Page 157 of The Bratva King

I stare at her.

“I was injured, but Greg was there. He pulled me out, got me to a different city. I had a new name and federal protection.”

The silence stretches.

“Matteo never knew I was pregnant. No one knew.” Her eyes find mine. “Luke is his son. He looks like him, but he’s mine.”

I stand up and go to the window because I need a minute to process what she’s just told me.

“We’ve been in the witness protection program for five years,” she murmurs. “I kept running, but I exited six months ago to make a life for Luke.”

Everything she’s done is to keep her son safe.

The pieces lock into place. “The white roses.”

“Matteo used to send them after he hurt me. I found one on my car. And someone sent them to the casino. I thought it was you.”

“Not me, Gabby.”

“I should have told you.”

“He found you,” I say.

“His family. Matteo is dead. I watched him die.”

She’s staring at me with devastated eyes, waiting for me to react. I cross the room and bend down in front of her chair. Eye level, so she can’t misread what I’m about to say.

“I am going to get him back.” Every word is deliberate. “Luke is coming home. This is not a promise I’m making to make you feel better.”

Her chin trembles, and she bites her lower lip to stop it.

“Once he’s home, I will find everyone involved. The men who touched him. The ones who planned it. The one who gave the order.” I hold her gaze. “They will all die.”

She doesn’t flinch or tell me to let the authorities handle it. She looks me in the eye and nods.

“Lvitsa,” I say.

“You said that before. What does it mean?”

“Lioness. You are my lioness, Gabriella.”

She inhales. “I have to get my baby back, Nikolai.”

I stand. “Tell me about the Castellano family. The Vegas operation. What do you know?”

She shakes her head slowly. “I didn’t know they were here. I swear to you. The family I knew operated out of New York and New Jersey. Atlantic City. Some presence in Miami.” She pauses. “I didn’t know they had this kind of reach out here. I never would have come to Vegas if I had known.”

“The man in the park,” she whispers. “The mugging. The roses. They were never about you.”

“No.”

She closes her eyes. I watch her work through it. It’s been more than an hour, and I have my men everywhere. I assumed it was the Italians. I was right. I just had the wrong family. I’ll have answers soon.

“Go upstairs,” I tell her quietly. “Rest. You’ll need to be ready for Luke when I bring him home.”

She gets to her feet and sways. I steady her with a hand at her elbow. “I’ll be in his room,” she whispers.

I watch the door close behind her.