Chapter 22
Chapter twenty-two
Mauro
Lauren
Still on for tomorrow afternoon?
Mauro
Yes. I'll be there.
Lauren
I'm a little sad this will be our last session. It's been fun.
Mauro
Fun? Is that the word we're calling it?
I slide my phone into my back pocket as I approach Vin’s house. His guards greet me with nods of recognition, one of them pulling the door open before I reach it. I step inside and stomp my boots on the mat while rolling my stiff shoulders.
Jet lag is very real, and I’m currently paying the price.
Alina and I arrived home barely an hour ago, and between the sleepless nights and the restless flight back, exhaustion weighs heavily on my bones. Every muscle aches; every blink feels delayed.
Not that I’m complaining.
Those two nights with Alina, lost to each other and wrapped in each other’s embrace in the most romantic city in the world, are etched into me now.
They’re a part of my damn soul. We burned through every ounce of restraint we had, leaving no part of the other untouched.
Bodies spent. Minds unraveled… It was perfect.
And the fact that her familiar, breath-takingly beautiful smile returned to her face was just the cherry on top.
I fight off a yawn as I head for my brother’s office, and upon entering, I immediately stop short.
A massive screen dominates the far wall, three familiar faces staring back at me.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite cousin,” Caine says, arms crossed and a smirk firmly in place as his eyes set on me. On-screen sit three of my five cousins from my mother’s side—Marco, Caine, and Romeo Marchetti.
“I thought I was your favorite,” Vin mutters beside me, a faint pout tugging at his mouth as he pats the top of Thor’s head.
“We all know I’m the favorite,” Leo remarks as he stretches his legs out, intertwining his hands behind his head.
“There are no favorites,” Marco says sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose like he already regrets this meeting.
I fight a smile as I lean against the doorframe, locking my arms over my chest.
“Is there a reason we’re all here?” Alex asks with a hint of irritation laced in his tone as he checks his watch. His knee bounces, his usual calm demeanor nowhere to be seen.
“Someone’s moody,” Romeo remarks dryly.
“Yes, well.” Vin eyes Alex with a questioning gaze, then directs his attention to the screen. “What is it you’ve found?”
Marco exhales and straightens. “We don’t have much time, but we thought it imperative for you to know that the Vasilievs are making a move on the Alaskan ports.”
“What?” Vin’s spine straightens, fists bracing against his thighs. “Those ports have been secure for years. We’ve never had issues with them. Our allies would’ve flagged it if that were the case.”
“They would have if the Vasilievs weren’t being so careful,” Marco replies.
“You’ve been intercepting their East Coast shipments, causing them to lose not only their resources but a substantial profit.
And now, they’re looking for alternative entries.
It makes sense that they would set their sights on Alaska.
I’m surprised they haven’t claimed a stake in these ports yet, seeing as it would allow them easy access to ship women straight from their home base out of Russia. ”
“Who’s running the ports up there?” Leo asks, his elbows resting on his knees. “Can we confirm with them?”
“The owner operates under an LLC. Their identity has never been revealed,” Romeo explains. “No one has ever looked into them because they’ve played their part well for years and have kept things secure. But we’ve…” He glances between his brothers. “We’ve heard some unsettling rumors.”
“What kind of rumors?” Alex questions.
“A new owner is taking over.”
The room goes silent.
“Who?” Vin asks, his voice dropping several degrees.
“We don’t know yet,” Romeo admits. “But whoever it is has close ties to the Vasilievs. Our tech guy is digging into every relative and ally they have, but so far, nothing unusual has been found.”
Vin drums his fingers against the table, thinking, then looks at Alex. “Find out who owns that port.”
“I’m on it,” he answers.
“Good. I want a conversation with them. Right away.” His gaze hardens. “Maybe make them an offer they can’t refuse.”
“You mean…” Leo drags a finger across his neck.
“If they don’t accept an actual buyout,” Vin starts, “then, yes.”
Knowing Vin, I’m sure he’ll offer a ludicrous amount to buy the damn port. He’s not used to not getting his way, and I don’t think that will start anytime soon.
“Mauro?” Vin’s gaze lands on me. “Can you spend tomorrow morning with the new guards? I think it would be best to keep them prepared for any imminent attack the Vasilievs might plan as a distraction. I want our borders protected.”
I nod.
An attack on the Alarie Estate won’t be happening on my watch. Especially not now that I have a wife to protect within these walls.
A woman’s voice filters faintly through Marco’s office. “Signore, your three o’clock is here.”
“Send them in,” Marco says, then stares back at the screen. “We’ll be in touch.”
The screen goes dark.
Vin exhales sharply, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Why is it always this line of business they choose to involve themselves with? They could dip their toes into any number of illegal activities that’ll make them a sizeable profit, yet their sights are set on only this one.”
“Unfortunately,” Alex starts, “it’s one of the most lucrative ways for men in our industry to make a sizeable profit.
Seeing that it doesn’t cost them anything to acquire or replace the woman, I have a feeling they don’t plan on giving up this business anytime soon.
They’ll keep kidnapping women for as long as they can until someone stops them.
” He meets Vin’s gaze, resolve etched into his expression. “We need to be the ones to do so.”
Squeezing the back of my neck, I let out a heavy sigh as I head directly toward my favorite chair.
Vin’s been right all along. The Vasilievs need to be taken down.
Eliminated from the game. With no mercy.
And yet, every time it feels like we’re closing in on them, they slip through our fingers.
Always two steps ahead. Ready for a war that I can only hope they won’t win.
The thought sits heavy in my chest, unwelcome and relentless.
But we can’t let them defeat us.
Not when the lives of so many women are at stake, and there’s no other goddamn family in the area strong enough to stop them like we’re trying to do.
Fuck, that’s a lot of pressure on our shoulders.
I need a drink, maybe two, and definitely—
“Hi.” Alina’s perched on my chair with her legs tucked beneath her and a book in her hands.
Her hair is held in a loose bun, pieces dangling on the sides of her face, with a sinful-looking smile.
But it’s what she’s wearing that has me stopping in my tracks.
“I hope you don’t mind.” She looks down at the white T-shirt covering her body—my T-shirt.
“All my clothes are in the wash, so I went through your closet.”
I have no idea what this woman is doing to me.
But I do know, I like seeing her in my clothes.
I like finding her in my favorite chair.
I like seeing that wedding band on her finger.
And I especially like having her in my home.
I walk over, stopping directly before her. Gripping her chin, I lower myself until my lips meet hers. Her taste instantly sends a current of desire through my veins, but it also soothes the tension running rampant in my body.
This, this is what I need.
Her.
Only her.
She’s the calmness to my madness.
The light to my dark.
And I’m starting to question, when it comes time to do it, will I be strong enough to let her go?
The sound of the book collapsing to the floor has me pulling back. I gaze down into her big, beautiful brown eyes, mesmerized by every part of her. My thumb brushes across her cheek, my palm cupping her skin.
She’s too beautiful for someone like me.
But I’ll be greedy and keep her for as long as I can.
“I was thinking,” she starts, “if you’re free tomorrow afternoon, we could have another ASL lesson?” Her fingers twist around the hem of my shirt. “I kind of enjoyed our last one.”
One side of my lips lift. So did I. I shake my head, my smile disappearing. Grabbing my phone, I type, But unfortunately, I can’t. Vin has asked me to train with the guards in the morning, and then I have a meeting. I tuck my phone into my pocket and drag my fingers through my hair.
Her palm reaches out, resting against my cheek. “Something’s troubling you,” she notes with concern.
Internally, I shake my mind out of the darkness and focus on her. Lifting her into my arms, I settle into the chair and place her onto my lap. The two of us fit together like puzzle pieces, completing each other. Her small body nuzzles against my chest as my arms tighten their hold around her.
The fire roars beside us, wrapping us in a blanket of warmth. And for a moment, everything else fades into the background. All of it.
The darkness…
The insufferable noise in my head…
The Vasilievs…
The world beyond the estate walls…
It all vanishes.
Because right now, all that matters is her.
I used to love sitting alone in this chair.
Now, I can’t imagine sitting in it without her.
I pull my hands away and sign, Long day.
“Work stuff?”
I nod, scratching at my jaw, unsure how much I’m allowed to tell her.
I know Leo tells Scarlett almost everything that goes on in our world, only hiding things that may hinder her progress or frighten her.
I’m sure Eli does the same with Madeleine.
Although Madeleine usually finds out everything anyway, seeing that she’s one of us.
But I don’t want secrets between us.
She places her hand against the center of my chest. “Talk to me.”
I hesitate, but eventually grab my phone and type, We’re having problems with another family in our world.
Her brows furrow. “Which one?”
The Vasilievs.
Her lips part, but she quickly shakes her head. “Why? What are they doing? I thought they resided in Chicago?”
They do, I sign. I brush a hand down her hair, deciding how to say this delicately. I quickly type, They’re trying to import goods that they shouldn’t be.
“Goods? What kind of goods?”
I glance over at the fire, unable to say the truth.
She cradles my cheek, gently guiding my face until our eyes meet. Her thumb swipes over my skin. “I see the worry in your eyes for me, but I can handle it. I promise.”
I take a deep breath. Women.
A small gasp escapes her. “Women? But how? Where?”
They have their ways. I tuck her hair behind her ear and then type, We’ve been working on stopping them, but they’re relentless.
And now, they’re close to gaining access to the Alaskan ports, which is only going to make it harder to stop them.
They’ll be sending women from Russia through the port undetected.
We don’t have any authority there, and we don’t know who is currently in charge, but we will.
She stills, her eyes appearing glossy as if lost in her mind.
I toss my phone aside and grab her hand, lightly squeezing it. She blinks a few times, her eyes staring into mine with so much sorrow.
“They export women,” she breathes shakily.
I nod.
“I…I had no idea,” she murmurs, shaking her head in disbelief. “But they can’t. It’s illegal. I mean, I know other bad things are done in this world, but this…” She presses her palm against her temple, her chest heaving slightly faster. “This is really illegal.”
And this is why I wasn’t sure if I should tell her the truth.
Alina knows what goes on in my family. She’s aware of how we take care of business and make a steady and very profitable income.
But my family would never partake in sex trafficking to gain earnings.
And my sweet Alina must not realize that others in our world will do whatever they can to make a quick buck.
Including doing something as cruel and vile as trafficking women.
It’s okay. We won’t let it happen.
“But how?” Tears fill her eyes. “How will you stop them?”
The fear in her eyes has my chest squeezing violently.
I should reach for my phone to type, but instead, I sign, My cousins are working with us to put an end to them. We won’t let them gain access to this port. I promise. I press my lips to her temple. I don’t want you worrying about it.
She nods, a tremor running through her as she lifts a shaking hand to adjust her glasses, wiping at her eyes.
She blinks away the tears and looks at me.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be so emotional.
I want to be here for you whenever you need to get something off your chest that might be weighing you down.
It’s just that this is a lot to take in.
And I think…” She bites down on her bottom lip and closes her eyes. “Mauro, I think I need to—”
Her phone vibrates on the table, and both of us glance toward it.
She reaches for it, and the instant she sees the name on the screen, she jumps from my lap.
“I’m sorry. It’s my dad. He doesn’t usually call this late.
I have to take this.” Before I can respond, she presses the phone to her ear.
“Hi, Dad.” She’s already moving toward the stairs. “Yes, of course.”
She disappears upstairs, and the faint click of the bedroom door closing behind her confirms she’s in the bedroom.
I remain seated for a beat too long, staring into the fire. I exhale and push to my feet, drifting to the koi pond. I twist open the canister and scatter pellets across the surface. I watch as the fish appear, greedily nibbling at pieces before disappearing back into the darkness.
The surface stills, swallowing the last ripples. My reflection wavers there, caught between the gentle light from the flames and the deep shadows.
But it’s too late. I see it.
The beast that stares back at me.
One who is unworthy of love.
Unworthy of Alina.