Chapter 23

Nikolai

T oday's meeting seems never-ending. I'm distracted and impatient to get home to Arianna. I hate that I had to leave her behind and that Endo, Dimitri, and Kimiko were all needed here. As much as I trust my men to follow orders and make sure no one goes inside, I don't like the thought of leaving her alone in the house.

I'm also pissed that Castro has been brought into the project. I knew his involvement might be necessary and agreed to it, but that was before I found out that the snake had married the fake Arianna. Allying with my enemy is tantamount to declaring war as far as I'm concerned, if the fucker thinks he can get away with it he's got another thing coming. He'll find out he's not untouchable soon enough. Though, I have to bide my time and find the right way to take him out without antagonizing the others. For now, he lives.

The slimy fuck even had the gall to bring along his new bride with him. Something I protested against, but Garcia and Castro shut down. She's little more than a slave, unlikely to pose a threat or tell anyone, and she's sat staring at the floor without saying a word the whole time. But still, her presence unnerves me. Having to pretend she's Arianna, that I don't know who she really is, is something I could do without.

We're interrupted by a knock on the door and my secretary comes in. I feel a flash of irritation, I told her no interruptions. But the look on her face tells me that it's something urgent.

"Sorry to interrupt sir, there's a call for you. I told them you were busy, but they said it's important, life or death, and that you'd want to know immediately."

The poor woman looks downright terrified. I do not doubt that she didn't want to interrupt and that she was worried about what I might do to her for disobeying me.

"Excuse me," I say to everyone, rising and following the secretary out.

"I'm so sorry, they said…" she starts to ramble fearfully.

I hold up a hand to silence her and take the phone from her grasp.

"Nikolai Kuzmin speaking," I bark into the phone.

"Pakhan, something's happened. There's been an attack at the compound," I hear a nervous-sounding Lev say on the other end.

"Arianna?" I ask, praying that the worst hasn't happened. I feel sick and furious at the same time at the thought that harm might have come to her. If anyone dared touch her, I will burn their world to the ground. The thought that she could already be dead twists in my gut like a knife. The seconds Lev takes to reply seem to last an eternity.

"She's alive but hurt. She's in the hospital. Ivan was the one who attacked her. I shot him just in time. He's dead."

I don't even have time to register or question why Ivan attacked Arianna or to tell Lev off for shooting to kill. He should have shot and disarmed him but left him alive to question, there could be more moles in our ranks. Not that I can blame him for shooting first and asking questions later, it could well have saved her life. I would have liked the pleasure of killing the bastard myself for daring to touch Arianna. But I can't think of any of that right now. All I can think of is her.

"How hurt?" I ask, barely controlling my rage. I grip the phone so tightly it's a miracle it doesn't break.

"A broken nose and fractured eye socket, he was strangling her when I found them. She was unconscious and she hasn't woken up since. She's in a coma," Lev informs me gravely. "The doctors are running tests now to see if there's any permanent damage to her brain. It depends on how long she was without oxygen."

I feel like my world has shattered. The shame and anger that I wasn't there to protect her, to save her, makes me want to lash out and hurt something. The fact that it was one of my men who did this to her kills me. I wish that Ivan was still alive so I could take my time causing him unimaginable amounts of pain before killing him slowly. He doesn't deserve a quick death.

"Where is she?" I manage to choke out the words.

"I'll send you the address of the hospital now. I didn't want to risk taking her to our guy, figured she'd need more specialist care than the normal stuff he deals with. I checked her in under the name Jane Brown, they think I'm her brother. Mikhail and Andrey are here with me keeping guard in case there's another attack."

"You made the right call. I'm on my way," I say, hanging up.

We have a Bratva doctor on our payroll for the kinds of injuries you don't want to draw attention to. Things that would flag up on the police's radar if we were to go to a hospital. But for this, Lev made the right call. Arianna needs the best trauma care, not someone who spends most of his time removing bullets and sewing up knife wounds.

I reach into my pocket and check my phone. Seven missed calls. Fuck. I'd put my phone on silent for the meeting. How long have I been in there while Arianna was fighting for her life? How much time have I wasted not by her side?

I stride down the hallway to find my car and drive straight there. I call over my shoulder to my secretary, "Tell them the meeting is over. I have to leave."

I don't make it to the elevator before I see Endo, Dimitri, and Kimiko running down the hallway after me. I don't bother to hold the doors for them, but they make it just in time.

"Boss, what the fuck?" Endo asks.

I explain the situation through gritted teeth, barely able to hold back my rage. With no one to direct it at, I'm like a ticking timebomb and they know it. They share silent looks of concern but say nothing. When we get to the car, Endo opens the driver's side door and gets in.

"I'm driving," I snap, wanting to race like a bat out of hell to get there as fast as possible.

"No, you're not, boss. You're no use to her if you get us in a wreck and kill us all on the way there ‘cos you're going too fast and were distracted," Endo says.

He has a point and we're wasting time arguing so I don't say anything, simply get in the front next to him as the others pile in the back. To my relief, Endo drives almost as fast as I would. He knows I'd likely do something stupid if he didn't. We drive in silent tension for a while.

Finally, Dimitri pipes up. "Was it her father's doing?"

"Must be. Ivan must have been in his pocket for a while now, probably since the attack at the club when I killed Lucchese. If we hadn't brought in extra men to the house today to keep an eye on Arianna, he likely wouldn't have known she was there," I say, hating that by trying to keep her safe, I sent danger her way.

"How much does Castro know?" Dimitri asks.

"That's what I'd like to know. If that fucker was deliberately there to keep the meeting running long enough to harm her I'll cut his balls off and shove them so far down his throat he chokes on them," I spit out.

"I don't think he was, I think he's on our side," Kimiko chips in.

Before I can lash out and launch into a tirade asking how she could possibly believe that, she continues.

"Maria followed me into the bathroom earlier on a break. We spoke briefly and she gave me this for Arianna." She holds up a letter. "She told me Diego is not a true ally of De Luca. If De Luca learned of Arianna's whereabouts, it wasn't from him. Besides, it was no secret that he suspected she was with you. His suspicions were no doubt confirmed once Lucchese bit the dust. He must have been waiting for the perfect opportunity."

"And you believed this Maria? You think Diego is a friend?" Dimitri asks what we're all thinking.

"Yes. I read her letter. I think she has no reason to lie. It would benefit her to tell us otherwise so we would help her escape."

"What does the letter say?" I ask, slightly relieved to have something to focus on other than my concern and rage.

Kimiko hesitates for a moment, unsure of whether or not she should tell me. "It's meant to be for Arianna, I just read it to make sure it was safe for the Family."

"Tell me or I will take it from you by force," I snarl.

She looks at me for a moment sizing me up. She clearly senses how serious I am. Opening the letter, she begins to read.

"Dear Arianna,

Seeing you the other night was an unexpected and sad shock. I had so hoped you had finally escaped this life. By now, I am sure you have realized that I have become you—for all intents and purposes.

When you escaped, your father had me pose as you and marry Lucchese, and now I am married to Diego Castro. I do not want to dwell on the life I lived between now and the last time we saw one another. Nor do I want you to feel any guilt for the horrors your father has inflicted on me. I do not blame you, so please don't do so yourself.

I know you are likely to believe that I need to be saved. Please know that I do not.

It may sound incredibly unbelievable, but Diego and I are in love. We met and fell in love many years ago, when Diego first came to visit your father with his. When he next returned, hoping to offer to buy my freedom, I had already been sold. He spent years searching for me hoping to rescue me. When he attended your wedding as a guest, he could not believe it when it was me at the altar and not you. It seems Diego and I have Nikolai to thank for killing Lucchese and allowing us to be together finally. For that, we will both be forever grateful and loyal to him.

With Lucchese gone, Diego approached your father and asked to marry me. Of course, they both knew I was not you. But Diego promised that his family would remain an ally and keep his secret if he could marry me. Diego is not yet don. But when he is, I know he will break that promise to avenge the wrongs your father has done to me and so many others. He is a kind, honorable man. I have a good life with him.

Please, I beg you my dear friend, sister. Leave this life and get as far away from your father as you can. I cannot yet protect you from him. But I can be you. Use this as an opportunity to become someone else. Be happy.

My love always, Maria."

Kimiko finishes reading, her eyes meet mine and she looks tentative and sad. She thinks that this letter will convince Arianna to leave.

"Give it to me," I demand.

"Nikolai…" she starts to protest.

"That's an order from your Pakhan."

Reluctantly, she hands it over. "She has a right to know. You know her, she will never stop trying to rescue Maria otherwise. That it will kill Arianna if she thinks her friend is still a prisoner. She will never forgive herself."

I know Kimiko is right. I cannot keep the letter from Arianna. I won't do it. I cannot bear the thought of causing her further suffering. But right now, we don't even know if she will survive. But if she does, and I pray to god she does. I will give her the letter and I will let her decide what to do next. I will let her go if she wants. Even if it kills me.