Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Luca

In the dim light of the safe house, the tension is a living, breathing thing, thick enough to cut with a knife. I”m pacing, every muscle coiled tight, ready to spring. The ransom note in my hand feels like a ticking bomb, the words a clear threat to Julia”s safety. Grigori”s at the window, eyes scanning the perimeter, while Lana”s perched on the edge of her seat, a storm of emotions playing across her face.

Grigori breaks the silence, his voice steady but underlined with urgency. ”How are we going to find Julia?”

”The note was clear. They want us to go get her,” I snap, the pieces clicking into place with a clarity that does nothing to ease the knot in my stomach.

Lana”s voice, when she speaks, is laced with fear and conviction. ”It”s Roman... It has to be him.”

Grigori turns, fixing her with a look that”s part disbelief, part frustration. ”Lana, you”re acting like you don”t know Roman your whole life.”

”And you did?” Lana fires back, her voice rising. ”Suddenly there”s a transaction to Roman”s account by Perez, then the next week I”m being assassinated by Twitch, mind you, Roman brought him here when he was fucking 11. And they took Julia, knowing damn well how much I care about her, and you”re still trying to tell me it”s not Roman behind all of this?”

The room falls silent, the weight of Lana”s words hanging heavy between us. I can see the gears turning in Grigori”s head, the conflict clear in his eyes. He”s known Roman as long as any of us, the idea that he could betray us this deeply is a bitter pill to swallow.

I step closer, placing the note on the table where we can all see it. ”We”re wasting time. Whoever did this, Roman or not, they have Julia. And we”re playing right into their hands with this infighting.”

Lana nods, the fight draining out of her as the reality of the situation sets back in. ”What”s the plan, then?”

”Julia”s phone. We need to track it. There has to be a reason they left it behind,” I say, the idea hitting me like a bolt of lightning. This isn”t just about leaving a trail; it”s a message, a game to them. But they”ve played it with the wrong people.

Lana”s eyes meet mine, the urgency clear. ”Go. And do it fast.”

I”m in motion before she finishes speaking, my steps quick and purposeful as I make my way to the tech room. Our tech setup is a beast, born out of necessity in a world that”s always trying to outmaneuver us. We”ve got gear and software that could make government agencies green with envy, all to ensure we”re never caught off guard.

Barging into the tech room, I lay down our mission without any fluff. ”We need to track Julia”s phone. Find the last call, anything that leads us to her.”

The team gets to work immediately, their fingers a blur over keyboards as they navigate the digital labyrinth with a skill that borders on the supernatural. I hover in the background, every muscle tensed, every sense honed on the task at hand. Julia”s safety is the prize, and every ticking second she”s not found is a mark against us.

Then Lana bursts in, a whirlwind of fear and command. ”Did you find anything? How long will this take?”

The team doesn”t falter, accustomed to the pressure, but the air tightens with her presence. ”Working on it,” one of the techs replies, their focus unwavering.

Lana paces, a caged tiger. ”Speed it up. We don”t have time to waste.” Her eyes dart to the screens, to me, a silent plea beneath the veneer of strength.

I meet her gaze, nodding once. ”They”re on it, Lana. We”ll find her.”

”You don”t understand, Luca. I lost someone before, and I won”t let that happen again.”

I can see the fear in her eyes, the desperation that fuels her determination. But I also see the resilience, the strength that has carried her this far. I know I can”t make any promises, especially not in this line of work. But I can give her the one thing she”s been missing: hope.

”Lana, listen to me,” I say, trying to convey the sincerity behind my words. ”We”ll find Julia. But we can”t afford to panic, okay? We need to stay focused, to think clearly. Time is our enemy here, and we have to use it wisely.”

The room holds its breath as the last piece of the puzzle clicks into place, the techs managing to pull up the audio of the last call made from Julia”s phone. A hush falls over the room, every eye fixed on the speakers as the play button is pressed.

”Hello?”

”Hi, Julia.”

That voice. Roman”s voice. The familiarity of it, laced now with a betrayal so deep it sends a shockwave through the room. Goosebumps raise on my arms, a visceral reaction to the undeniable truth laid bare before us. This can”t be right, yet there it is, as clear as day.

Disbelief, anger, betrayal—all of it mixes in a potent cocktail that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I glance at Lana, seeing my own turmoil reflected in her eyes. The Roman we thought we knew, the man we considered family, has just been unmasked as the architect of our current nightmare.

Lana”s fury crackles through the air like a live wire, her command slicing through the stunned silence. ”Track his fucking phone! I”m going to kill him myself!”

The team exchanges uneasy glances, the gravity of the situation settling in. Protests bubble up, half-formed words of caution and concern, but Lana”s not having any of it. ”I said track his phone!” she screams.

Under the weight of her command, the team springs into action, fingers flying over keyboards with renewed urgency.

Grigori is there in an instant. He reaches for Lana, his touch gentle but firm, an attempt to anchor her to the present, to temper the rage boiling within. ”Lana, we need to think this through,” he tries.

But the die is cast, and the chips fall with startling clarity. The digital breadcrumbs lead not just anywhere, but to Perez”s house—the heart of the viper”s nest.

Lana”s rage boils over, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife. ”If Perez wants a war, he”s going to get one. I will not be seen as weak. I will not be bullied into handing over everything I”ve worked for, and I will not allow my best friend to be hurt.”

Grigori steps in, trying to inject a note of caution. ”Lana, think this through. Charging in blindly—”

She whirls on him, her fury undiminished. ”Think it through? My best friend is in the hands of that snake, and you want me to sit here and strategize?”

I join in. ”We need a plan, Lana. Going in guns blazing won”t save Julia. It could get her killed.”

Lana”s glare could cut steel. ”So, what? We just sit back and let them take her? Let them think they can push us around? No. I”m done playing it safe.”

Grigori tries again, voice steady. ”Nobody is saying we do nothing. We”re saying we do it smart. We can”t afford to lose you too.”

Lana”s breathing is heavy, ”Lose me? I lost myself the moment they took Julia. What”s left to lose?”

I step closer, the urgency in my heart translating into a fierce determination in my voice. ”You, of course! I can”t afford to lose you too.”

”You may not have a choice, Luca. I won”t let them get away with this. I won”t let Roman or Perez destroy us.”

We need a plan,” I assert, breaking the charged silence, my mind racing through every possible strategy that could bring Julia back without risking us further.

Lana”s response is immediate, her voice laced with a steely determination that leaves no room for argument. ”Oh, I have one.” With those words, she strides out of the room, her purpose clear in her swift, decisive steps.

I know exactly where she”s headed—the armory. With a heavy sigh, I follow, Grigori at my heels. We both understand the gravity of the situation, the desperation driving Lana, but the thought of her marching into danger, especially in her condition, sends a chill down my spine.

By the time we reach the armory, Lana is already assessing her arsenal, her movements methodical, a general preparing for battle. I step in front of her, blocking her path. ”I won”t allow you to go there guns blazing while you”re pregnant,” I say, the weight of my concern for both her and our unborn child heavy in my voice.

Grigori joins in, his stance firm beside me. ”Me neither.”

Lana”s gaze flicks between us, a fire igniting in her eyes at the challenge. ”I didn”t ask for your permission,” she retorts, her voice cold, a clear indication that she doesn”t see this as a debate.

With a determined glint in her eyes, Lana brushes past us, grabbing the weapons she deems necessary for the task at hand. I exchange a resigned look with Grigori before following her lead, knowing that trying to dissuade her at this point would only be futile.

Stepping closer, I assert with as much authority as I can muster, ”You”ll be all the way back. Me and Grigori go in first, Lana.”

Silence follows, her back to me, her focus unwavering. I reach out, capturing Lana”s hand, forcing her to face the gravity of the situation. ”You hear me?”

When she doesn’t respond, I tighten my grip, my next words laced with an intensity born of fear and the fierce desire to protect. ”If it takes chaining you here in this room to keep you safe, that”s what I”m gonna fucking do.”

Her eyes finally meet mine, a storm of emotions swirling within them. I press on, needing her to understand, to truly hear me. ”So, you gotta promise me that you won”t do anything stupid while carrying our baby. Those men... they don”t care about Julia. They want you dead.”

Lana”s gaze softens, a flicker of vulnerability cutting through the layers of determination and rage. She squeezes my hand, a silent acknowledgment passing between us. ”I promise,” she whispers, ”I promise they will pay.”

Fuck, if Perez thinks he”s gearing up for a war, he”s damn right he”s got one coming. And if that bastard so much as lays a finger on Lana again, I”ll take him out with my bare hands. No hesitation, no mercy.

I release her reluctantly and turn to Grigori who is watching us with guarded eyes, aware of the unspoken exchange between Lana and me.

”Grigori,” I command, ”we need every able man on board. Lana stays behind.” He just nods at me, his loyalty never wavering.

The next hour is a blur - one minute we”re plotting strategy and the next we”re loading guns and stocking up on ammunition. The ice-cold touch of steel sends a thrill coursing through my veins; it”s always been like this before a fight—all anticipation mixed with rage and desperation.

”Are you ready?” I ask, my voice low, every word tinged with the weight of what”s to come.

Lana turns to me, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination that”s become her signature. ”Never been readier,” she answers, her tone laced with the resolve of a warrior gearing up for battle. There”s no doubt, no fear in her voice—just the unbreakable spirit of a woman who”s faced hell and come back swinging.