He shrugs. “Well, not really.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “How does that work?”
“If you mean being knocked down by a five-foot-two second-grade teacher, I could say I was.”
I shake my head. I don't want to know. “Valentina is missing. I thought she came to you, but then you were missing, and we thought it could be connected.”
Rage washes over his face. “What are you talking about?”
“Come.” I motion to the car. “Let’s talk on our way.”
I tell him everything from the fight to how I ended up here.
“So, you mean to tell me that you don’t have any clues where she might be? Are you even sure she wrote this message?” he questions.
I pin him with a questioning look. “You tell me. You're her brother. If she wanted to leave me, could she have come here?”
“Of course. What kind of question is that?” His voice hardens.
“There, you’ve got your answer. And I know she would never accept defeat against any woman.”
His eyes narrow, his jaw ticking. “You sure about that?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
We stare at each other until my phone breaks us up.
I turn from Nico and close my eyes, silently begging for Marco to have the answers I need. “Tell me you’ve got good news for me.”
“We have something; she doesn’t know much, though. Dante didn’t even lift a finger before she broke.”
“Tell me!”
“Victor is in some deep shit with the Russians and needs money desperately. According to Naomi, the fight the other night was supposed to bring him profit. Only, Valentina messed up their plans. Victor thought she was easy prey and messed with the fighters’ lineup. You know what happened that night. And the day after, we assumed she was taken from the same hotel room you were in. “
“Get to the point,” I say. The anticipation is killing me.
“I am. Now comes the good stuff. Victor was involved in some shady business in Chicago. Working for none other than Gianni Savoini.”
“He’s dead. I killed him.”
“Yes, but his son is alive. Even behind bars, he has connections.”
“Who is his connection?” I clench the phone in my hand.
“That’s all she knows. Victor didn’t talk business with her.”
“Fuck!” I end the call. This is Camorra territory. But Valentina is my wife, and I will do anything to find her. I turn to Nico. “We may have a lead, but I don’t know where it will take us. The guy who took her, Victor Marku, Albanian bastard, was working for Savioni before I killed him.
He glares. “You made a mess I need to clean.”
“No, I just did what Valentina wanted, and I would do it all over again. The point is, his son has contacts outside, and they helped Victor. We just don’t know who.”
“That’s easy to find out. We just need to make them talk.”
“Who are they?” I question.
“Come, let me show you. I just needed a reason to kill the rest of the crew.”
