Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Rodian. It’s Christiano. I believe you have one of my capos.” My brother’s tone is biting as he clenches his jaw.
Because he’s on speakerphone, we all hear as the Russian replies, “Like I told Enzo, I will give you the location if you agree to back me in removing Yegor so I can claim his seat as the new Pakhan.”
“If you’re turning on your own, how the fuck do you expect me to trust a word that comes out of your mouth?” Christiano growls.
Rodian lets out a dark chuckle. “You don’t have to trust me. You only have to understand that our interests are the same for now.”
“And what interest is that?” Christiano asks.
“You want Rosie. I want Yegor’s seat. You back my move, and I give you the route into the prison, access points, and the men on the inside who answer to me.”
Georgi leans forward. “How many?”
“Not enough to go up against Yegor as long as he’s in a seat of power. He needs to be brought down so the soldiers will fall in line behind me.”
Christiano’s eyes harden. “Don’t mistake this for us doing you a favor.”
“I know. But once Yegor has been dethroned and you have your capo back, perhaps then the Bratva and Cosa Nostra can lay down their weapons and move forward into a new way of doing things.”
Christiano looks at each of us. “That’s something we’ll discuss once we have Rosie back in one piece. Not raped. Not tortured. Not missing any fucking body parts. I want her in one fucking piece. Do you understand?”
“Understood.” A short silence follows before Rodian says, “I’ll send the coordinates after we have an agreement.”
I step closer to the desk. “Send them now.”
“No.” His reply is so fucking calm, it makes anger bubble in my chest.
Christiano lifts a hand, stopping me before I can speak.
“Are we in agreement, Christiano?” Rodian asks.
My brother glances around the room, and only after each of the capos has nodded does he say, “We have an agreement, Rodian. But Rosie comes first.”
“And I want Yegor. He’s mine to kill.” I make my own demand.
“I’ll do you one better, Enzo.” Rodian chuckles. “Actually, two. I’ll give you Yegor, Danil, and Kirill, the three men responsible for the hell Rosie has been put through.”
“That works for me,” I mutter, memorizing the other two names.
“Good.” Christiano’s jaw clenches. “Then we have an agreement.”
“We do. Who do I deal with going forward?” Rodian asks.
“Enzo. You have his woman, so it’s only fair my underboss takes charge,” Christiano says, to which all the other capos nod their approval.
Dad grips my shoulder, giving it a hard shake while a rare smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.
“I’ll be in touch, Enzo.” Right after that, Rodian ends the call.
For a moment, no one speaks, then Christiano looks at us. “You all better go call your contacts. We’re going to war.”
Christiano is the first to dial a number.
“Constantin,” the head of the Romanian mafia answers.
“We’ve found Rosie. She’s alive. Will you join us in a war against the Bratva to get her back?”
“Fuck, that’s good news!” he exclaims. “Yes, just say when and where, and I’ll be there with my men.”
I hear Georgi behind me. “Hey, Atanas, feel like fucking up the Russians?” Then Augusto. “Ryo, I need you and the Yakuza. The Bratva has Rosie.”
I glance over my shoulder at the capos reaching out to their contacts worldwide.
Adriano grins as he speaks into his phone. “I think it’s time we met in person, Devran. I’m going to need your help smuggling an army into Russia.”
Uncle Dario comes to stand beside me and places his arm around my shoulders. “Bring her home, son.”
“I will.” I jerk my head to the door, indicating that I want to talk privately with him.
We step out into the hallway, and he follows me to my office. I wait until he’s inside before I shut the door and lock eyes with him.
“I want to ask your blessing to marry Rosie.”
For a moment, he just stares at me, then a slow breath leaves him. “You should’ve asked me years ago.”
The words hit me square in the chest. “I know. For that I will always be sorry, Uncle Dario.”
His eyes hold mine, and his voice grows rough from emotion. “Bring my daughter home, and you’ll have my blessing.”
I nod, and he opens his arms and engulfs me in a fatherly hug, then he whispers, “Promise me the only tears Rosie will cry will be from happiness.”
“I swear on my life.” My arms tighten around him. “She will always come first.”
There’s a knock at the door, and while we’re still holding each other, it opens, and Georgi glances between us. “The two of you need a moment longer to make out, or are we getting to work?”
“Little fucking shit,” Uncle Dario snaps, pulling away to go after Georgi.