21. Sienna
SIENNA
I don’t know what to believe anymore, and I wasn’t able to fall asleep again after the conversation I had with Nikolai. I doubt his life is truly in my hands, and I’m certain it must be some kind of mind game since that’s what he’s good at.
However, I was there when he unhesitatingly killed those men who drew a weapon on me when I tried to escape. And while he tried to act indifferent to me in front of his boss, he’d still shielded me with his body.
Not that it would’ve fucking done much if they’d decided to shoot us up. But I’m coming to learn that’s the gamble in this world. There’s a lot of bluffing and an innate understanding of who you can and can’t fuck with. I’ve also come to learn that Nikolai isn’t a complete liar—his boss is cruel.
But as my fingers feather over the snake necklace, I struggle to take him at his word, as instinct tells me he’s lying about the explosive device. But I don’t know what to believe anymore, and I haven’t since I found myself forced into this world.
When we land, Andrei and Nikolai speak rapidly in Russian.
“Looks like we have a welcome party,” Andrei says, looking out the window.
“As expected,” Nikolai states. “Agata, you stay on the jet. If everything goes to shit, the pilots are ordered to take off immediately.” Then his icy gaze slides to me, and in English, he says, “Sienna, you come with me.” He holds out his hand.
There’s no welcoming warmth in his demeanour.
It feels all transactional now. But it’s when I briefly glance at his eyes that I see a slight softness in them.
I don’t know which version of Nikolai I can believe.
I peer over his shoulder through the window, and see two slick, black cars and several motorcycles. Those sitting on the bikes are wearing masks. My throat locks the moment I see Luca and Dante waiting expectantly in front of the cars. Standing between them are Ara and Romi.
My stomach sinks. All along, Nikolai has been speaking the truth.
They really are part of this world, and I had no idea.
I was so caught up in my own shit, I never noticed when they got sucked in.
Or maybe they’ve always been a part of it, and I’ve just been so self-involved that I didn’t mark the obvious changes with them.
But there’s a flutter in my chest, even if that’s all true. That they’re here—within reach. Alive. I only wish Lily were here too. Though, I shouldn’t be wishing any of my friends to be in a predicament that could go haywire at any given moment.
That’s when I know it’s not just Nikolai’s life that’s my responsibility, like he suggested. It’s all of them.
So, I harden my expression, understanding my role to play. I don’t want any of my friends getting hurt. Certainly not Agata, who despite the circumstances has treated me kindly. As for Nikolai… Deep down, I don’t want anything happening to him either. And I can’t find any logical reason for that.
I slide my hand into his. “Peacefully, right?”
The corner of his lip twitches. “Sure. Just play your part well. And if something happens, hide behind me.”
“I don’t want you hurting my friends,” I bite out.
His gaze slides over to Andrei, who’s watching us intently, and I can see the shift in Nikolai. “Then play good hostage.”
My eyebrows drop. I hate his frosty tone, but I know it’s as he said. Maybe it is a show; maybe it isn’t. Maybe I’m the fool here. But if it offers a better chance for my friends, then I’m willing to take it.
The jet door opens, and the morning sun creeps in. Nikolai steps out first, nonchalantly placing his black shades on as he maintains a firm grip on my hand. The man has balls; only he can casually walk into an intense situation like this, acting as if it were nothing short of a warm greeting.
Andrei follows at my back, and I feel sandwiched between them as we descend the stairs and step toward uncertainty.
The moment my gaze meets Romi’s, she tries to step forward, but Dante holds her back by the elbow, stepping in front of her protectively.
Ara’s face hardens as she holds her chin up higher beside Luca.
And that’s when I see it. The man Nikolai has been describing to me.
The Italian mafia boss. How had I thought Luca was just another businessman in New York?
And now I even view Ara somewhat differently.
I always considered her cooler in nature, someone who kept her cards close to her chest. But that was there before her meeting Luca.
And I encouraged her to take initiative while Luca was courting her.
The men are well-dressed in tailored suits and crisp long-sleeve shirts.
Nikolai grabs my hip, and my heartbeat picks up as he presses my back to his chest, his other hand lazily wrapping around my throat and the necklace, holding me in place.
Then his warm breath is against my ear. I can sense his possessiveness. “Remember, mishka , you have your part to play,” he whispers. “Even though we both know the thought of forcing you to scream will make you fucking blush, I have no intention of harm coming to you.”
A hot flush runs over my body, and my stomach sinks low with heated need.
No, no, no. I cannot be affected by this anymore.
“Such the gentleman, using me as a shield,” I snap, curling my nails into his hand at my throat and trying to draw blood. The others carefully assess us as we whisper.
Nikolai’s lips touch the nape of my neck, and I freeze as my friends watch on in horror. One of the masked men reaches inside his jacket, and Luca holds his hand up, indicating for him to stop. My heart hammers when I realize he was most likely going to pull out a gun.
“I’m fond of a welcoming party,” Nikolai calls out, “but you seem to be quite far away.”
Luca steps forward, casually pocketing his hands, looking completely composed and unbothered, and Dante follows close on his heels as they come to meet us in the center.
“If you’re good, mishka , I might reward you later for it.”
“You’re such an ass,” I mutter, and his hand firms on my hip as he pulls me in tighter, and my breath hitches when I feel the bulge in his pants. How can he get turned on in a situation like this? He really does have a death wish.
“We can’t help what we’re into, right? Besides, I think you enjoy putting on a show.” His whisper is like a drug hitting my brain and causing a low hum to start between my legs. “Especially when you get to scream.”
Dante and Luca look me over briefly, and I’m embarrassed that they’re probably seeing my flushed expression. Then again, that’s most likely why Nikolai is winding me up like this.
However, when the two men turn their attention to him and Andrei, Nikolai shifts me to his side, his hand resting possessively on my hip, and I know through this wordless action he’s letting us all know he’s not handing me over.
“Your boss wishes to do business with me. I have no intention of listening to demands. Especially ones delivered by a messenger,” Luca states icily. Then his gaze moves back to me. “Are you unharmed?”
I can sense he doesn’t sincerely care about my well-being. But when I look past him to Romi and Ara, who are now guarded by the five men wearing masks, I realize it’s because of them that I’ve gained importance to him.
“I’m okay,” I tell him.
“The Wolf is a coward for not accepting my first invitation to conduct business in Italy,” Luca bites, seeming to feel more inconvenienced than anything else. Is this bluffing, or has he always been this cold?
Andrei goes to speak, but Nikolai holds his hand up to silence him. Dante stares at me, and it unnerves me. This whole time, I thought he was a doctor, when he’s probably a killer just like the rest of them.
The cool air whips at my hair as Nikolai slips an envelope from his pocket, keeping his movements slow in an effort not to trigger Luca and Dante.
“The Wolf has requested I deliver this personally. These are the beginning of his negotiations for a fruitful working relationship with regard to the expansion of the fight rings.”
Luca sneers, and Dante says, “Your boss is a fucking idiot if he thinks we’ll ever agree to letting him work in our territory.”
Nikolai’s smile is savage, and Dante mirrors it, which is even more terrifying. Was he always this scary? I’ve never seen this side of Dante before. I glance at Romi, who is watching the exchange carefully.
This is the man she fell in love with?
“I don’t tell him how to run his business. I’m just the messenger after all, right?”
“And the man who kidnapped someone my wife considers very valuable. Ordering that was The Wolf’s first mistake,” Luca says as he takes the envelope.
“It might be a good time to let you know that the diamond necklace around Sienna’s throat is an explosive device.
If anyone tries to remove it or if something were to happen to us, then…
Well, you know what happens.” Both of them zero in on my throat, and I swallow hard.
Nikolai continues, unfazed by the cr ippling tension.
“But let me assure you, I’ve treated her with the utmost respect.
Isn’t that right, little doll?” He squeezes my hip, and my mouth goes dry as the two intimidating men before me glare at him.
“I’m okay,” I find myself saying. “I don’t want anyone else getting hurt, so the sooner this can be dealt with, that would be most convenient.” Because that’s the truth. And if I can prevent harm coming to anyone I care about, I will.
One of Dante’s eyebrows perks up in surprise, but Luca’s gaze remains on my throat.
Nikolai, I can’t read. But I imagine him mocking me for using the phrase most convenient .
The jarring scar on his face seems harsher under the sun than usual. Or maybe I’m seeing the brutal truth of who he is for the first time.
“Until we have an appropriate response, we’ll remain in New York. When The Wolf feels you’re genuinely open to negotiations, he’ll visit personally.”
Luca’s gaze narrows. “I can kill you right now or later in the week; it makes no difference to me when it happens. But I’m curious as to what makes you so confident that I won’t do it at all.”
Nikolai shrugs and shoots a pointed look at the necklace.
“I have a feeling you’re aware we’re not the only ones who will come.
I’m not the head, and no one important, but I am the one with plans in place to kill this woman immediately if something were to happen to me.
So, it’s really up to you as to whether you’d like to take the risk.
” He leans forward with an insincere smile.
“You might want to ask your wife first what she thinks about that.”
My nails dig into Nikolai’s hand as he not-so-subtly threatens Ara. I should be more scared that he casually threatened my life, and I find myself confused if this is part of the act or if I’m the fool for ever thinking him truthful.
“You’re actually smiling, even when you know you’re just a pawn in this game,” Dante says, and I don’t know from his tone if he is impressed or thinks Nikolai is deranged.
“Don’t assume I’m not where I want to be, Doc . I must confess, I’m disappointed that the great Diablo only brought his hounds and second to greet us. You think very little of us.”
“We’re not the only ones with reputations, Udav ,” Luca says, and I realize then that these men have all earned their nicknames from their lethal reputations.
Nikolai’s smile grows wider. “I promise no harm will come to her during the time of negotiations. We’ll be staying at Sienna Falcone’s penthouse, where she intends to be the most hospitable host.”
My head snaps in his direction. “What?”
Luca’s gaze narrows, and he briefly looks over his shoulder at Ara, who is watching on intently. “My wife won’t let me leave without Sienna.”
“Then your wife needs to loosen the lead attached your collar, because I’m not handing over my woman until I see to it that my own needs are met.
” My woman. It shifts something in my chest that it has no right to.
“Dmitri Volkov. Make sure he’s at our next meeting.
” Dmitri Volkov? Why is he asking about him again?
Does he somehow know him because they share the last name?
“Just know, if you try to take her by force, The Wolf will consider it as a personal attack against him. He’ll go for your power in Italy first, then he’ll strike here in New York, where it matters most to you, Diablo. Choose wisely.”
And then Nickolai turns and casually hooks his arm around my shoulders. I glance back at the others. Romi and Ara look furious. But it’s Luca’s and Dante’s gazes that scare me the most. Luca calls out to Nikolai once again. “Was your boss close with The Lion? Is this retaliation for his death?”
Nikolai stops, and when I look up at him, there’s something in his expression I can’t read. Who is The Lion? And how is Nikolai connected to him?
Nikolai casually looks over his shoulder as he says, “The Lion is dead, and he failed here. Now there’s room for business and profit.
Surely, you don’t think the bratva families so weak as to play into sentimental bullshit.
We’ve come for a piece of the pie, Diablo.
It’s up to you as to whether you’re willing to share.
If not, there are consequences. It’s as simple as that. ”
And then he continues walking, his harsh glare pointed forward, and I feel like I can’t reach him as he tucks me closer into his side. I don’t know this version of Nikolai.
Tears well in my eyes as Romi tries to wrestle with one of the masked men, as if trying to break free and run to me. Ara simply watches, her arms crossed over her chest, unimpressed.
I’m just grateful that for now, no one is dead.