Chapter 19
“Your brother will be here shortly.”
“My brother is coming here?” Antonio sipped from the glass he held in his hand.
“Yes. When Cristian called him, he said he would fly out immediately—that was last night. Apparently, they’ve been searching for you for several weeks. What’s the last thing you remember?”
“I remember leaving the club. I was there helping Massimo’s fiancée plan for their wedding.
Vincenzo called me upset because his new chef was getting under his skin.
He asked me to meet him at the restaurant.
Madison and I were almost done, so I left.
I remember nothing after walking out of the bar and getting into my car. ”
“They found your car a block from Bellissimo. It had been wrecked and blood was found inside.”
“What the fuck?” Antonio shook his head. “Why can’t I remember?”
“The doctor checked you and found a needle mark in the back of your neck. If I had to guess,” Matias said as he sat down in a chair across from him, “someone was inside your car and jabbed you with it once you started to drive. It would explain the damage to your car. I suspect it knocked you out, causing you to crash.”
“ANTONIO!” The front door crashed open, revealing a panicked female. She rushed into the living room, nearly knocking over Matias who had stood up from his seat.
“Madison?” Her arms wrapped around him as she sobbed into his shirt. “Easy there, killer, I’m still sore.”
“Oh my God. I’m sorry.” She let go and stepped back.
“Madison, baby. Let Antonio breathe.” A massive man walked in and stuck his hand out for a handshake. “I assume you’re Matias.”
Matias gripped his hand in his. “And you must be Massimo. Welcome.”
“Thank you!” Feminine arms startled Matias as they wrapped around his body. “You brought him back to us.”
“Matias. This is my fiancée, Madison. She wouldn’t stay home when I told her why I was coming. She and Antonio have a bond I can’t stand between. There was no stopping her.”
“I understand completely. You’re very welcome. I hate we are meeting this way, though. It seems we have some business to discuss. Dmitri took something of yours, and now he has something of mine.”
“Your lithium?” Massimo questioned as he tugged Madison by his side.
“That motherfucker can keep the lithium. He took something far more precious to me.”
“Far more precious than lithium?”
“Yes. He took the woman I love.”
“Holy shit,” Massimo gasped, glancing behind him. “It’s a good thing I have Donny, he’s the best at seeking what I need.”
Donny stepped forward and outstretched a friendly hand toward Matias. “Matias.”
Matias took his hand and gave it a firm shake. “I appreciate your help, Donny.”
“Tell me everything you can about your woman. If she’s anywhere in Vegas, where we suspect Dmitri has returned, I’ll find her.”
“Sit down. This is going to be a long story.”
They sat down and listened as Matias started from the beginning. Massimo was skeptical of Katya’s loyalty to Matias until he read the letter.
“We will find her, Matias. You have the word of the Anastasi’s.
Dmitri has poked a hornet’s nest he is not prepared for.
We swear our fidelity to the Silva’s and with us comes the Surenos.
I cannot swear their loyalty to you yet, but once I have spoken with Miguel—he will be on board.
He lost his sister to a ruthless killer—a killer I now believe is on Dmitri’s payroll. ”
“Thank you. And we swear fidelity to you. Anything the Anastasi’s need moving forward, we will do our best to help.”
Massimo nodded. “We will return to the states and begin our search there. If anything comes up, I will let you know. If Donny is right and Dmitri has returned to Vegas, I suspect your Katya is there.”
“Dmitri has fucked with the wrong families. We won’t stop until his blood is spilled.”
“Brother,” Bastian spoke, “I would like to go with them and offer my help.”
“Yes, if that is ok with you, Massimo. I’d like my family represented there. If Katya is there, she will need a familiar face. I will turn over ever rock here in Chile until I find the bastard who helped Jorge and Dmitri usurp what is ours.”
Massimo nodded in agreement. He watched as Bastian helped Antonio to his feet and Madison rushed to his opposite side.
“Let’s go, Brother,” Antonio grunted. “I’m ready to go home. Thank you, Matias. I’ll be in your debt for a lifetime.”
Matias shook his outstretched hand and smiled. “Thank you. Just do me a favor...”
“Anything.”
“Don’t get kidnapped again.”
The room burst into laughter as the men and Madison helped Antonio out to the awaiting car.
“Bastian,” Matias called out to his brother. “Bring my girl home.”
“I’ll do everything I can, Matty.”
Matias smiled at the childhood nickname his brother used.
He knew Bastian would stop at nothing to protect the family, and now Katya was a part of that family whether or not she knew it.
Matias only hoped that when he found her, it wouldn’t be too late.
He would set fire to the world if she was harmed.
Nobody took what was his and lived to tell another.
Dmitri was no different. Matias would cut off his head to spare Katya from any more pain caused by him.