Chapter 32
CHAPTER 32
R onan
The walls of my penthouse felt like they were closing in. I paced the living room, my jaw tight, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. Every second without news about Leena felt like a lifetime, and the silence was unbearable.
Kiera sat quietly on the couch, watching me with concern, but I couldn’t stop moving long enough to say anything. My mind was a mess, running through every scenario, every possibility, every name that could be responsible for this.
When my phone buzzed on the counter, I grabbed it like a lifeline. The mayor’s name flashed on the screen, and I pressed the answer button without hesitation.
“Talk,” I snapped.
“Ronan,” the mayor said, his voice calm but firm. “I’ve got something. Come to my office.”
A rush of relief mixed with suspicion flooded my chest. “You have news?”
“I do,” he said evenly. “But it’s something we need to discuss in person. I’ll see you in thirty. Come alone.”
The line went dead before I could respond. I exhaled with a long breath, slipping the phone into my pocket and grabbing my jacket.
Kiera stood, her brows furrowed as she watched me. “Was that?—”
“The mayor,” I said, cutting her off. “He’s got something on Leena. Stay here. I’ll handle it.”
She hesitated, but nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line. “Be careful.”
I didn’t answer. I was already out the door.
The mayor’s office was tucked into a high-rise in the heart of Manhattan. The lobby was bustling, the hum of political chatter and bureaucracy filling the air as I strode toward the elevators. Security didn’t bother stopping me—they knew better.
I stepped into the elevator, hitting the button for the top floor. The ride up was quiet, the tension in my chest tightening with every passing second.
When the doors slid open, Victor’s assistant greeted me, her sharp heels clicking against the marble floor as she led me down a long hallway lined with polished wood and framed photos of past mayors. She stopped at a large door, pushing it open without knocking.
“He’s waiting for you,” she said curtly before stepping aside.
I entered the room. Victor was seated behind his massive oak desk, the city skyline a glittering backdrop behind him. He looked up as I stepped in, his expression unreadable.
“Close the door,” he said, nodding toward it.
I shut the door, the sound of it echoing in the quiet room, and walked to the chair opposite his desk.
“Take a seat,” he said, gesturing to the chair.
I sat, my back straight, my gaze locked on him. “You’ve got news.”
“I do,” he said, leaning back in his chair. He steepled his fingers, watching me for a long moment before speaking again. “But before I tell you, you’re going to have to trust me on this. It’s not what you’re expecting.”
I frowned, my jaw tightening. “What does that mean?”
Victor exhaled slowly, his expression grim. “It wasn’t Marco.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut.
“What?” I asked, unable to hide the disbelieving lilt to my voice.
“It wasn’t Marco,” he repeated. “I’ve been digging, pulling strings, calling in every favor I got. And I’ve figured out who’s behind this. But it’s not the Benedettis.”
“Then who?” I demanded.
“It was the Russians,” Victor said finally, his voice heavy with the weight of the revelation. “Specifically, the Ivanovich family. They’re the ones behind this.”
The name took me aback. I was more than familiar with them. The Ivanovich family wasn’t just any Russian outfit—they were brutal, calculated, and ruthless.
I sat back and shook my head.
“If they’ve taken Leena,” I said slowly, my voice cold, “this isn’t just about me. This is a play for the entire city.”
Victor frowned. “You’re right. They killed Lorenzo to light a match, and taking Leena is their way of pouring gasoline on the fire.”
“They’re trying to start a war,” I said, the realization settling over me like ice.
Victor nodded, his jaw tight. “Exactly. They want the O’Malleys and the Benedettis at each other’s throats. If you go to war, it weakens both of you. And while you’re busy tearing each other apart, the Ivanovich family steps in and takes control of the pieces left behind.”
I clenched my fists, my teeth grinding together.
“So, they’re playing both sides,” I assessed.
“They’re not just playing both sides,” Victor said. “They’re playing every side. They’re using you and Marco as pawns to destabilize the city. If you and the Benedettis go to war, it doesn’t end with you two. The fallout spreads to my office, the police force, every damn corner of New York State. And they know it.”
“Smart,” I muttered bitterly. “But they’ve made one mistake.”
Victor raised an eyebrow. “And what’s that?”
“They took my sister and messed with me ,” I said, my voice low and deadly. “They think they’re untouchable. They’re wrong.”
Victor exhaled heavily, rubbing a hand over his face. “Listen, Ronan. I get it. You’re pissed, and you have every right to be. But you need to think this through. The Ivanovich family isn’t some small-time operation. They’ve got tons of resources, manpower, and a reach that extends far beyond this city. If you make this messy?—”
“I won’t make it messy,” I interrupted, my voice razor-sharp. “But I will make it final. Now tell me, where are they holding her?”
Victor’s lips pressed into a thin line, his frustration evident. “They’ve got her holed up in a cabin in the woods. Upstate. Isolated, heavily guarded. If you go in there with your guns blazing, you’re walking into a trap.”
“Good,” I said coldly. “Let them think they’ve got the upper hand. I’ll tear them apart from the inside out.”
Victor leaned forward, his elbows on the desk as his voice dropped to a hard edge. “You need to understand what’s at stake here, Ronan. This isn’t just about getting Leena back. If you handle this wrong, you’ll start a war that makes the one between you and the Benedettis look like a schoolyard fight.”
“Do you think I care?” I snapped, standing abruptly. The chair scraped against the floor, but I paid it no mind. “They took her. They crossed the line. There’s no coming back from that.”
Victor stood as well, his expression hard as steel. “You should care. Because this isn’t just about you. It’s about everyone in this city. If you burn it all down, there’s no coming back from that either.”
I clenched my jaw, my fists curling on the arms of the chair. “How many men?”
“A lot,” he admitted. “They’re not taking any chances. You need to think about this.”
“I don’t need to think,” I said coldly. “I need to move.”
Victor scowled. “Look, I get it. But you know what happens if shit goes sideways. We can’t have a war spilling out into the city—or the rest of the state, for that matter. Let me have law enforcement take care of this. They’ll get her back.”
I leaned forward, my fists clenched, glaring at him. “You want me to wait for law enforcement to handle it? Fuck, no. I’m not leaving my sister’s life in their hands.”
Victor sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You don’t think I know how this looks, O’Malley? But you charging in there like a goddamn wrecking ball is going to cause problems—for both of us.”
“Your problems don’t matter to me,” I snapped, my voice cold and sharp. “Not when Leena’s life is on the line.”
“Do you even hear yourself? I’m trying to help you keep this under control,” he said, his voice rising slightly, his frustration breaking through his usual calm.
“No,” I said. “You’re trying to cover your ass.”
Victor’s eyes were level with mine as he leaned forward, his hands braced on the desk. “Do you think you’re the only one with skin in this game? If this blows up, I’m the one who has to answer for it—to the media, to the people, to everyone who thinks this city is still standing on law and order.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. “You and I both know that’s bullshit. This city doesn’t stand on law and order. It stands on power. Yours, mine, theirs. And if you think I’m going to let the Ivanovich family hold my sister like she’s some goddamn kind of leverage, you’re out of your fucking mind.”
Victor’s jaw tightened, his gaze hard. “You’re not listening, Ronan. If you go in there and make this messy, you’re not just starting a fight with them—you’re giving them a reason to escalate. And I don’t have the resources to keep the entire city from falling apart if that happens.”
“I don’t care about your resources,” I said. “All I care about is Leena.”
Victor stared at me for a long moment, his frustration evident, but then his shoulders slumped slightly, and he exhaled heavily.
“Fine,” he said, his voice quieter now. “Do what you have to do. But you make it clean. No bodies in the streets, no explosions that end up on the front page of the Times . Handle it. Make it clean.”
I nodded quickly, turning toward the door, but Victor’s voice stopped me.
“Ronan,” he said, his tone softer, but still edged with warning.
I paused, glancing back at him.
“You think this is just about your sister,” he said. “But it’s bigger than that. The Ivanovich family didn’t just take her to get to you. They’re testing everyone—me, you, the Benedettis, all of us. They want to see who blinks first.”
I stepped closer to the door, my hand resting on the handle. “Then I’ll make sure they never get the chance to blink again.” I turned toward the door and glanced back at him one last time. “You just make sure your people stay out of my way. This is between me and the Ivanovich family now.”
Victor’s gaze didn’t waver. “Just remember what I said, O’Malley. It’s not just your blood on the line. It’s all of ours.”
I didn’t respond. I just pushed the door open and stepped out into the hallway.
The Ivanovich family thought they could play me. Thought they could use my sister to pull my strings and set my world on fire.
They were about to find out how wrong they were.