Page 63 of Merciless Daddy

The door closed behind her.

I waited until her footsteps disappeared.

Then I picked up my phone and called Tonio.

He answered on the third ring, voice low. “Tell me you have good news.”

“Change of orders.”

A pause. “From surveillance to what?”

“Extraction.”

He went quiet.

In the background, I heard a vehicle heater and the faint scrape of movement. He was still in Brooklyn, still watching the Sokolov house.

“You understand what happens if we take the boy,” he said. “Lev might tolerate eyes on his house while he decides whether to kill Gianni or us. He won’t tolerate us removing his son.”

“I understand.”

“It escalates the war again.”

“Yes.”

“Serafina ordered observation.”

“I’ll answer to Serafina.”

“Sal.”

“Until that boy is safe, every choice she makes under this roof has a knife held behind it.” I looked at the closed office door. “Get him out.”

Tonio breathed out slowly.

“I’m allowed to use force?” he asked.

“I don’t want any deaths.”

“And if not possible?”

“Kiryl comes first.”

“That answer is going to cost us.”

“I know.”

Another pause.

Then his voice changed. The warmth remained, but steel moved underneath it.

“I’ll need twelve hours.”

“You have six.”

“Eight.”

“Seven.”