Chapter 17
Adrian
The moment Sera disappears into the bedroom; I signal for Leo to come back into the room. I appreciate that he stepped out to give us a moment, but now, it's time to switch from husband to boss.
I entrusted my wife's safety to Leo, and he saved her life—but he's also lucky she survived, because I'd made it clear he was not to leave her side. Ten minutes alone with her brother, even in the presence of our guards, was not part of my orders.
"Talk," I say. One word. Cold. Flat.
Leo is like a brother. We are closer than Luc and I have ever been, but when it comes to my wife…
In just a short amount of time, Sera has become the most important person in my life, and I'd expect Leo to lay down his life for her.
"Six attackers. Maybe more." He sets his phone down, showing me a layout of the safe house. "They came in through the front and back simultaneously. Coordinated breach. Our men didn't stand a chance."
"Then, get new men." My voice is deadly calm. The kind of calm that comes before violence. "My wife and child should not be on the line because we didn't anticipate an attack. That's your fucking job, Leo."
Leo's jaw clenches, and I know he takes that personally. I don't give a fuck.
"They had explosives. Military grade, by the sound of it." Leo's jaw tightens. "Blew the front door, hit the back entrance at the same time. They also had someone across the way, sniping at us. They took down the guards in the room."
I nod.
"Sera thinks they were there for her."
Leo shakes his head decisively. "Disagree."
I raise a brow, curious as to what he will say. "And?"
"The guy on the roof was precise. If he was there for Sera, he would have taken her out first. He shot the guards."
"Meaning?" I suspect I know, but I want Leo to spell it out.
"He was there for us. For her brother, more precisely. Gabe also wasn't hit, and the explosions were positioned so he wouldn't have been an accidental casualty."
I close my eyes, my anger abating as a headache forms. Fucking Gabriel Romano.
"And the guards?"
"Seven dead. Three wounded. Henderson, George, and Sebastian didn't make it." He pauses. "I'm sorry. I know George and Sebastian were cousins on your mother's side."
I'm quiet.
Three men. Three families I'll have to visit. Three lives lost because of Gabriel.
"What about the attackers?" I move to the bar, pour myself a scotch. My hands are steady. They shouldn't be. "Any of them survive?"
"All dead. They were gunning for us. Anyone we encountered, we made sure they weren't coming out."
"IDs?"
"I didn't have time to check." Leo's voice hardens. "My priority was getting Sera out alive."
"And you did." I take a drink. The scotch burns going down. "She's alive because of you."
I'm still pissed, but I realize Leo isn't to blame. He had no way of knowing the shit would hit the fan this badly. None of us did.
Gabriel played us.
"She's traumatized because I failed." Leo's expression is stone. "This is on me, Adrian. You weren't wrong about that. I trained those men. I outfitted the security of that safe house. My responsibility. I should have—"
"You should have what?" I turn to face him. As irate as I am, I realize he's right. "Anticipated a military-style assault on a safe house that's never been breached before? Had more men stationed there? What, exactly, should you have done differently?"
He doesn't answer.
"You got her out," I say again. "That's what matters."
"For now." Leo moves away from the window, starts pacing. It's the only sign of his agitation. Leo never paces. "But this isn't over. Gabe Romano isn't some low-level gambler."
"I know."
"Do you?" He stops. Looks at me. "Because this wasn't some amateur hit, Adrian. These guys were professionals. Well-trained. Well-armed. They knew exactly when to strike and how to do it."
"You think it was the Morozovs?"
"I think it was someone with significant resources." Leo crosses his arms. "The question is who and why. I've met Gabriel three times. He wasn't particularly illuminating. I can't see the idiot organizing this."
I set down my glass. Sera said as much. "I might have an answer to the why."
Leo waits.
"Gabriel didn't just owe Alexei fifty thousand in gambling debts," I say. "He embezzled nearly a million dollars from Morozov operations."
Leo's expression doesn't change. But I see the calculation in his eyes. The way he's already connecting pieces. "He was working for them?"
"Trying to. He was low-level. He got a job on the docks and needed to pay his debts. Alexei didn't say anything, but I suspect he was using Gabriel's job to get intel on our shipments. Probably didn't anticipate Gabe skimming money off the top."
"When did you find this out?"
"Today. Right before the attack Alexei showed me proof. He thinks Sera is involved, so he decided to retaliate."
Leo studies me. "This changes things."
"It changes a lot." I pocket my phone. "Fifty thousand—chump change. I would have gladly covered that if I'd needed to. A million dollars, stolen, Alexei won't let that go. Ever."
I certainly wouldn't.
"But would he attack a Nero safe house?" Leo's voice is skeptical. "That's an act of war."
"Maybe he doesn't care anymore." I don't know if I agree with that. A million is bad, especially coupled with a betrayal. But it doesn't send the kind of message Alexei is known for. Something isn't right here, but I can't put my finger on what.
Leo starts pacing again. "I don't think it's him. Think about it. Why attack the safe house? You can't get money out of a dead man, and even if Sera was involved, why kill her? She's your wife now. Pregnant with your child. Every single family would go after him for breaking the code."
"What are you thinking?"
Leo frowns. "Someone wanted to send a message. And I don't think it was the Morozovs."
"Any idea who? I've got a long list of enemies, and if you add Bianca's and apparently, Gabriel's, Sera is fucked."
"I don't know yet. But whoever it was, they knew Sera would be there. They knew exactly when to hit and how to do maximum damage."
The implication sits heavy between us.
Someone on the inside.
A mole, or even worse, someone we don't know.
"Tell me about Gabriel's escape," I say.
Leo's jaw tightens. "He was in the living room when the attack started. Zip-tied. Under guard. By the time I got Sera to safety and came back, he was gone."
"How did he get free?"
"I don't know. The guards who were watching him are dead." Leo's voice goes cold. "But I checked the window he jumped from. Three-story drop onto concrete. No body. No blood. Either he's dead somewhere we haven't found yet, or—"
"Or someone was waiting to catch him."
Leo nods. "The timing was too perfect. Attack happens. Chaos everywhere. And Gabriel just happens to escape in the middle of it?"
"You think he set this up."
"I think he's involved." Leo pulls out his phone, pulls up something, shows me. "Surveillance from across the street. Watch the east window."
I watch the grainy footage. See the explosion. The smoke. And then—
A figure jumping from the window.
And a van pulling up seconds later.
"Son of a bitch," I murmur.
"He had help." Leo pockets his phone. "Someone extracted him during the attack. Which means this whole thing might have been about getting Gabriel out."
"While making it look like an attack on us."
"Exactly."
I drain the rest of my scotch. Set the glass down carefully. Because if I don't, I'll throw it.
"Find him," I say quietly. "I don't care what it takes. I don't care who you have to pay or threaten or kill. Find Gabriel Romano and bring him to me."
"Alive?"
"For now." I look at Leo. "Sera asked me not to kill him. I promised I wouldn't. But I didn't promise he'd be unharmed."
Leo nods. "What about Sera?"
"What about her?"
"She can't stay here." Leo's voice is firm. "The penthouse is too exposed. Too many access points. If they found her at the safe house, they can find her here."
"I know."
"She needs to be at the mansion. Full security. Guards on every entrance. No one in or out without clearance."
"I know," I say again.
"So, when are we moving her?"
I glance toward the bedroom. I can hear water running. Sera in the shower, trying to wash away what happened today.
"Tomorrow," I tell him. "She needs rest."
"Your mother will be happy."
I snort. "Don't remind me."
Leo's eyes flash with a bit of mirth. Asshole.
"And if Sera refuses?"
"She won't." I meet Leo's gaze. "Because she's smart enough to know that the mansion is the safest place for her right now."
"Is it?" Leo asks quietly. "The mansion is Bianca's territory."
"Bianca wants this to work." I move toward the window, look out at the city. Somewhere down there, Gabriel is hiding. Planning. Probably thinking he's clever. "Besides, Sera needs to learn how to navigate this family. Living at the mansion will force her to."
The water shuts off. Sera's done with her shower.
"I need you to handle the cleanup," I tell Leo. "Make sure the bodies are dealt with. Pay off anyone who needs paying. If the cops show up—"
Leo's already pulling out his phone. "I'll handle it."
"Good." I turn back to him. "And Leo?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. For getting her out. For keeping her alive." I pause. "I know it wasn't easy."
Something flickers in his expression. "She fought the entire time. Wanted to go back for Gabriel. That's going to be a problem. She's stronger than she looks, Adrian. Smarter too. Don't underestimate her."
"I won't."
"I'll give you an update when I have one."
Leo heads toward the elevator, and I pour myself another scotch as he leaves.
I spend the next hour making calls. My men at the safe house. Bianca. My contacts in the NYPD. The families of the dead guards—payments, funerals, whatever they need.
By the time I'm done, it's late. The penthouse is dark except for the lights I've left on.
I move toward the bedroom quietly.
The door is ajar. I push it open.
Sera is in bed. Curled up on her side. Still in her robe, too exhausted to put on proper clothes.
Her hair is wet, spreading across the pillow. Her face is pale. Even in sleep, she looks troubled.
I watch her for a long moment.
This woman. This complicated, stubborn, infuriating woman who married me against her will. Who's carrying my child. Who almost died today because of me.
Who looked at me like I was salvation when I walked through those doors.
I should leave. Let her sleep. Tomorrow will be difficult enough.
Instead, I find myself moving to the bed.
Sitting on the edge.
Reaching out to brush a strand of wet hair from her face.
She doesn't wake. Just makes a small sound and shifts closer to where I'm sitting.
"I will keep you safe," I murmur. "Whatever it takes. Whoever I have to destroy. You and our child will be protected."
It's a promise. To her. To myself. To the universe.
I'll burn this entire city to the ground before I let anyone hurt her again.
Starting with Gabriel Romano.