Chapter 31 – Ivan
IVAN
“Director,” I acknowledged her position, “request permission to lead the retrieval team.”
“Denied,” Director Kozlova responded coolly. “You’re too close to this situation, Zotov. And I don’t trust you.”
Paraskia be damned. Fuck the protocol. Fifteen years of perfect loyalty meant nothing compared to Isabella’s safety.
“With respect, ma’am, I wasn’t asking,” I stated, bowed, and moved toward the door.
I caught Birdie’s slight smirk from the corner of my eye—approval of my insubordination.
If anyone would understand me, it was her.
When she went after her brother’s killers, against Hawk’s orders, she became a legend in organized crime circles.
Especially since she took on a whole cartel to finish the job.
She’d been willing to burn down her life for family. I was ready to burn down my life for the woman I’d known for less than a week.
My woman.
I made it three steps before Vince blocked my path, his eyes cold with fury. Tension radiated from him like heat from a furnace.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” he demanded.
“To get your sister back,” I replied, attempting to move past him.
He planted himself firmly in my way, hands clenched at his sides. “This is your fault. Your organization. Your fucking boss took her!”
The accusation struck me like a physical blow because I knew it was true. This was my responsibility. My failure. I should have moved Isabella off the island the moment I realized how obsessed Grey was with her.
I should have seen it coming and should’ve taken action. “Move,” I ordered, my voice dangerously quiet. “Every second we waste here—”
“Why should I trust you with her life?” Vince cut me off, rage vibrating through every word. “How do I know this isn’t part of some elaborate game? For all I know, you’re working with Grey.”
The suggestion that I might be complicit in Shorty’s situation nearly broke my control. I stepped closer, invaded Vince’s space, rage making my voice vibrate.
“If I wanted to hurt Isabella, I would’ve had plenty of opportunities.”
Cristo appeared beside us, his normally playful expression replaced by cold determination. “We don’t have time for this.”
Matt joined him, adding, “The boats are almost to the yacht. If we’re going to intercept them, it has to be now.”
I locked eyes with Vince. “Isabella is my responsibility. I’ll bring her back or die trying.”
“Your responsibility?” he repeated, incredulous. “Since when?”
The question hung in the air between us, demanding an answer I had barely admitted to myself. The room seemed to go silent, and the storm outside faded into the background as I faced this moment of truth.
Since I fell in love with her. The confession was on the tip of my tongue.
More true than anything I’d ever said. But I hadn’t told her, hadn’t even let myself admit those feelings fully.
“She’s mine. Mine to protect. And nobody, not even you, can stop me.” The words felt like they were torn from my throat. “I’d rather die before I let them hurt her again. So fucking move, or I’ll do it for you.”
The raw honesty and desperation of my declaration silenced even Vince for a moment. Behind him, I could see Mira’s eyes widen, Matt’s expression shifting from hostility to reassessment. Cristo exchanged a look with Anton that I couldn’t quite interpret.
Then Vince raised a single challenging eyebrow. “Since when?” he asked again.
I sighed. “Since I fell in love with your sister. I’m responsible for bringing her here. I put her in danger. But I promise I will take care of her.”
Shock registered on Vince’s face as I continued, unable to stop the flood of truth now that the dam had broken.
“You’re in love with my sister?” Vince finally asked, his voice lower but no less intense.
“Yes.” The single word carried more certainty than anything I’d ever said.
He studied me for a long moment, searching my face. Whatever he saw there seemed to convince him.
“Okay, let’s move then.”
I seized the opening. “You need to stay here. Tell them what’s been going on.” I gestured toward Director Kozlova and the Paraskia leadership. “Get everything sorted. And keep the other women safe.”
“What? No—”
“Who knows what Grey plans? He might be circling back. He might have accomplices and come after the women here. He’s got the upper hand right now. He’s been leading us on like we’re his own damn personal puppet show. Let’s not let him catch us off guard.”
Vince’s jaw worked as he processed my words. Beside him, Cristo stepped forward.
“He’s right about Grey…and Uncle Marcus,” Cristo said. “We need to divide and conquer.”
Vince studied my face, looking for deception and finding none. His internal struggle played across his features—the desire to personally rescue his sister warring with the strategic logic of my argument.
“Fine,” he finally agreed, stepping aside. “But believe me—if anything happens to her, there’s nowhere on Earth you can hide from me.”
“If anything happens to her, I won’t be alive for you to find,” I responded with cold certainty.
Cristo cut in: “I’m coming with you. Cara’s my responsibility.”
I nodded once, already calculating how to best utilize his skills. Cristo might present himself as a charming playboy, but I’d seen the calculation behind his eyes. He was more than he appeared.
We strode toward the exit, every second precious. I could hear the muted arguments behind us—Anton holding back Vince, Roman organizing the remaining security, Director Kozlova barking orders to her team.
We were halfway across the room when Director Kozlova’s voice cut through the noise behind us.
“Zotov! You walk out that door, you’re finished.”
Fifteen years of my life. The only purpose, the only home I’d ever known. The organization I’d given everything to. The clean exit I had planned was not to make powerful enemies for my family.
All of this against Shorty.
No contest.
I didn’t even break stride as I called back, “Then consider this my resignation.”
An unexpected lightness flooded me as I spoke the words as though shedding a burden I didn’t know I carried. Anton fell into step beside me, his silent presence a statement of loyalty. I didn’t have to look at my brother to know he had my back.
“You sure about this?” he asked quietly, voice barely audible over the chatter and storm.
I met his eyes. “I’ve never been surer of anything.”
He nodded once and handed me a weapon, an extra mag, and a small in-ear monitor. “Then let’s go get your woman.”
We crossed the doorstep, and the full force of the storm hit us. Rain lashed at my face, the wind threatening to knock me sideways. Navigating a helicopter in these conditions would suck big time. Through the deluge, I could make out the silhouettes of the fleet of helicopters, waiting for us.
Cristo and Matt stood by the nearest one, running pre-flight checks despite the punishing conditions.
As we reached them, my mind was crystal clear with purpose for the first time in days. “Anton, you’re with Cristo and Matt. We’ll take two helicopters and approach from different vectors. We need to split their attention.”
“What about landing?” Cristo asked, eyeing the churning sea.
I followed his gaze, then shrugged. “Landing might not be an option,” I replied.
“So we drop?” Anton answered.
Cristo’s eyebrows rose. Matt grinned and nodded. “Nice.”
I sighed. Matt had been shot and lost a spleen only a couple of months ago, so even though he seemed okay, dropping from a helicopter was absolutely not something he should even think of doing. But at least we had enthusiasm on our side.
“Matt?” I said. And he raised his hands. “I’m the pilot,” he shouted, before he boarded the bird.
Weren’t we all fucking lunatics?
I boarded the second helicopter and came to a stop. I’d somehow expected Roman in the pilot seat, not Hawk, and next to him was Birdie.
Birdie handed me a headset. “Why do you Mafia guys all think you’re some kind of superheroes?” she said in place of a coms check.
“Indoctrination,” I replied and took the harness she handed me.
Hawk got the rotors spun up to full speed, then gave me a sidelong glance. “How exactly did you manage to wreck everything so thoroughly in just a few days?”
The question should have stung, but I couldn’t summon any defensive reaction. Every part of me was focused on Shorty, on what Grey or Moretti might be doing to her right now.
“We can discuss my failures later,” I said instead. “Right now, all that matters is getting to Isabella and Cara,” I added with absolute conviction as I strapped myself in.
Hawk and Birdie exchanged a knowing look that I recognized but couldn’t care less about. Let them know. Let the whole world know.
Isabella was mine, and I would tear apart anyone who tried to keep her from me.
“So the infamously opportunistic Ivan Zotov finally found someone worth risking everything for,” Hawk mused as the helicopter lifted off, fighting against the storm winds. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
“Makes two of us,” I muttered, checking the weapon Anton had handed me on the way out.
The helicopters rose above the compound, banking sharply to head out to sea.
Through the rain-streaked windows, I could make out the figures of the remaining Salvinis and my siblings watching us depart.
Nina’s face was turned up toward us, worry evident even from this distance.
I made a silent promise to bring everyone home safely.
Rain pelted the windshield as we headed toward open water, the helicopter fighting against gusts that threatened to knock us off course. Hawk’s hands were steady on the controls, his focus absolute as he navigated through the worst of the storm.
“Any other pilot wouldn’t leave the ground in these conditions,” I said.
“Good thing you’ve got me, then,” Hawk replied without taking his eyes off the instruments.