AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He nods before moving to do just that. When Vlad tells me he’s unable to reach Danny, panic floods through my veins, but I can’t allow myself to think about that. I briefly close my eyes, trying to purge the worst-case scenario from my head. After Vlad assures me that he’s already working on finding them, I head up to my bedroom to grab something. When I’m there, I get a phone call. It’s from another unknown number, but I already know who this is.
“Ramirez,” the person on the other line says, his voice surprisingly pleasant.
“Santiago,” I growl. “Where’s my wife?”
“Relax. She’s safe. At least for now. If you want her back, you’re going to have to do some things for me.”
“What the fuck do you want?”
“I want my cartel back.”
“Your cartel’s gone.”
“I know, which is why you’re going to help me establish a new one by providing me with some funds. I want money, Nicolas, plain and simple.”
Valerio always said only a short-sighted man would ask for money when he holds the keys to a kingdom.
“And Sebastian? What the hell does he want?” I grit out.
“Oh, so you know about my partner. Excellent. Makes all of this easier. Seb wants you dead, Nicolas. He wants you dead and he wants to be Don. But you know what? I like you. We’re both from the same place, brother,” he says in Spanish. “And while you may have tried to kill me, I’ll forgive you. I’ll even let your wife go. Just make your way over here alone. And come with enough money for me to start over. Time’s ticking, Ramirez. Sebastian’s not here right now, but I can’t guarantee what he’ll do when he arrives.”
My jaw tightens. “Send me the location.”
“Sure. And I repeat, Nicolas. Come alone! No guards, no capos, nobody! I’ll fucking know if you leave that house with any men. I’m not bluffing.”
“I got it.”
He hangs up, and I immediately begin to consider my options. I don’t think he’s joking about knowing if I make a move to tell the others. I’m guessing there’s a camera in the house somewhere, or maybe he’s managed to hack into our phones. Hell, he could even have a fucking spy in the house. But it doesn’t matter. There’s one person I know who can’t have been compromised.
I send a text to The Shadow with the details of my plan, and he agrees. This just became a two-man operation.
Getting out of the house without being seen is easy enough. Everyone’s too busy getting things ready for the fight. I leave a note behind with my location, asking them to be ready to move in when Dominic gives them the signal.
When I leave, I do so intent on making sure nothing happens to the woman I love. I promised I’d never let her get hurt, and I plan to keep that promise. But for the first time, I also wonder if maybe she was right to run from all of this after all.
CHAPTER 30
AURORA
Islowly open my eyes, groaning softly. I’m in an unfamiliar room. It’s pretty big. There’s an unfamiliar window behind me. I’m shocked to find that I’m not tied up. I hurriedly rise to my feet, wincing softly at the pain coming to life in the side of my head from the crash.
The last thing I remember was the sound of a loud bang as we were hit from behind by another car. We were heading home to the compound. And then suddenly, there were two cars following us, trying to run us off the road. Danny and I swerved to the right, and he managed to stop the car right before we slammed into a tree. Then there were these men who knocked Danny out and I’m guessing they knocked me out as well.
This all feels very much like déjà vu. I walk toward the only window in the room, my heart leaping in my throat when I look outside to find that I’m several floors up in the building. I release a soft breath, trying not to panic, but I can’t help it. When I place my hand on my forehead to check, there’s some blood on it. I don’t think it’s a serious injury, but I’m terrified. What if the baby got hurt in the crash?
I hold my stomach as I stand still, my gaze stuck on the door as I wait for my captor to appear. I have to remain calm and assess the situation. I’m not dead yet, so that has to count for something. Whoever it is needs me alive.
The doorknob turns suddenly, and I freeze as it opens. My kidnapper walks inside. It’s a man I don’t recognize. He looks to be in his early thirties with dark hair, with a cruel smirk playing over his face.
“Hello, Mrs. Nicolas Ramirez!” he greets me enthusiastically.
He gestures for the door to be shut, and the two men standing guard outside do so immediately.
I stiffen slightly at that but manage to ask, “Who are you?”
“Your husband never told you about me?” he asks. “My name’s Santiago. Ring any bells?”
My jaw clenches. Nico mentioned that he’d been searching for this man for a while. I’m guessing he found us first.
