Chapter 17 - Dante
We walked Federico out and saw him to his car. Once inside, he rolled down his windows and gave us both a sympathetic smile.
“I’m sorry to have had to bring this to you,” he said with more kindness than I knew my brother capable of, as he looked at Alisa.
“Thank you, Federico,” Alisa said sweetly. I looked over at her, and she was still pale.
“I trust you’ll make the right choice,” Federico sighed and waved goodbye before disappearing down my winding driveway.
Though he had left, the news he delivered sat between Alisa and me like a live grenade with its pin halfway out.
Her father wanted to see her. Every time I thought of Marc Montes, I was filled with rage. He’d sold her to the highest bidder, and for all I knew, he was only calling to collect on that deal.
If I had anything to do with it, Alisa wouldn’t go a mile near him.
We went inside, and I closed the front door behind us. Alisa immediately turned to me, and what I saw stilled me into quiet panic. Her eyes flashed dark, full of life, full of determination.
“I’m going to meet him,” she said, just as I’d expected and feared.
“Absolutely not,” I replied, keeping my voice calm despite the alarm bells clanging in my head. “Your father sold you like properly, Alisa. And now he wants to meet? Come on! Think straight.”
She shook her head. “I won’t know why he did until I meet him, Dante. Please, don’t you get it? I know he’s been blackmailed, and if I talk to him and he comes clean, we might be able to help.”
“Why the hell would I want to help your father?” I spoke louder than I meant to, and she flinched.
A tense silence fell between us.
I took a deep, steadying breath. “Look, Alisa, all I mean to say is my business is with you. Not him.”
“But I’m his daughter.” Alisa took one step forward with a plea on her face. “Don’t you get it? If we know what trouble he’s in and help him out, then we can put this madness to rest! I have a duty towards him!” Her voice was trembling.
“I’m tired of living like this, Dante. I can’t always be looking over my shoulder, wondering when the people he sold me to will come looking for me. We don’t even know who those people are! We don’t even know what we’re up against!”
“But you don’t know what he’s capable of!” I felt my temper rise again. “What if it’s a trap?”
She shook her head, and I saw tears threatening at the corners of her eyes. “I spent my entire life thinking he was one person, and now I discover he’s someone else entirely. I need to look him in the eye when I ask him why. I need—”
Her voice broke, and with it, something in my chest cracked open. I crossed the room and took her hands in mine.
“I understand,” I said softly. “But I can’t let you walk into danger.”
She looked down at our joined hands, then back up at my face. “I have to do this, Dante. If I don’t, I’ll spend the rest of my life wondering. I’ll never have closure.”
I knew that look. She wasn’t going to back down, and part of me, the part that wasn’t blind with fear for her safety, respected that. But I couldn’t just let her walk into the lion’s den alone.
“Fine,” I conceded, “but you can’t go alone. It has to be a public place where he can’t pull off some unhinged stunt, and I’ll be there the whole time.”
“He won’t talk if you’re there!” she protested.
“I wasn’t planning on joining your cozy family reunion,” I said dryly. “I’ll be hiding out nearby and listening in through an earpiece. That way, I can step in if things go south.”
“Okay,” she agreed reluctantly.
“It’s a deal,” I said, even though my heart still felt like it was making a mistake. But for some reason, I’d always found it hard to say no to Alisa Montes.
***
The next day, we got ready for the meeting. Federico had arranged for it to happen at a quiet café in midtown that was busy enough to discourage any surprise moves.
Alisa and I drove over and parked a street away. We both wore caps and kept our heads low as we walked, in case Marc had anyone watching.
“Listen,” I told her just as we approached the corner for the café. “You walk in, and I’ll follow. Meanwhile, don’t go anywhere with him. Don’t leave to use the washroom. Stay seated at your table where I can always see you.”
“Okay,” she said, but I could hear the fear in her voice. “I’ll be careful. Is your earpiece working?”
“I’ve tested it a few times. I can hear just fine,” I reassured her and felt for it in my ear once again, out of habit.
She nodded and walked ahead, and as I saw her straighten her shoulders, all I could think of was how vulnerable she looked walking into the café alone. How petrified.
If I’d had it my way, I would’ve jumped at the chance to teach her precious father a lesson.
I gave her a five-minute head start, then followed, taking a closed-off booth in the far corner with a clear view of where she sat waiting. I ordered coffee and pretended to use a newspaper as a mask from prying eyes, while carefully peering over it to keep her in sight.
A few minutes later, Marc Montes walked in, and I had to admit he looked like shit. He had a haggard look about him, with circles darker than hell beneath his eyes. Clearly, this situation with Alisa had taken its toll. I gritted my teeth at the look of relief he feigned at the sight of Alisa.
“Alisa,” I heard his warm voice gush in through the earpiece. “Oh, darling! Thank God you’re alright.”
“Hello, Papa.” Alisa’s voice shook as she stood to hug him.
“Oh my dear, I was so worried,” he whispered into his ear and kissed her forehead before letting go.
I felt sick to my stomach. Marc Montes was a bastard through and through. She might think her father to be different, but I knew better.
He sat down across from her, reaching for her hands, but she jerked them away like she hadn’t noticed. If he noticed her reluctance, he didn’t show it.
“I’ve been out of my mind with worry,” he said, waving away the server who approached with menus. “When I saw the CCTV footage of you being taken outside my office—” He broke off into a sob that didn’t translate to tears and shook his head. The perfect act.
“I’ve been searching everywhere for you. Using every resource at my disposal.”
My jaw clenched at the performance he was putting on. It was masterful, and if I hadn’t known better, even I might have believed him.
“And now I find out you’re with the Lebedevs?
” He lowered his voice, leaning in. “Honey, I know what happened after you were kidnapped. I’ve had the best police force in the world working on your case, and when I heard Dante Lebedev bought you in an auction—that sick bastard.
I knew I had to get you back. I had to use powerful connections to get this meeting, and I’m here to tell you just how dangerous they are. ”
“I’m aware of who they are,” Alisa said coolly.
“Then you must know you’re not safe there!”
“I think you’re wrong, Papa,” she interrupted. “Dante treats me well.”
“Treats you well?” Marc looked annoyed. “He bought you!”
“Yes, well, that could look bad. But then again, he bought me in a roomful of criminals who could have done worse. You didn’t think of that, did you, when you sold me?”
The words hung in the air between them. Through the earpiece, I heard Marc’s sharp intake of breath.
“What are you talking about?” he asked and paled.
“I came to see you in your office a month ago and heard every word,” Alisa continued, her voice growing stronger. “I heard you arguing with the men who took me. You were angry because they put me on the auction block instead of delivering me directly to whoever you’d promised me to.”
Marc’s eyes darted around the café, and I tensed, ready to move. But he composed himself quickly and forced a laugh.
“Sweetheart, you must have misunderstood. I would never—”
“Stop lying,” Alisa cut him off like steel. “I heard everything. You sold me to pay off some debt or make some deal. Your own daughter! How could you?”
For a moment, Marc looked genuinely shocked, as if he couldn’t believe she knew the truth. Then his expression changed, hardening in a manner that made my blood run cold.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said, his voice now stripped of all warmth.
“Then explain it to me,” Alisa challenged.
“Make me understand how a father sells his own child. What kind of trouble are you in, Papa?” Her voice softened.
“Maybe I could help you! I know you must be in a very tight situation to have even considered selling me. We could… get you out of this bargain, couldn’t we? ”
Marc leaned forward. “You think we can get you out of this bargain? You’ve lost your mind, Alisa. Those men are dangerous, and I’ve thought hard before I did what I had to. Everything I’ve done has been to protect you and to secure your future.”
“By selling me to the highest bidder?”
“By ensuring our survival!” he hissed, his composure slipping. “Do you have any idea the position I’m in? The debts I owe?”
Alisa sat back, studying him. “So it’s true. You only got me here to deliver me to a bunch of strangers.”
Marc’s expression shuttered, and in that moment, I knew it to be confirmation. He glanced around the café again, then leaned in closer.
“Listen to me very carefully,” he threatened in a whisper. “You need to come home with me right this instant. You have no idea the people you’re dealing with, or what they’ll do if you don’t.”
“The people I’m dealing with?” Alisa repeated. “No, Papa. That’s your problem.”
“Don’t act insolent,” Marc snapped. “This isn’t a game, Alisa. There are forces at play here you can’t possibly understand.”
“Then help me understand,” she pleaded. “Please, Papa. Don’t do this to me. I beg you!”
His face softened slightly, and for a moment, I thought he might actually tell her the truth and accept the help she offered to find a way out of this mess. But then his eyes hardened again.
“Come home with me now,” he repeated. “Or I can’t guarantee your safety.”
“Is that a threat?” Alisa asked, her voice trembling slightly.
“It’s a reality,” Marc replied. “You think your new husband can protect you? He has no idea what he’s up against. When they find out he’s taken what belongs to them—”
That was enough. I was done hearing Marc threaten Alisa and scare her the way he did. He had, right in front of my eyes, failed spectacularly as a father, and I was done giving him his chance.
I stood up and made my way to their table. Marc didn’t notice me until I was standing right beside them, for he was too busy intimidating his only daughter.
“Hello, Marc,” I asked, sliding into the seat next to Alisa.
Marc’s head snapped up, his eyes widening in recognition. “Dante Lebedev. What the hell are you doing here? How dare you kidnap my daughter?”
“Marc,” I said pleasantly and placed a protective arm around Alisa’s shoulders. “I understand how this looks, but I promise I didn’t kidnap her.”
“Don’t you dare lie to me!” Marc’s face turned red with anger. “You’ve been keeping her and—”
“What else is a husband to do?” I cut him a charming smile. “A man and wife do live together now, don’t they?”
Marc’s eyes blasted open. “Man and… wife?”
“Yes.” I smiled and pulled Alisa closer, showing Marc my teeth. “We’ve been married a couple of months now. You see, back in the day, Alisa and I were a thing. Must have skipped your attention, but when I saw her that day, I had to get her out of there and fix what I’d done wrong.”
This was a part of the game, the ploy, or so I thought. But as I said the words, a sense of knowing settled like peace in my bones. As if, at last, I wasn’t putting on an act. Beside me, I felt Alisa stiffen momentarily, before relaxing again.
Had I, in some way, admitted something she’d wondered too?
But before I could dwell on that, Marc leaned forward. “You have no idea what a mistake you’ve made! Put an end to this madness now.”
“On the contrary,” I replied, keeping my voice light even as I felt rage building in my chest. “I know exactly what I’ve done. I married your daughter and kept her safe.”
Marc’s face flushed with anger. “I’m taking Alisa home today!”
I leaned forward, dropping the pleasant facade. “You are not taking her anywhere because then, I’ll be charging you with kidnapping. My wife stays with me.”
“I’m the god damn federal prosecutor,” he roared, then lowered his voice. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you? You think because you’re a Lebedev, you’re untouchable? There are bigger fish than you, boy.
“Is that right?” I asked. “I think you underestimate me.”
“You have no idea who you’re dealing with,” Marco’s voice shook with rage. “When Arko finds out—”
He caught himself, but it was too late. The name hung in the air between us, and I felt ice water replace the blood in my veins.
Arko Pavlov was the leader of the Pavlov Bratva. He belonged to one of the most ruthless and connected crime families on the East Coast. His reputation made even my coldest cousins look like choirboys in comparison.
Marc paled.
“How long have you been a dirty prosecutor for Arko, Marc?” I pressed, seeing his composure crumble. “How many criminals have you let walk for him?”
“You don’t understand,” he said in terror. “They’ve owned me for years. And now they want payment. Please… I need Alisa to come back with me now.”
Marc didn’t deny it. The final illusion shattered, and I felt Alisa trembling beside me.
“You promised me to these… Pavlovs?” she asked, her voice hollow.
“Arko needs a wife who is true-born American,” Marc replied pitifully, as if that explained everything. “It was the only way to clear my debt.”
I felt sick. Arko Pavlov’s a vicious, vile man.
“We’re leaving,” I said, standing and pulling Alisa gently to her feet. “This conversation is over.”
“You can’t just walk away from this,” Marc warned, his eyes wild with panic. “They’ll come for her. They’ll come for both of you.”
“Let them try,” I replied, my voice dropping to a deadly whisper. “I protect what’s mine. And if you follow, Marc, I’ve got guys lined up outside who would love to test their new guns.”
And with that final threat, I walked Alisa out of there.