Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Luca
When I find the note from Nina that she went to her old home to see her sister, I know in my gut that something is wrong. Whenever Nina is around Susanna, she’s at risk at falling into old patterns. That’s the last thing I want.
I rush over to Maria’s house and pound on the door, ready to get Nina back. But what I’m not expecting is for Maria to look terrified when she opens the door.
“What’s wrong?” I ask right away, stepping inside the house. Susanna is hovering behind her mom, looking worried. “Tell me.”
Maria’s shoulders slump. “That man… Gabriel showed up and took Nina. He has it out for you. I called Alek and told him just moments before you showed up.”
“Fuck,” I hiss. If Gabriel has Nina, that means he’s truly coming for what’s mine and that cannot stand. “How did he find your house? How did he know Nina was here?”
“I have no idea.”
“Why was she over here anyway?”
Maria’s look hardens. “She is my daughter. She has a right to come over here.”
“Not when Susanna is here,” I say without thinking.
“What does that mean?” Susanna asks, placing her hands on her hips.
“It means that whenever Nina is around you, trouble follows. You’re a bad influence, Susanna. And I don’t want that for Nina.”
“It’s not my fault she was kidnapped.”
“You’re right. But chances are, Nina came over here to talk with you, didn’t she?”
Susanna hesitates and that tells me everything I need to know.
“She did,” I say. “I know Nina. She wants you in her life and she wants to make amends. That much is obvious to me. You’re not a good person, Susanna. And now your sister is missing. If I were you, I would suggest an attitude change.”
Instead of snapping back at me like Susanna has always done, she goes quiet and right before my eyes, tears stream down her face.
“Susanna,” Maria says, shock in her voice.
“I don’t want Nina to be hurt,” Susanna admits, wiping at her tears. “I want my sister. Get her back.”
It’s the first time Susanna has ever shown any sort of empathy. Maybe there’s hope for her but it won’t be up to me to change her. Whoever she marries one day will have to handle her.
“I will,” I promise. “I want Nina safe too.” That’s one thing Susanna and I have in common at least.
“I am sorry for being rude,” Susanna says. “I just… I don’t know why I act this way. But when I saw Nina taken, I… Just get her back.”
“Think about this,” I softly scold. “Think about how you feel right now. Grow and mature, Susanna. That’s all I can offer you. Now, I’ll get Nina back.”
And I don’t handle it well when people come for my wife.
Nina
Gabriel takes me to a run-down house that has seen better days. It’s clear this isn’t his actual house but a house he owns to bring prisoners to. Prisoners like me.
“Why are you doing this?” I ask as he drags me from the car and pulls me towards the house.
“Because I can’t let Luca win. The moment I saw you, I knew I had to have you. I want what Luca has. And I’m willing to do whatever I can to take it.”
He continues to drag me into the house and into a dirty, moldy room where he throws me onto a disgusting mattress. “You’re going to stay there for a while. Just long enough to drive Luca insane.” He leaves, locking the door behind him.
I sag forward. At least Gabriel isn’t trying to rape me right now. My mind goes back to me and Luca having sex. How he took me from behind. How good it had felt but also how cold. Luca has kept some emotional distance between us ever since we married but I saw him lose control when he shot Dimitri.
When I was in danger.
He cares for me. I know it. It makes my heart warm towards him. I know I could fall in love with him given time. If he just showed me he could love me instead of trying to control me. Instead of trying to turn me into his perfect wife.
I want Luca to accept me for me. I also want to make him proud. It’s confusing but it’s all there.
If Luca can get to me in time, I vow I’ll make the most out of my life with him. I’ll move past Susanna. I’ll become more mature.
As long as he can love me in return.
Luca
I meet up with Alek at one of the restaurants he owns. “Maria told you Gabriel stole Nina.”
“She did,” he says, holding my eyes longer than I like. There’s a cautious expression in his eyes.
“What?” I snap.
“I want Nina back too. She’s like a daughter to me. But Luca, if we do this together, you need to make amends with Dimitri Ivanov.”
I scoff. “Fuck that. He kidnapped Nina.”
“Because he was trying to get his sister back. He loves Katya. And I love Katya. I can make amends with him. I believe it. I want to make peace. But you have to be in agreement. Our alliance is the reason Dimitri attacked in the first place. If we all agree to work together, we can help each other. Nina will be safe.”
“She’s not safe right now. Gabriel has her.”
He sets his hand on my shoulder. “I know. But she will be safe once we get her back. You just have to agree to make a deal with Dimitri too. Put your pride aside and do this for me, Luca. For our alliance. For Nina.”
Fuck Alek. Using Nina against me. When I first married Nina, it was just to make an alliance with Alek. Nothing more.
But I know Nina means to me more than just a business arrangement.
She’s the woman I’ve touched and gotten to know.
There’s still so much more to learn about her but I want to.
I need that time. And I will do anything to keep her safe.
I know that in my gut. It isn’t just because she’s my wife.
It’s because I genuinely care for her. I see the potential in Nina.
I see how much she wants to change. And I want to change too.
I don’t always want to be cold and methodological. I feel passion for my wife and there’s no point in denying it.
I can’t strip Nina of all her passion either. Once I get her back, we can work together to become a powerful couple. I believe it.
But that means keeping her safe and if I continue to hate Dimitri, then Dimitri will come for her again, which will mean she’ll never be safe.
“Dimitri wants this?” I ask.
Alek nods. “I’ve spoken to him. Getting shot was a wakeup call for him.
He could have lost his wife, Sofiya, and he doesn’t want that.
He wants to keep her safe as much as I want to keep Katya safe.
As much as you want to keep Nina safe. So let’s work together.
Dimitri is still in the hospital so he can’t help much but he has contacts.
We all do. We can use those contacts to find Nina and get her back.
Let’s do this together, Luca. Let’s take down Gabriel. ”
It all sounds too good to be true. I have lived my life full of darkness and death. It’s to be expected in the mafia. I’ve never had other people I could depend on. It’s what made me into the logical man I am. But Nina makes me illogical. She makes me feel.
So, I push down my pride and I hold out my hand to Alek. “Deal. I’ll make a deal with Dimitri. As long as he helps me get Nina back. As long as Nina remains alive.”
“Of course.” Alek shakes my hand, promising me this.
It takes hours of searching but eventually Dimitri comes through. He knows a man who’s close to Gabriel’s inner circle.
Alek and I go to meet the man – a John Mathews – at some shitty bar downtown.
“Remain calm,” Alek advises me. I take in a deep breath and nod.
John is seated at a booth near the back. A nondescript man, he blends into the background. Perfect for undercover work.
“Tell me where my wife is,” is the first thing out of my mouth.
Alek gives me a hard look but he knows he wants Nina back as much as I do.
John motions for us to sit down and we both do, begrudgingly. “I know some men who work with Gabriel. They said that Gabriel took your wife to this address.” He slides over a piece of paper. “That’s all I know. Hopefully that helps.”
I grab the paper and immediately rush out of the bar. Alek scrambles to follow. “I am getting her back, Alek.”
“I know. And I’m glad you care this much about Nina to fight for her. I’m right behind you.”
We arrive at the address – some shitty little house in a shitty neighborhood. I have my gun at the ready as I make my way up to the house. Alek follows.
That’s when gunshots ring out through the night from the open window.
Both me and Alek dive to the ground. The door opens up and two men – Gabriel’s guards – come running outside, shooting at us.
It’s dark out. There’s no other people awake.
And besides, in this neighborhood, gunshots are normal. No one will ask questions.
Alek and I run behind my car for cover.
“I will take the guards,” Alek says. “You get to Nina.”
“Stay safe. You’re the only reason I agreed to make a deal with Dimitri. If you’re dead, all bets are off.”
“Then I better stay safe. As long as you take care of Nina. If you ever mistreat her, I won’t be happy.”
“I promise.” And I’ve never wanted to mistreat Nina. I have wanted to be firm with her, change her into the woman I believe she could become. But now that she’s missing, I don’t want Nina to change. I want her just as she is. I want her back. I know that for a fact.
Alek dives out from the car and manages to shoot one of the guards in the head.
He presses himself back behind the car as the other guard continues to shoot at him.
As that guard is distracted, I run out from the other side of the car and make my way up to the house.
When I step inside, I come face to face with Gabriel…
Who’s holding Nina in his arms, a gun pressed to her head.
“I would be careful if I were you, Luca,” Gabriel says. “I could so easily kill your wife.”
Nina’s eyes plead with me to save her. I cannot let her down. For all the passion she has brought out in me, I have to be logical right now to save her life.
“You could,” I say, “but then you’d have nothing left to use against me.”
“I don’t need anything else. I just need you dead. I want your power. Your territory. And I’m going to get it.”