Page 68 of Love Me (Touch of Death 3)
I don’t take a full breath until The Elite finally all get in their cars and reverse. The street is once again left in darkness. Tommy instantly pulls me into a tight hug. I wince against his hold. As the danger passes and adrenaline wanes, my body hurts all over.
“Are you okay?” he asks, emerald green eyes searching my face.
“No. Enrique pulled me out of a first-floor balcony with him.” I glance at the dead body just as Una tugs the sheet back over his mess of a face.
“As lovely as this little reunion is, there’s a dead body in the street.” She picks up the legs. “Little help, Tommy?”
They put the body into the trunk of the car, and I climb into the back seat.
“Let’s go home,” Una says as she starts the engine.
Home. I’m not really sure where or what that is anymore. It feels like I’ve spent so long running and fighting, grieving and raging… I haven’t stopped and thought about the future. I didn’t know if I would ever even get to this point.
I just…don’t know what the future holds for me. I have to figure it out.
21
Sasha
I pace the length of Nero’s office, glancing at his phone every few seconds.
It vibrates, and I stare at him as he reads a message on the screen. “Una has Adelina. They’re both safe.” The relief is clear in his voice.
The idea that Una would go alone to face several Elite soldiers and retrieve Adelina…well, it didn’t sit well with Nero or me. Despite Ronan’s words of reassurance, I do not trust the Elite. Especially where Una is concerned. She’s like a thorn in their side, an offense to everything they stand for.
The phone rings, and he answers, putting it on speaker. We’ve been waiting for this. It was too simple. Ronan Cole didn’t get his reputation by making simple, cut and dry deals.
“Nero,” Ronan drawls, in that distinctive melodic voice. It’s like he’s amused.
“Ronan. Thank you for bringing Adelina to us.”
“Yes, well, the Ricci girl is quite the pawn now, is she not.”
I bristle, and Nero holds up his hand. Of course, he’s not offended by the notion. He’s used her the same way.
“I have something that may interest you. I found your weapons,” Nero says, an olive branch if you will.
“Oh, how convenient,” Ronan laughs.
“It actually took considerable resources to track down the storage facility that Bianchi’s men had taken them to.”
“Please, Nero.” Ronan tuts. “I know you were involved in this.”
Nero’s eyes meet mine, and I shake my head at him. He needs to tread carefully while also not directly lying. “I did not make Bianchi rob you, Mr. Cole.”
“No, that is true. I believe he thought he was stealing from you. However, a man stupid enough to blindly rob me without asking questions…” He sighs. “Well, I cannot tolerate such a lack of intelligence. Inferior men deserve death.” There’s a pause. “What I want to know is why you would set him up? Tell me, and I may forgive the trouble you’ve caused me.”
Nero’s eyes meet mine once more, and again, I shake my head. “Bianchi attacked me, here, in New York, in my own home. In fact, he hired your Elite to do it.”
“A man scorned, that’s your story?” He huffs a laugh. “How disappointing. You see, I know everything, Mr. Verdi. I always do.”
“So why are you calling? What do you want? A cut of Sicily?”
He scoffs. “Please, I’ve already negotiated that with Ms. Ricci.”
“What do you want?” Nero repeats, his voice more stern. He’s losing patience.
Ronan laughs, clearly delighted that he’s getting under Nero’s skin. “A cut.”
“I just—”
“Of New York.”
Silence. New York is everything, the source of Nero’s power, the throne he fought so hard for. He’ll never give it up.
“Fine, but I need a favor.”
Ronan lets out a sharp hiss. “That’s the second favor you have asked of me, Nero Verdi.”
“I want the Elite to stop coming after us.”
“Ah, but you started a war with an army. There are consequences for that.”
Nero growls. “What will it take for peace with them?” There’s an edge of desperation to his voice, and if I can hear it, then so can Cole.
“Them? I own them. I am the Russian Bratva in its entirety. They don’t shit unless I say so. It is not them you need to make a bargain with.”
“Fine, what will it take for peace with you?”
“The issue is a complicated one. You see, Una Ivanov has become a symbol, the leader of a rebellion if you will. Since her, we’ve had had to…destroy, several promising soldiers. I have had to implement a cut-off age of twenty-five. All those years of training for only a few years of use.” He sighs. “Such a shame.” They’re killing Elite at the age of twenty-five; I understood logic and lack of emotion in most things, but this…this is barbaric.
