Chapter 20 – Ivan #3
“We’re leaving this fucking island,” Vince announced, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Now.” He gave me a once-over, daring me to disagree.
As if.
But Shorty came over and shook her head. “I can’t, Vince. Not yet.”
“What do you mean, you can’t?” His voice rose slightly. “After what that bastard Grey did to you—” He sent me an icy sidelong look.
Guilty by association.
“I need to finish this.” She grabbed her brother’s forearm, interrupting our staring contest. “Grey won’t stop coming after me even if we leave.”
The door opened again, revealing Nina. She hesitated when Matt turned around to face her. Something flickered in her eyes before she composed herself, and her face turned completely blank.
There was something between those two going on for sure. I’d talked to Roman and Anton about whether Nina had ever met Matteo Salvini, but none of us knew of any connection.
“Grey is demanding to see you both,” she said, addressing Isabella and me. “Immediately.”
I felt Isabella tense beside me though her expression remained defiant. “Let him wait,” she said coolly. “I get to make the next move, not him.”
Pride surged through me at her strength. I turned to Vince, choosing my words carefully. “Give us a day to find out what Grey is hiding. Then we all leave together.”
Vince studied us both, his gaze moving from Isabella to me and back again. He was sharp enough to notice our united front, the subtle shift in our dynamic, and possibly the connection we’d formed. He probably also knew how stubborn his sister could be.
“You’ve got twenty hours,” he finally said. “Then we’re gone, with or without your cooperation, Zotov.”
I nodded. If our roles were reversed, I wouldn’t give him even that much.
“And remember my warning,” Vince murmured as soon as Shorty turned away to hug and whisper with her sister again.
What he meant was to heed his advice to not even think about touching his sister—which I pretty much had already violated.
It took a while for Shorty to assure her family of her well-being and get them to leave, but as soon as they left, she quickly changed clothes before rejoining me on the sofa.
“It’s a miracle that Vince let you stay with me instead of taking you with them,” I murmured.
We sat shoulder to shoulder, surrounded by files and documents, the physical proximity reflecting our new alignment. Who would’ve thought?
When she didn’t reply, I looked up, and she was staring at me. She was wearing black leggings and still wearing my shirt. Why was she still wearing my shirt?
“You still think I do everything my big brother says?” she said after a while.
I stared at her. The obvious answer was no. Was this how Nina and Mila were operating, as well? Not that I was as head-of-the-family as Vince was, but if one of them hung out with one of the Salvini men, I might have a problem with that, too. Would they just ignore me?
Probably…most likely.
“Now, where do we start to sort out this mess?” she said, spreading the papers across the coffee table.
Usually, I would brainstorm with my siblings, but now Isabella was part of my team. The realization was both unsettling and felt just right.
Her hand found mine, warm and certain. “No matter what happens, we face it together. And Grey can fuck off and wait until tomorrow.”
I turned to look at her, struck again by her fierce determination, her brilliant mind, her unflinching courage. “He won’t get near you again,” I promised. “Not while I’m still breathing.”
“I know,” she said simply. “And whatever he’s hiding, we’ll find it.”
We bent over the files together, our bodies drawing closer as we continued our conversation.
“We need to hack into that database, search for evidence ourselves, before Grey can,” I said.
Shorty just nodded.
I was acutely aware of every point where our bodies touched—shoulder against shoulder, thigh against thigh, her hand occasionally brushing mine as we sorted through documents.
Each contact sent electricity through my system, a reminder of the boundaries we’d crossed and the ones still waiting to be crossed.
This wasn’t just about physical attraction. This was about connection—about recognizing each other, about choosing to stand together as a team against whatever came next.
It strangely felt like accepting fate—when I’d never believed in fate before.
I’d never allowed myself to need anyone beyond my siblings. Had never trusted anyone else enough to lower my guard. Yet here I was, sharing intelligence, revealing secrets, making promises I intended to keep no matter the cost.
The realization should have terrified me. Instead, it felt like stepping into a room I hadn’t known existed—one filled with possibilities I’d never allowed myself to imagine.
As night deepened around us, we continued working side by side, our partnership cementing with each passing hour. Whatever came next, we would face it together. Not as kidnapper and captive. Not as enemies or reluctant allies.
But as equals. As partners. As something I wasn’t ready to say out loud but could no longer deny.