Chapter 31
Caterina
I didn’t sleep much last night with what Harlow said running through my mind.
What if Anya Petrov was alive and trapped with a monster?
Over two decades had passed since she was taken at fourteen.
Sergei Petrov spent years looking for his daughter.
He spent the money, time, and energy trying to find her before he gave up.
He suffered from a heart attack in the process which put Roman in charge of the mafia at a young age.
Eventually, everyone moved on. Anya Petrov was remembered on her birthday and holidays the most, but her family always talked about the lost Russian princess.
Vera and Harlow lounged by the pool while I talked to Roman in his office. His sister was a sore spot that people tiptoed around. He hated people talking ill about her, but it was something I wanted to know now that I had a different viewpoint.
“You said it was urgent. Is everything okay?”
I grabbed a glass and poured whiskey, sliding it to him. He would need a drink with this conversation. “Did your father ever get confirmation about your sister being dead?” His body stiffened as he narrowed his eyes at me. “Be pissed off about this later. Did he?”
“No. He spent four years trying to find Anya, but she was gone. Vanished. With what his private investigator said, Anya was murdered by a serial killer that knew how to hide a body as small as hers. Now why the fuck are you bringing up my sister?”
I sighed. “I’m sorry, but Harlow said something that hit me differently. She said everyone assumes the worst. Harlow was alive when people thought she was dead. What if Anya is alive?”
His fingers turned white with how tight he was holding the glass. “If she is alive and experiencing what Harlow did…” He stumbled back, hitting his bookshelf. “Two decades. Don’t make me go down this rabbit hole, Caterina.”
“Look, I know and I am sorry, but what if Harlow is right? I know you don’t want to do this or rip the Band-Aid off the wound, but if no one found her, she could be alive.”
“I will get with some people. And what do I do if she is alive?”
“Be there for her. And if you find her remains, then at least she can finally be put to rest. I will help in any way I can, and if you need Serena, she will be yours.”
He finished the glass of whiskey in one gulp. “You really got a girl that likes making us question everything, huh?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, she does. I am a better person because of her—or worse, depending on how you look at it. I’ve killed people for her, and will continue to do so if it means she is safe.”
“I am the same. Our wives are very special people.” I cheered him on that before drinking my whiskey. “I will update you on what we find. It will make a lot of people upset when I bring up my sister.”
“I know, and I know I am stepping out of line by saying this, but I wouldn’t inform the other families that you are investigating your sister’s disappearance.”
His brow arched as he folded his arms across his chest. “You think one of the families could have something to do with it?”
I was out of line with this questioning, but it made sense.
If Anya Petrov was kidnapped and was still alive, one of the other families in the treaty would be the best culprit.
They had the bratva princess while the Petrovs spent their time looking for her.
It was a wild accusation and without proof.
It would cause problems, but Roman would always be my ally.
All the families in the treaty, minus Roman, dealt with sex trafficking and harming innocent women and children.
They didn’t have morals or ethics, only profit and pain on their minds.
I didn’t want to think the worst and hoped Anya had a peaceful death if she died at fourteen, but our lives were never simple.
There was always a motive behind everything.
I wished I would have seen the signs before Harlow, but I was focused on everything with Vincenzo and my father to worry about another family.
“I’m just saying, if they are involved, they will try to hide it. I would have Natalya try and find out information from someone. I know it’s going to open wounds for her that she doesn’t want to remember.”
“Natalya made herself numb to help find Anya, and if she is alive, Natalya is going to do more than just spiral. She is going to destroy the whole goddamn world.”
Natalya was a force. For years, she trained to become desensitized to everything people could throw at her.
And in this life, being a woman meant our enemies would do one thing to break us.
Natalya made sure to become numb to assault of any kind when she trained with the best Russian assassin.
I didn’t want to know the details, but Roman said she put herself through misery to prepare.
I never saw her falter in the face of danger.
Even when she was taken by a rival family and tormented for three weeks, she didn’t break.
She was in the hospital for two months before she was able to leave, and after that, she had to do physical therapy to move her arm.
With everything she endured, she never broke.
Her mental shields stayed up even after the brutality of Angelo Krayev.
There were rumors for a long time about what he did to her and what Roman did to him after he saved her.
Natalya made it where no one would talk about it, or she would kill them.
“But when you both have closure, you will both feel peace. I know you hate not knowing, even if you do your best to forget.”
“I’ll let you know what we find out. How is Harlow?”
“She is well. You know my wife, she is loving the city she once dreamt about. She wishes her mom was here, but I can’t do anything to make that dream a reality.”
“Cherish the city. I’ll keep you updated. And I expect you at dinner before you two leave.”
“You’re stuck with us for eighteen more days.”