Natalia
It’s been three days since we strew Valentino’s body parts around the hotel room like confetti. Robbie seemed to enjoy it a little too much, and I suspect he took an ear for his collection. He’s sweet, though. They all are. It’s an entirely different family dynamic. Mine is also caring but a little more distant.
I wonder if that’s it. If I’m the final piece of what Ivan is familiar with, and because I’m slipping away in the opposite direction, I wonder if that freaks him out.
There’s a garden behind the pub. It’s enclosed, so I spend my days lounging out there while Daniel does whatever Ronan asks him to do. I don’t get involved unless it’s related to Don Russo, who Daniel is still trying to trace.
Molly comes out with a mop bucket, pours it down the drain outside, and glances at me.
“Afternoon, Molly,” I say with a smile.
She smiles back. “Afternoon, Natalia. Do you want some tea?”
“I would love….”
There’s a massive crash and shouting from the front. I whip around and see smoke rising from the front of the building.
“Stay here,” I say to Molly as I rush inside. I hurry to the front of the pub.
Two cars are on fire, with several men pointing guns at each other. I glance out the windows. Ronan and Robbie are standing outside, surrounded by their men aiming guns at Dominic, Carmine, Frankie, Ivan, and Evgenii.
God, will this never end? I’m so tired of being tossed back and forth. I see Daniel near Ronan, and it worries me that Ivan might shoot him first.
I go outside, and Daniel glances in my direction. “Nat, get back inside. We’ll sort this out.”
“Natalia,” Ivan says my name loudly. “Come with us. We can discuss this on our own turf. I’m not standing here talking to them.”
“Stand down, everyone.” I raise my hands. “Evgenii, stand down.”
“Come home,” he barks at me. “We have things to discuss, and you need to be in a safe, unbiased place to talk about it.”
“Unbiased,” Robbie says sarcastically. “You’re completely biased against us.”
“Robbie, shush,” Ronan says. “It’s the lass’s decision. We’re not forcing her to stay here.”
Daniel steps forward, and Ronan looks at him. He stops walking, but he still speaks. “Nat, go back inside. We’ll handle this, then you, me, and our baby will take off to somewhere no one will find us.”
“No! I’m so tired of running. Running from the Dons, running from my family.” I look at my brother. “I deserve my happy-ever-after.”
“This is not like you, Natalia. We’re concerned. If you stay here, we assume it is by force, and we will declare war.” I walk to Daniel and kiss him softly.
He looks down at me. “Don’t go with them.”
“I’ll be back. We will always find each other. I don’t want anyone from your family to die here.”
I lean up and kiss him deeply before I turn to Ronan. “Thank you for keeping me safe and welcoming me.”
“You’re always welcome here. You have my word.”
I smile and walk toward Evgenii. He reaches for my arm, but I pull away from him. “You’re not my brother. You say that I’ve changed, that this isn’t like me. In all the years I’ve worked for our family, no one has ever questioned how I do things. Now you want to control my every decision.
It’s you who have changed, not me.”
I follow the Sorvino brothers to their car. I don’t want to drive with Ivan and Evgenii.
I glance at the cars that are on fire and pray no one was hurt in them.
I think if someone were, Ronan wouldn’t have been so calm.
The Sorvino brothers drop me at Ivan’s house, and I follow my brother and cousin inside.
“Evgenii, sit quietly for a moment. I’ll speak to Nat.” Ivan looks at me. “You’re going to your parents in Europe. You’re to remain there until the baby is born and afterward. When you prove you’re of sound mind, we’ll come visit you.”
I stare at him for the longest moment and can see he doesn’t like it. I smile. “I’m not going.”
“I will remind you that there is a pecking order in this family, and you’re slowly slipping down it.”
I shake my head. “You are my family, Ivan. You are my blood. Why are you not happy I found someone I love and who loves me?”
Ivan looks at me and shakes his head. “Nat.”
“I’m going to rest, which is what I was doing at the pub. Let me know when you come to your senses.” I’m not snarky about it; I’m gentle. But I need him to see how unreasonable he is.
I go out to the deck and lie down on the lounger. I cross my arms and stare out at the beach as a guard comes to stand by me.
“Let me guess; you’re to stay with me at all times?”
The guard doesn’t say anything, and I sigh. This is going to be tough, but maybe if I speak to Ivan’s mother, she can make him see sense. Or maybe Tori. I wonder where she is.
I sit there, lost in my thoughts. I must have dozed off because I jolt when I feel someone putting a blanket on me. I look up at Ivan sleepily.
“What?”
“You looked like you were getting cold.” He sighs. “Nat, we should talk.”
“Sir.” There’s a knock at the door. “Apologies for interrupting, but we’ve received a message from the Quinns.”
Ivan sighs and nods. “What is it?”
“Ronan Quinn says that he will still take out the Dons that are hunting Natalia at no charge to yourself.” The guard looks at Ivan, who glares at him. He hurries away, and Ivan looks at me.
“I do not want to be indebted to those fuckers.” He glares at me.
“Do you see the trouble this is causing?”
“He’s holding no debt against you,” I say calmly. “He said no charge. He’s doing it because I’m carrying someone related to him.”
Ivan shakes his head. “There’s always something behind the scenes with that man.”
“Then give me to them.” I look at him, tilting my head to the side.
Ivan raises an eyebrow. “I’ve just spent weeks fighting to get you back because I’m pretty sure you’ve been brainwashed, and now you want me to hand you over to the Quinns? As payment for saving your life.”
“I’m not a possession. You don’t own me, and neither do they. But by allowing me to marry Daniel, you would have paid your debt, and everyone would be happy, especially me.” I sit up and wrap the blanket around me. “Please, Ivan. Trust me with this.”
Ivan shakes his head and rests his arms on his knees, leaning forward. “What Alessandro and I have built hangs precariously in the balance. Everyone is waiting for one of us to show weakness. They will use that to infiltrate us and destroy us from the inside. I have to be careful how I lay my cards, and by giving into another enemy family, I am basically saying I’m a pushover.”
“Or that you’re a strong leader that creates alliances to further his family,” I push him, leaning forward as far as I can. “Someone who can avoid war with other factions and still gain. If I had to marry Daniel, we would have the Quinns on our side with my marriage. They are brute strength; it’s what they’re known for. Protective services. It’s their expertise.”
“You want me to draw up an alliance with Ronan Quinn? Call him my equal,” Ivan snorts. “You think you hold such a high position in this family that I would do that.”
I frown. “Yes, I did think I held that high a position. You let your daughter get engaged to your wife’s older brother, who also is low on the food chain. Why is it different for me?”
Ivan stands up. “Because it is.”
“You’re being childish.” I stand up. “Take away the fact I serve you as my Pakhan and be my cousin for ten minutes, Ivan.”
He takes me by my shoulders. “I am doing this because I love you.”
“You’re doing this to play at being king of New York, not because you’re taking what I want into consideration. You forget Ana may inherit the family, but Evgenii is second, which makes me third.” I keep firm, not breaking eye contact with him.
“Do you know there’s an Irish kid waiting for Natalia outside? I thought you didn’t want her near them?” We both turn as Alessandro walks in. He waves behind him, and I’m surprised to see Jarryd walk in behind him.
“Alessandro, why did you invite this child inside? Does Ronan send his baby brothers to do his bidding now?” Ivan yells.
Jarryd doesn’t even flinch. “He told me to get Natalia and bring her home. With your blessing.”
I look at Ivan, who looks ready to explode.
Natalia
I sit back. Jarryd refuses to sit down and hovers at the door as Ivan and Alessandro discuss what’s happening.
Alessandro points to me. “Ivan, she’s a grown woman. You should let her choose her path.”
“This is nothing to do with our family or alliance,” Ivan is terse.
“Don’t worry yourself about it.”
“Except you involved my family when you asked Carmine and
Dominic to track them. Dominic was shot, remember? Then you called Frankie, Dominic, and Carmine to go with you to the Irish territory to retrieve someone who was perfectly safe and happy. You’ve already involved me in this.”
Ivan looks frustrated and holds his hands up. “I told them to check with you first.”
“They did, and I agreed to help you because I’d like to think we have that kind of mutual respect for each other, a respect we have shared for years now. Ivan, letting her go isn’t admitting you’re wrong. Negotiate with the Quinn family. Bring them to our side. One more friend is one less enemy. Don’t you always say it’s about playing chess?”
“I’m not giving them an inch of my territory,” Ivan hisses, and I glance at Jarryd, who is playing on his phone.
“I’m not asking you to give territory. I’m telling you to hire them.
Hire their services. Let them patrol our territories and keep people in line. I’ve heard the same rumors about Ronan Quinn you have, and you know he’s a businessman and a traditional man who keeps his word.”
“Again, just reminding you that the Sorvinos were your sworn enemy once,” I say loudly.
Ivan glares at me. “People have to stop using that as some sort of weapon against me.”
I try not to smile. That comment means he’s cracked. He’s going to consider it.
He turns back to Alessandro. “If the negotiations go favorably, I will agree to this idea, but I want an iron-clad contract, Alessandro.” Jarryd’s phone rings and he frowns.
“Hi, Robbie, I’m almost….”
He pauses and listens, looking at me in horror. I get up and ask, “Is it Daniel?”
I can feel Ivan and Alessandro are alert now.
Jarryd swallows. “I’ll meet you at the hospital, then we’ll decide from there.”
I reach out and grab Jarryd’s hand as he lowers it from his ear. I squeeze his wrist. “Tell me.”
“They detonated two bombs in front of the pub. The first one disorientated Dan, and he was taken by the Sicilians. Ronan came to save him, but the second blast went off, and he was buried under some rubble. He’s in surgery now. Robbie needs me to go to the hospital to decide on a plan. We need to rescue Danny because if Ronan doesn’t make it…” he looks at me sadly, “then Dan is next in line.”
“I’m going to find Daniel,” I say, but before I can step into the house, Ivan catches my arm. “No. I don’t care if you love the man. We play by the rules, Natalia. This is not our war; if you go near the Sicilians, you and your child are in danger. You need to think rationally.”
I realize he’s not going to let me go easily, so I nod.
“You’re right, Ivan. I need to protect the baby. It’s what Daniel would want.” Ivan lets go of my arm and looks at Jarryd. “You should go to your brother.”
“Nat, we’ll find Daniel. Don’t worry.” Jarryd doesn’t sound sure. I don’t think he’s as involved in the family business. He might be able to kill people, but he’s not a leader, and he knows Robbie is a loose cannon. He’s scared.
I want to comfort him, but my own plans are running through my mind, so I nod. “Go. I know you’ll find him.”
“Alessandro, let’s go discuss this in my office. Natalia, what are you going to do with yourself?” Ivan inclines his head, waiting for me to be bossy.
“I’m going to shower,” I comment. “It will relax me.”
He looks surprised but satisfied. “Very well. Join us in my office when you’re done.”
I watch him leave. The guard that he assigned to me follows me toward the bathroom. I go in and look at him. “You don’t get to see me naked.”
He turns and stands beside the door, and I shut it. I wait patiently. I know Russo. I studied his family for months to intercept that damn deal. I know precisely the type of places they would use to hide Daniel. I studied the families aligned with them. I know I can save Daniel if I’m given the chance.
There’s a cache of weapons at Ana’s house next door. I just need to get there, and I’m good as gold. If I lose my guard, I can cross into Ana’s house without suspicion. Hopefully, her guards won’t know I’m not supposed to go anywhere.
I step into the shower and close the curtain. I kneel down and call out, “Help! Help, I’ve slipped.”
The guard opens the door and hurries in. “Ma’am, are you okay?”
“Please just help me up. I’m covered with a towel.”
He opens the curtain, and I grab his shirt and pull him forward, knocking his head against the wall behind me and letting his body slump to the floor.
I climb out and hurry out, shutting the door behind me. I exit through the kitchen door; that way, I don’t pass Ivan’s office, and he can’t see me. I walk calmly toward Ana’s house, and one guard crosses toward me.
“Ma’am, where are you going?” he asks, holding up a hand.
“I’m going to discuss my pregnancy problems with my niece, you imbecile.” I cock my head to the side. “Obviously, I’m heading to her house.”
He steps aside. “Sorry.”
“You better be,” I say as I walk past.
I remain calm as I cross into her yard and then go toward the back shed where I hide weapons. Ana knows I keep them there, so seeing me get them wouldn’t be surprising.
Once I’ve packed a duffel bag with everything I need, I grab a burner phone and sneak into her garage. I take a set of keys off the hooks near the door and get into Luigi’s BMW.
Sorry kid, I need to travel fast.