best of the best and unless the man in question is the best of the best, he won’t go for it. ”
“It’s an idea though. One we have to consider. I don’t want to return to another war, Dante. So, you need to find Finn and kill him this time so he stops fucking up all our plans.”
“Trust me. I’m done with Finn now. He kidnapped Aria. I’ll never be able to forgive him this time. Our friendship is truly over.”
“Good. Get it done.”
Finn will be the sacrifice I’ll make to ensure peace. It just won’t be easy.
Aria
It’s completely dark out by the time I reach the nearby town.
Since I don’t have a phone with me, I have to find someone who will let me borrow theirs so I can call my dad.
But the entire town is closed with it being so late at night.
The café is closed. The bookshop is closed.
I search for a pharmacy but even that place is closed.
I find a gas station and it’s not open either. What the hell? I’m used to the large city where everything stays open twenty-four hours.
This is why I’ll never move to a small town.
Then I find a motel. Ok. This place has to be open. I find the front office and see an open sign. Thank god.
I rush inside. “I need to use your phone.”
The man behind the counter glances at me. His shirt is stained and he’s chewing gum and his backwards baseball cap hides part of his face.
“Phone is for paying customers.”
“I’m in danger. I was kidnapped. I don’t have a phone or money on me. I need to use your phone to call for help. Please.”