He hesitates. It's brief but enough to tell me what's coming. I brace myself, still hoping I’m wrong.
Then he shakes his head, almost imperceptibly.
I stagger back, out of his reach, and a sound more animal than human tears from my throat.
TWENTY-FOUR
Gabriele
She knowswhat's coming before I respond. I watch her brace herself for the blow. Her shoulders stiffen, her chest puffs up as if she's holding her breath. She tilts her chin up, determined to be brave.
When I shake my head, unable to utter the words I know will break her heart, she lets loose a scream I'll never forget. I reach for her, dragging her back into my arms.
She thrashes against me, raging against the world but finding only me to take it out on. I let her. She's stood strong for me. Now it's my turn to do it for her.
"You have to kill them." Her voice is ragged. "Kill them all."
"We will, dolcezza." I stroke her hair. "We are."
"My mother." She pulls back and looks at me with eyes that are red and wild. "She did this. You find her and you shoot her in the fucking face."
The venom in her voice shocks me but if she needs to unleash, I won't judge her for it. She starts to cry again, wretched sobs she can't control. I feel utterly helpless.
There's nothing I can do but hold onto her. I somehow manage to get her into the back of the car. She cries until she can't catch her breath.
As Lukas gets into the driver's seat and we begin our journey back to the airstrip, my brothers' cars fall in behind us. I cradle Katya against me, whispering soothing words in Italian, telling her all she means to me in a language I know she doesn't understand.
She cries until she's spent. Then her head droops and she's out like a light.
"Fuck, that was rough," Lukas says as we speed toward the airfield.
I nod because what else can I do. "Update?" I ask. I can't do anything for Katya right now so I focus on business.
"Kuznetov and Litkov are dead. Half of their men surrendered. Sev will pick the ones he can use and get rid of the others.”
When I told Katya I brought an army, I meant it. Sev Baranov did more than provide intelligence. At Damiano's request, he sent a dozen of his own men, each of them trained for operations like this.
Now we have Katya, our people will pull back. Sev's will wipe out whoever remains in the Kuznetov and Litkov Bratvas. He'll absorb their holdings into his own empire. He’s welcome to it.
Nothing in Russia holds any interest for me. Not now I have my wife back safe.
"And Irina Kuznetova?"
Lukas's jaw clenches. "She got away."
"Fuck." That's more news I don't want to tell my wife.
"Call ahead. Make sure the plane's ready to take off the minute we're all on board. I want to get out of here as fast as possible."
"Already done."
We reach the airfield in record time. I don't wait to speak to any of the others. Scooping Katya up into my arms, I carry her onto the plane. There's a bedroom at the back where we can have privacy so that's where I take her.
She doesn't stir as I lay her on the bed. I climb on next to her and position her so her head rests on my lap. My lips flatten as I look at the dress they put her in. White. Was she supposed to appear more virginal for that animal to claim?
I wish I'd been the one to put a bullet in Litkov, but Katya's needs were more important than my thirst for vengeance.
I look up as the door opens and Damiano pops his head into the room. "Is she okay?"
