Sweet Collateral

He walks over to a door and knocks on it. With a loud squeal, the thick steel door opens, revealing two men in military uniform. They snap to attention, arms clasped behind their backs and postures rigid.

With one last glance, Nicholai steps out of the room. The door slams closed behind him, the sound echoing around the cold concrete walls. As I glance around, I realize there are no windows, only one door, a cot and a toilet. That’s it. I’m a prisoner on death row, unless my sister, the sister I barely know, turns herself and her child over to this madman.

I hope she runs as far and as fast as she can.

37

Rafael

New York. It’s cold and chaotic. Men and women hurry down the sidewalks in their suits, phones pressed to their ears. Stepping out of the car, I glance up at the sleek skyscraper stretching towards the midnight blue sky, like a beacon. The low rumble of the subway echoes through the grates beneath my feet, sending a whoosh of foul smelling air whirling around me.

I don’t want to be here. The urge to fly to Russia is eating away at me, but I know it’s pointless without a plan. I just hate knowing that she’s there, and I’m here.

As soon as we step inside the building, a guy jerks his head at us, pressing the button for an elevator. There’re no buttons for any floors, and the numbers keep ticking by until we reach the top. Of course, Nero would live in the penthouse.

The doors glide open, and we’re greeted by the sight of guns pointed at us.

“Let them in,” a voice shouts from somewhere. The two men step back, allowing us into the penthouse. Nero strides across the marble lobby. He does not look the part of a mafia boss, but he’s not to be underestimated.

“Nero.”

“Rafael. This is Gio and Jackson.” He points to the two guys with the guns.

I nod. “Carlos and Samuel.”

“Ivanov called Una. He wants a trade.”

“Of what?”

Nero pinches the bridge of his nose, stress lines sinking into the corners of his eyes. “Una for Anna.”

I can see in his eyes, that’s not a trade he’s willing to make. “I’ll go after the Russian myself if I have to,” I say.

Nero laughs. “And you would die. This guy…” He shakes his head. “Whatever you’ve heard or think you know, it’s so much worse.”

I catch sight of movement behind Nero just as Gio mumbles under his breath. “Ah, shit.” A tiny little blonde woman steps around Nero and drives her fist into my jaw so fast, I barely have time to react. The blow snaps my head to the side and leaves me reeling. Jesus. Samuel must have reached for his gun because when I look up, she has a weapon pressed to his head and pure murder in her violet-colored eyes. She looks just like Anna, but harder, vicious, ruthless in a way Anna could never be. This would be Una then.

“I will shoot your worthless, sack of shit ass where you stand,” she says.

I rub my jaw, glancing at Nero. “She always like this?” He shrugs one shoulder before shifting to stand beside her. His hand glides around her waist, coming to rest on her stomach. And it’s then that I notice the bump stretching the material of her black hoody. She’s pregnant. Nero’s watching me intently. Well, no wonder he was so keen to get her back.

“They’re here to help,” Nero assures her.

“Loco puta,” Sam mumbles. Idiot. She pistol-whips him across the bridge of his nose without ever taking her eyes off me. Sam groans and clutches his broken nose. Nero clears his throat to cover a laugh.

“You lost my sister.”

The accusation stings, but she’s not wrong. I swipe a hand over my face. “Do not think that I take this lightly. The Russians shot three of my men.” We both have a lot at stake here, in the form of Anna, but honestly, if it weren’t for Una, Anna never would have been in any danger.

“I don’t give a fuck about your men! You promised she was safe with you.”

“She was heavily guarded, and in one of my houses that only my closest men know about.”

“Well then, it looks like one of your closest men is a rat, Rafael.” She glares at Samuel and Carlos.

“One of the men who was shot was my brother,” Carlos says.

“I. Don’t. Care. If I were you, my only concern would be the fact that my sister is gone.”

I place a hand on his arm to stop him from moving. “Do you know who I am?" she asks quietly, stepping up to him until they’re toe to toe. “If I don’t get her back, I’m going to come to Mexico and end your entire fucking cartel.”