I hit him with a left that rattles his teeth.
“I saidagain, motherfucker!” I snarl. I don’t need his fucking concern. We have work to do. And a few rounds of rumbling is the best way for me to clear my head.
We’re rolling on the mat again by the time Raoul returns from the call he’d just taken. The pair of us clamber to our feet. I’m hurting, but the wound’s holding out. I’m not dropping dead anytime soon.
“Manny’s confirmed it,” Raoul says grimly. “Eduardo Junior will be with the Russians downtown to pick up a shipment coming in before dawn tomorrow. I don’t have confirmation of what they’re receiving, but it’s something big. Even Eduardo Senior’s going to be there.” I tilt my head.
“I’m assuming my father has no idea about this?” I ask. The fucker has his own intelligence streams, but he’s so goddamn arrogant that I doubt he’d believe it if I told him his own brother is screwing him over.
Raoul shrugs, no doubt thinking the same thing. “If my source is correct, dear old Pops is playing it cool. There’s no sign of extra security. No news circulating about him being on guard. It’s like he’s buried his head in the sand. Which is bad, coz it seems your uncle’s got plans for him too.”
I heave a sigh, using a towel to mop the sweat from my face. This news of my father has me troubled. I’m not his keeper, but what’s happening in his world is touching me now. Edoardo’s plans to take Nikki mean he’s feeling brazen enough to take me on directly…to get on my turf. I won’t allow it. Particularly when I think about what those cunts had planned for her.
“Any idea of what’s in the shipment?” I ask.
“We’re thinking weapons and…uh…girls,” Raoul says. I rub my jaw. It fits perfectly with the information he’d extracted from the fucker who tried to kill me. They’re trafficking women. And probably planning to get Nikki and her sister into one of those loads.
I’ll kill them all!
“Did you make the other calls I asked for?” I keep my voice steady when I turn to Raoul, who nods immediately.
“It was short notice, but the camp director made an exception after I provided a small ‘facilitation’ fee.” He grins. “The jet’s fueled up, and the pilot is on standby. As soon as you’re ready, we’ll get Dani to Geneva till this shit’s blown over.”
I give a tight smile. It had been my kid brother’s idea to send Dani off to a high-end “Summer camp” in Switzerland. It was such an unlikely option even I hadn’t thought of it, so I’m confident it’s something no one else will think of either. With the place known for hosting kids from “discerning” families, we’ve been assured that discretion is guaranteed, not to mention high-end security. Of course, we’ll be sending our own team along, anyway. I’m not taking any chances with my boy.
“I’ll go check in on him and help him pack,” I say under my breath. The men standing alongside me nod silently. Dani’s going to want to see me before he goes. He’ll want to know where Nikki is. And it’s going to break my already shattered heart. But there’s no way I’m having my boy around when the shit hits the fan. I know what those fuckers are capable of.
“We’re gonna take care of this, boss,” Mateo says firmly. His eyes are steady on me when I turn to look at him. “You’ll get out of this thing, once and for all. I’ll make sure of that.”
“You got that right, dog,” Raoul says with his usual impossible brightness. The kid never seems to let anything get him down. Though I know there’s a ton of shit that lurks beneath the surface. “Nobody takes the Caraldis on and gets away with it,” he adds. “Brothers forever, right?” he turns to me, fist extended. I reach for his hand. Mateo closes his own huge paw over the top of our joined hands.
“Brothers forever,” he adds grimly. We may not share blood, but he’s more family to me than my own right now. There’s a moment as we stand there where the weight of it all hangs heavily on my shoulders. I pull away, standing taller.
“I’ll check in on Daniele,” I say.
“And the woman?” Mateo says, stopping me as I turn to leave. “Do you want me to send out a team? Bring her back?”
I shake my head. “We need all our men on board for tonight. I don’t want you to shift focus while we deal with this family matter.”
“So, what then? You’re just going to let her skip town with a bag full of your mama’s diamonds?” Raoul says.
I level him with a stare. “She’s not leaving town,” I reply. The tracker I’d installed on her phone has already provided me with an address. “I know exactly where she is. And I have someone special in mind to go over and take care of Nikki Love.”
They’re both staring after me as I leave the sweat-hazy room in search of my son.
Chapter 9
Nikki love
“Coffee?” I hear the word as if it’s being said from a million miles away. “Wake up, babe,” the voice continues.
Dear God…where am I?
It feels like I’m dragging myself from some dark, impossibly deep pit as I pull myself from sleep.
“What….?” My lips are dry. I try to lick them with an equally dry tongue. ‘Where…?” I realize it’s Andy beside me, and details start to come tumbling back. Arriving here last night. Andy’s insane mansion home. My heart breaking as I left Dario alone in his bed. The pain surges back. Sleep would be better, but I can’t…I have to get up. “What time is it?” I finally manage to slur. I pry my eyes open and struggle to focus on Andy sitting on the edge of my bed. Grim determination and the scent of good coffee are the only things stopping me from sinking back into my dark pit. She holds the mug beneath my nose as if trying to lure my foggy brain from wherever it’s hiding.
“Nearly seven,” Andy tells me. I groan out loud, struggling to push myself up. “Here, let me help…” she mutters, shoving a pile of cushions behind my back. Propped up, I reach for the mug, inhaling, then taking a sip.
