“Thanks,” I mutter. I haven’t eaten or slept since Savina was taken. The thought of food makes me sick. And every time I try to sleep, I’m plagued with nightmares so terrible and vivid that I wake up in a cold sweat, calling out her name. I know I won’t be able totruly rest until Savina is back in my arms, safe and sound. She’s my one and only priority; everything else in my life is secondary to me right now. “If we’re done with the pleasantries, tell me about your contact,” I press, not wanting to waste any more time.
“They call himThe Wolf. His real name is Roman Rykov. He’s a Russian hacker and cleaner. The absolute best in his field. He’s been out of the game for years, though, due to an incident that transpired with his family.”
“What happened?” I question, curiosity getting the best of me.
“His wife was murdered by a rival mob,” he explains. “They bombed the restaurant he was eating dinner at with his family. He and his young daughter barely escaped alive. Wife was killed instantly.” He swallows hard and shakes his head. “He’s been in hiding ever since in order to protect his kid.”
Okay, that makes him a little more honorable in my book, but he’s still questionable in all other aspects. “If he’s been out of that life for a while, then what makes you think he’ll help you out?” I ask.
“He owes me a favor,” my father states simply.
I realize I don’t have to ask anything else, because favors mean something in the Bratva. They swear them in blood and hold them to a higher honor. And the fact that my father is using this particular favor to help Savina makes me respect him even more than I already did.
I decide right then and there that even though I’ve been protesting this entire time to not be his mutt and take his orders, all of that stops here. Saving Savina in exchange for my life is something I will gladly do. I’m willing to take a backseat and let Pavel marry the girl of my dreams. I’m willing to live miserably in the dark shadows just so that she can thrive and have a full life in the bright sun. All I’ve ever wanted was for Savina to be happy. And if I have to watch from a distance and be my father’s minion forever, then so be it. As long as she’s safe, it will all be worth it in the end to me.
My father checks his watch and announces, “It’s time.” I watch as he types on his computer; and after a few minutes, a shroudedfigure appears on the screen. The room is bathed in darkness, and it’s almost impossible to see the man who is facing the camera on the other end of the video call.
“I need to pull you out of retirement, I’m afraid,” my father says in way of greeting.
The man on the other end says nothing.
“You owe me, Wolf,” my father stresses.
This gets a response out of the dark figure. I can hear him sighing deeply into the microphone.
“Savina Cipriano was kidnapped by the Irish Mafia. I need to know where they’re keeping her and how we can infiltrate the building without getting our men killed.”
“Give me the last known address,” a deep, gruff voice with a Russian accent says. It almost sounds like he swallowed gravel.
My father rattles off the address of the venue where Savina was kidnapped. “It happened two days ago,” he adds.
“I’ll text you the info as soon as I get it,” Wolf says before ending the video call.
My father sits back in his chair, looking relieved, although I am anything but.
“What if he doesn’t follow through?” I question, my voice revealing my inner panic.
“He will.”
“You seem so damn sure,” I scoff. I wish I shared his unwavering confidence in this guy.
“He’s never failed me before,” my father states, and I believe him.
Satisfied, I ask, “So, what do we do now?”
“Now, we wait.”
I run my hands through my thick, black hair, pulling at the ends. Patience was never my strong suit, especially not when Savina’s life is on the line. But I’ve run out of other options. This Wolf guy better come through, or he’ll end up on my list too. And that list is slowly growing by the minute.
All I can hope for is that Savina hangs in there for just a littlelonger. I can only imagine the hell she’s going through right now, but I hope she can feel it in her bones that I’m coming for her.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Savina
IT’S BEEN FIVE days.I think. I’ve been trying to count meals and bathroom breaks in my head, and I’m pretty sure I’m on the fifth day of this living, breathing hell on earth. There are no windows in this godforsaken place, so I have no idea if it’s nighttime or daytime right now. They feed me the same meals over and over again — bread or crackers and water. They’re doing the bare minimum just to keep me alive, not giving a fuck if I’m hungry or dehydrated, and all of that doesn’t bode well for me. How long before they stop giving me the bare minimum and just kill me?
I fear not much longer. I can hear the men whispering amongst themselves. I’ve seen the looks in their eyes. They don’t want me here anymore than I want to be here; that much is crystal freaking clear.
