Cazzo. He’d better not give me shit about giving Kira to Zotov.
“Alba, I need to step out for a minute.”
“Sure.” She turned back to Paolo and kissed his hand. It appeared she cared deeply for my cousin, and I had no idea about their relationship until Fabio told me one of his men said Paolo asked for Alba.
I went into a small waiting room a couple doors down from Paolo’s room and dialed the number.
He answered on the first ring. “Ciro.”
“Storm. What’s up?’
“Heard about the shitshow you’re caught up in and wanted to offer my assistance.”
“I appreciate the offer, but you’re in Minnesota, friend.” I’d known Storm for many years, and he was a stand-up guy; married with a few kids.
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have connections with the Kings of Anarchy MC in NorCal. Whatever you need,” Storm said.
“The only help I will need is dealing with Wolf. I know you know.”
Storm sighed. “Yeah, he filled me in.”
“He better not fight me on giving up Kira. My baby girl’s life is at stake.” I wouldn’t pick a man I didn’t like over my own child.
“I get it. I would do the same thing.” No surprise there. “But do you believe Zotov would harm your baby? He would start a war with you, my club, Fabio, with every contact we have. That’s a lot of people, Ciro. We would all stand with you.”
“You almost had me there.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“I thought you called to support me. Not try to change my mind about Kira.” I ended the call and put my phone back in my pocket.
Fucking Storm. I will remember this for a long time.
“I’m ready,” Alba said.
I turned around. “Good. Let’s go.”
The time had come to get my woman safely out of San Francisco and on my jet. The Remotti estate was like a fortress. There was no chance Zotov or Cara could get to Isla there.
45
CIRO
All I could thinkabout was Isla and how she looked when I kissed her good-bye an hour ago. Would she hate me after this was all over? Could I blame her if she did?
No. I didn’t blame her for anything.
Her sister’s piece-of-shit boyfriend was to blame. He assaulted Isla and brought the Russians into the apartment building, for a measly ten grand.
The flight to Canada would take six hours. That meant I had two hours to get Pippa back and get her home to her mother before bedtime.
Roman’s phone rang. He answered it and I could tell it was about Wolf’s mother.
“Are you sure?” my brother asked. “There is no room for mistakes about this.” He tapped his thumb on his knee, a thing he did when he was nervous,
I had a feeling my intuition was correct about Wolf’s mother. She wasn’t alive.
“Yeah, okay. Thanks.” Roman ended the call and put hisphone away. He stared out his window for a long second. I didn’t push him to talk because I already knew I was right.
