Chapter 40 Roran
Roran
“That’s the craziest— not to mention most reckless—idea I’ve ever heard. And I grew up with Kayla, so the bar’s already sky-high,” Chris snaps, her hands flailing. “Do you want us dead? That’s your plan?”
Her glare pins me down, and honestly? I can’t blame her. I let out a breath, trying to muster the courage to stand behind this—because even I don’t know if I can pull it off with that client, let alone make it work.
“I told you, I don’t need you to come if you don’t want to,” I say, failing miserably to mask the uncertainty in my voice. “But I will need you to wait for me outside when I get out.”
Chris paces, back and forth like she’s about to dig a trench in the floor. At least she’s considering it. I inhale slowly, my eyes flicking to Kayla, still sitting silently beside me on the bench. She hasn’t said a word since I laid out the plan.
“No.”
The sharp voice from the training room entrance makes me shoot up from the bench.
We all turn our heads, and my stomach drops. Luca.
And just like that, my heartbeat is in overdrive.
Would he listen if I said this is the fastest way to find The Red Dock? Would he even care?
“Dad,” Kayla rises to her feet and hurries to him, grabbing his arm with a look in her eyes that would put Shrek’s Puss in Boots to shame.
“We’re trying to do the right thing.”
“By being reckless? Going into Russian territory? Have you lost your mind, Kayla?” he snaps, his voice rising as his fists clench, but he quickly shoves them into his pockets.
Kayla’s small hands cling to his suit sleeve, but underneath the anger, I hear it—he’s worried, not mad.
“And you—” He takes one hand out and points at me.
Shit. Now he’s mad.
“I don’t know what sick game you’re trying to play, but leave the girls out of it. Or your sister will be the least of your worries.” His voice drops, so low it seeps into my bones like venom.
I catch my breath.
“Uncle Luca—” Chris steps forward before I can say a word. Before I could even form any explanation.
“Honestly, it’s risky—yes. But if you’re going to help us, I think we can pull it off. Don’t you want to know where The Red Dock is, too?”
“Christiane,” a new voice growls from behind.
Mariano steps into the room, shirtless, wearing just short training pants. Every muscle is carved like stone.
Yeah... I would not want to get on the wrong side of those abs.
I swallow—less out of fear, more because Chris’s father looks ridiculously hot in workout clothes. Well, pants.
Damn.
Luca raises a hand to stop the next firebomb from exploding out of Mariano’s mouth.
“No,” he says firmly. “Chris trained hard to earn her voice in this operation. Let her speak.”
Mariano huffs through his nose, clearly not thrilled, but takes a step back.
Chris looks briefly thrown off, but she recovers fast, nodding at Luca. Her eyes are gleaming now, just a flicker of excitement under the tension.
The men here really do treat the women differently. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this kind of freedom.
“I don’t know if you caught all of it, but Roran ran Konfetki her entire life. She knows this client. If the plan works, she could get you the information faster than anyone. She could sneak in and out before they even blink. The staff knows her—”
“That’s exactly why it’s not a good idea,” Luca cuts in, his daughter still holding onto him, her eyes locked on his face like she’s trying to read between the lines. “Think about why Roran is here to begin with. What was the plan?”
His voice drops lower.
Is he testing her now?
Plan? What plan?
Malec said I’d work under him. I figured they took me to punish my father—make him sweat. But not for a nobody like me...
“He’s going to marry Diana off to that monster if we don’t move fast. Or worse—kill her if she’s not useful and Ivan doesn’t agree.”
I blink. Twice.
Chris is... fighting for me? For Diana? In front of her capo?
“Chris,” Luca grits out. “Leave emotion out of it. Why is Roran here? What was the plan?”
She hesitates, then exhales loudly. “To make them kill each other and blame the other side.”
I gasp in realization—then freeze. That sound. That smug, venom-laced chuckle.
I turn and meet Luca’s cold, cunning smirk.
He wasn’t testing Chris. He wanted me to hear it.
“What’s wrong? Scared for dear Father?” he sneers, mockery dripping off every syllable.
Now I see it.
The madman I was warned about.
But I’m not his enemy.
I shake my head. “You’d do me the biggest favor if that’s how things go down. But please—I need my sister back.”
And my medicine. But he won’t give that to me, so I’ll make damn sure I find The Red Dock myself.
No one moves. Even the air feels like it’s holding its breath.
Luca scans my face, probably wondering why I’m not trembling. Wondering if I really meant what I said. That I’d let my own father bleed out in the mess he made.
I do.
He finally breaks the silence, turning to Chris. “If they see her there—if word gets out she was at Konfetki—it could ruin everything. Instead of turning on each other, they’ll come straight for us—”
“They won’t,” I cut him off. “I know you don’t believe me, but my father would never risk anything for me. He’ll just hand Ivan Diana.”
Luca’s brow twitches, clearly not used to being interrupted. “He could refuse. And then what?”
A bitter laugh escapes me.
“You don’t know how irrelevant we are to him. I wasn’t his first choice. It was always Diana.” I take a breath. “I took her place because I wanted to save her.”
Now all eyes are on me.
They didn’t know that.
“My father won’t chase me if he has her to finish the deal... but I wasn’t easy to get rid of either. I ran Konfetki my whole life. I know every brick, every soul in that place. And as for being recognized—” I step closer, lifting my chin, finally meeting Luca’s gray—not silver—eyes.
“They won’t.”
“How are you so sure?” he challenges.
“Because I spent years making sure the Konfetki girls’ identities stay hidden. None of you even knew Diana and I existed until the deal with Ivan, I’m sure. If there’s one thing I’m good at—it’s running that place like a goddamn ghost. And I know the best way in.”
Luca snaps his head toward Mariano. I don’t know what passes between them, but Mariano nods once.
Luca turns back to me. “Fine. But Malec should be on his way back with Pedro. When he gets here, we start.”
Maleciandro.
Why does my heart skip a beat?
Please don’t let him be late. Novax is only there over the weekends. I cannot afford to miss him.
Hold on, Di, I'm coming.