by Soraya Naomi
When I’m confronted with three blond men holding guns, I shriek. And I recognize Mykhail’s father, Dimitri Medlov, as he sneers at me.
“She does resemble Camilla,” Dimitri states, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “But she’s not the one I wanted!”
So he meant to capture Cam and got me instead?
The last thing I remember is discovering that Ukrainian men had gained access to Club 7 and someone smothering me from behind. Now I’ve woken up in – what appears to be – a bookstore.
“Rosalia Calderone,” Dimitri says as he squats down before me and angles his head to the side, examining me. “Do you know why you’re here?”
“No.”
This is the first time I’ve been involved in Chicago Syndicate business. My mother wouldn’t allow it, so I’ve never really known what the Syndicate does, except sell drugs. I only know that I’m ordered to trust no one, not granted a lot of freedom, and not permitted to talk about my family with outside people.
Dimitri rises slowly. “I don’t like you hanging out with my son and that your family owns Club 7. I want that club, and I want to rule the Chicago area. However, I’m in a lenient mood today; therefore, I haven’t hurt you. But I’m warning you this once to stay away from Mykhail from now on. That boy might be too stupid to know when someone’s using him, but I’m not.”
What the hell is he talking about? This man’s paranoid. I’m not using Mykhail.
Dimitri’s nostrils flare, and suddenly, he fists my hair and traces the barrel of his weapon down my cheek. “I’d wipe that smug grin off your face if I were you.”
I swallow my fear and attempt to school my expression.
“Get Mykhail,” Medlov commands one of his men, who disappears to another room and returns with Mykhail.
“Oh, my God, Dimitri! What’s going on?” Mykhail barks when he sees me tied up. “Rosalia, are you okay?” He strides toward me, but he’s held back by the guard.
He calls his father Dimitri?
Hurriedly, I nod.
Dimitri turns calmly and, out of nowhere, he backhands Mykhail in the face, hard. “I would appreciate it if you’d obey me when I summon you and not make my guard have to find my own son for me!”
Mykhail ignores his words and loosens his jaw, not shocked at his father’s outburst at all. “What are you doing with her?”
Dimitri grinds his teeth, heatedly pointing his weapon toward me. “Her? Is she all you care about? You’ve been a disgrace to me ever since you were born, but now you’ve really outdone yourself, consorting with my enemy!”
“I haven’t,” Mykhail protests, struggling against the guard.
“Don’t lie!” Dimitri backhands him again.
I wince. I never knew how strict and abusive Mykhail’s home life was.
“You were with her last night. My guard followed you,” Dimitri explains with fury.
“So you took her?” Mykhail shouts disbelievingly. “She has nothing to do with her family’s business. I’ve told you this already.”
“You’re stupid if you truly believe that.” Dimitri’s glare shifts in an instant to the third guard standing to his left. “And I didn’t take her. He did!” He raises his arm with his gun in hand, pulling the trigger twice, shooting his own guard in the chest.
While the others don’t even flinch, I gasp and purse my lips together in utter panic. After twenty-one years of living with a father who’s in the mafia, I witness firsthand how ruthless this world is. How easily they take human lives, and it frightens me to the core.
Dimitri continues talking to Mykhail as if nothing happened, “My man was supposed to bring me Camilla, though this gives me the opportunity to settle this feud I have with you. Will you stay away from Rosalia? If so, I’ll let her go. As you can see”—he scornfully motions his pistol at me—“I haven’t injured her. But I will if you remain obstinate.”
“I promise I’ll stay away from her,” he vows.
“If I ever catch you with her again, I’ll hurt her badly, Mykhail. And it’ll be your fault,” he emphasizes with malice.
“Yes, okay,” Mykhail agrees. “Just let her go.” He holds still then looks at the guard, waiting to be released.
The guard glances at Dimitri for a command, and Dimitri orders, “Take Mykhail back upstairs. We’ll leave together after the meet.”
“How do I know you won’t harm her?” Mykhail asks his father.
“You’re just going to have to trust me,” he states, pointing his weapon to the ceiling. “Move him out.”
Forcefully, the guard shoves Mykhail around a bookcase, out of my sight.
I gulp in nervousness and remain stock-still as Dimitri’s phone rings. “Oh, it’s Fallon. During the ten minutes I was able to get inside Club 7, I gave her my card and told her to call me when she finds out. I guess she’s discovered that you’re gone.”
Fallon? Apparently, Dimitri has gotten her involved too.
He answers, “Fallon,” while holding my gaze and putting it on speakerphone.
“Medlov, I believe you have something of ours?” Fallon declares, sounding anxious.
“Very clever, Fallon,” he replies.
“Where’s Rosalia?”
“She’s safe with me,” Medlov assures her.
“I want to speak to Rosalia,” Fallon insists.
“Say hi,” he tells me, thrusting the phone to my mouth.
“Hello...” I attempt to sound normal but fail miserably.
“Rosalia, are you okay? Did he hurt you?” Fallon demands in a rush.
“I-I’m fine,” I try to ease her worry.
“That’s enough,” Medlov says to me.
“What do you want?” Fallon asks loudly.
“My men failed their mission, so I want to give Rosalia back to you. But I only want to meet with you present, Fallon.”
“Why me?”
“Because I want the voice of reason to be there to control the men,” he informs.
“To show goodwill, I will give Rosalia back to you. Midnight. Wicker Park. I’ll text the address to this phone.” He cuts the call and paces away without another word.
Appalled by this tyrannical man, I’m drowning in my own thoughts until I detect approaching footsteps. I hold my breath yet release a relieved sigh when Mykhail appears.
“Rosalia, are you okay?”
“Yes. Are you?”
“I am.” He checks the knots of my restraints, and I notice a purple bruise forming on his cheek.
A sense of sadness and empathy overcomes me. “How often does he hit you, Mykhail?”
His movement stills as he looks up at me with moisture pooling in his eyes. “Often enough.”
“Oh, Mykhail. Why do you call him Dimitri?”
“I’m not allowed to call him father.”
What? “He’s crazy. You need to get away from him.”
“I have nowhere to go, Rosalia. And I can’t leave my little brother. He’s only three.”
“Does Dimitri hit him too?” I ask, repulsed.
“I think so. Adam’s changed so much the last couple of months.”
Footsteps interrupt us, so I implore him, “Leave, Mykhail. Run away from Dimitri. I’ll be fine. Your father made the call for a meet.”
“I told you, I can’t abandon my brother.”
I can’t do nothing after what I’ve just witnessed; my heart won’t allow it. “Then find my red leather purse. I had it with me. There are two identical sets of keys in there for my pool house. Take one and meet me there when you get the chance to leave, okay?”
He doesn’t seem convinced but says, “Okay. Be careful, Rosalia. And don’t tell anyone about what you know about me. Trust no one.” He dashes away.
“Okay. You be careful too,” I whisper-shout right before a guard comes from around the corner.
He unties me, propelling me to step around a bookcase and toward an escalator. We journey upstairs, with his gun poking into my back, and Dimitri swings my purse around
my neck when we reach the top.
Thankfully, Adriano, Luca, and Fallon are waiting for me at the entrance of the bookstore. Adriano cocks his head, and I nod that I’m okay.
As soon as the guard releases my arm, I march forward, but I’m stopped by Dimitri as he speaks to Adriano, “Wait. Rosalia’s fine. You can take her home, but I want a meet with you and Luca regarding the sex club. A true meet. Bring your Consigliere if you wish.”
“Fine, contact my Consigliere for an appointment on my turf. Now, give me Rosalia,” Adriano orders and Dimitri moves aside.
In a rush, I join my family and Adriano clasps his arm around my shoulder, leading me outside. Voices of dozens of dressed-up people celebrating Halloween bombard me on the closed-down Wicker Park neighborhood street that’s located only ten minutes outside the Loop. The night’s breeze is harsh, but I’m so hot, sweat trickles down my neck.
“Are you okay, Rosalia?” Adriano asks, releasing me as Fallon grips my hand in comfort.
“He didn’t hurt me. It was just scary.”
“That was easy,” Fallon points out, tucking her mahogany hair behind her ear as we hurry toward Adriano’s silver convertible parked at the curb while Luca and Adriano scan the area nonstop.
“I agree. That was too easy,” Adriano confirms.
I check to find one set of keys gone from my purse – luckily, Mykhail did as I asked. The thought of him and his little brother being abused is something I can’t live with. I’ve never witnessed such cruelty in anyone’s eyes like I did in Dimitri’s piercing grey ones.
Unexpectedly, Adriano sprints toward his vehicle as Luca, Fallon, and I speed up after we see Logan running up to him. Then Adriano slams him against the side of his car.
“Where the fuck did she go?” Adriano bellows as more men surround him. He releases Logan, still irate, but it seems to be directed at all the men around him. He only gets this livid when it comes to Cam.
“What’s going on?” I frantically ask Fallon as she holds me back by my shoulders. She’s distracted by Luca speaking to her, but I don’t catch his words, and my mind has a hard time keeping up with the mayhem that ensues.
Adriano’s furiously barking orders when my father joins us too, scanning me from head to toe. “Rosalia, are you unharmed?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I reply as he pulls me into a hug. “Dad, what’s going on?”
“Cam’s missing. She was supposed to be waiting in Adriano’s car for us, but we all lost sight of her. Go with Fallon.” He practically shoves me to her before I can fire off more questions.
Logan catches my eyes suddenly and mouths, “You okay?”
I frown, nodding as I’m shooed into a car with Fallon and shocked speechless.
What’s been going on around me while I’ve been ignorantly living my life?
***
For almost a day and a half, I’ve been ordered to stay with Fallon so I can cope with what’s happened, yet, considering that I’m physically fine, my rampant emotions mostly concern others I care about. Actually, my kidnapping isn’t even registering in my mind while I’m worried sick about Cam and can’t check to see if Mykhail is at my pool house.
I don’t want to return home because my father hasn’t notified my mom about my kidnapping. If she finds out, it will cause a huge disagreement between them. But my father is also excluding me from mafia business and isn’t responding to my calls or messages. That is, until I’m summoned to the ICU at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Immediately, I charge out of the penthouse and find a guard waiting for me at the front entrance of the building to drive me and drop me off.
Twenty minutes later, I storm into the waiting room where Adriano and my father leap up from their chairs.
“What happened?” I demand to know in a rush.
My father sends me an empathetic look, but instead of keeping me in the dark – since I am involved now – he explains, “Dimitri wanted Cam because he has a vendetta against Adriano. He wants Club 7, and he knows Cam is Adriano’s weakness. So when Dimitri returned you, he had Cam kidnapped from Adriano’s car and held her hostage at his house. Adriano and the men went in to rescue her, and it was a mess. Bombs exploded and Cam suffered a head wound and has internal injuries.”
I cover my mouth with my hand.
“There’s more, Rosalia,” Dad adds. “Cam hasn’t woken up. She slipped into a coma.”
My gaze redirects to Adriano, who has bloodshot eyes with dark circles betraying his emotional torment.
“Can I see her?” I ask him, and he leads the way through the pristine hallway into her private room.
Cam’s intubated, hooked to several machines, and a white bandage covers her head. There are also multiple bruises on her face. I feel like crying but instead, I pray to God that she isn’t in any pain.
Adriano takes a deep breath before he speaks, “Rosalia, I also have to tell you something else.”
As my father stands beside me, I turn my face to him.
“Cam’s pregnant.”
“What? How?” I blurt out before I shake my head, silently apologizing for my stupid comment. “I mean, how long? And will the baby be okay while Cam’s in a coma?”
“A couple of weeks. And yes, the baby can grow healthy as long as Cam’s monitored closely,” he answers.
I brush my palm over my forehead from the sheer anguish of this situation. “Um, congratulations.” I loop my arms around his neck, and he returns my hug with one arm. “I’m sorry. I’m happy for you two but also sad.”
“I understand,” he reassures me, staring at my sister as if she’s the only one in the world he needs.
She and Adriano share a bond I envy. When he looks at her, it’s like he sees so much more than the rest of us do. It’s true love. It must be. This is the kind of love I want as well.
“I’ll give you some time alone with Cam. Talk to her. The doctor says it’s good.”
“Okay, I will,” I promise as he and my father exit the room.
Sinking down into a chair beside the bed, I grip her hand in both of mine while a relentless wave of heartbreak seeps through me.
Nonetheless, I keep my tone uplifting. “Cam, I’m going to be an auntie. You know I love kids, so I’m going to spoil my niece or nephew rotten.”
I cling to the only positive news, pleading to God that Cam and the baby will make it through.
CHAPTER 4
Logan
After a hellish evening of retrieving Cam from Dimitri Medlov’s estate in Ukrainian Village, I arrive at the hospital without a good night’s rest. I don’t sleep for any great lengths of time anyway, and I’m too wound up to sit still.
It was a fucking tragic operation, but I assisted the Syndicate the best way I could by helping to hack into Dimitri’s security system and providing tranquilizers and plenty of ammunition. As a result, we were able to overpower Dimitri’s guards and take control of his mansion. Regrettably, Cam was caught in the crossfire – the one thing we wanted to avoid.
Though, without my help, it would’ve been an even bigger mess. At least the Syndicate either apprehended or killed many Ukrainian mafia members. The Ukrainians have started a war by raiding Club 7, kidnapping Rosa, and then kidnapping Cam. I sense that Adriano’s craving vengeance. He’s not a man to mess with, and his devotion to his girlfriend – who’s also a Capo in this organization – and his family makes me respect him more. He doesn’t take anything for granted and protects those he loves with merciless authority.
Still, my main concern is ensuring my membership in this mafia. An associate is dispensable. Therefore, until I’m pledged in, I’m not certain where my life is going or what position they’ll put me in. However, when it does happen, I anticipate making much more money because I’m taking huge risks working against the CIA and embezzling their equipment. Moreover, I need more funds for my own and Nana’s safety.
After my assistance last night, Adriano’s made it known that he would accept my membership. That
’s great news for me since he’s the boss, and his vote is vital.
When I pass the waiting room, I spot Adriano, Luca, and James sitting inside. Just the three highest ranking men I needed.
“Gentlemen,” I greet and then address Adriano, “How’s Cam?”
“She’s stable.” He sighs, tiredly raking his tousled black hair back with both hands. “Do you have Dimitri?”
“No,” I reply. “We’re searching for him.”
He surges to his feet. “I want him, Wade. Alive!”
“It’s my top priority,” I placate him, knowing his emotions are getting the better of him right now. “I’ll contact Henry and see what he’s discovered.”
“Do it now,” Luca instructs.
I wonder if they still don’t trust me, so I comply and call Henry, the Syndicate’s tech guy and the most intelligent hacker I know. He has a simple administrative job in local government and works for the Syndicate on the side. Like me, he’s not an official member but wants to be.
When Henry answers, I tap the speakerphone icon. “Henry, I’m at the hospital with Adriano. Have you found out more about Dimitri?”
“No. I had to decrypt his systems first since you wanted me to dismantle the Ukrainian organization. If Adriano wants to destroy that mafia, I have enough incriminating documentation that you can hand over to the authorities. With all the slaves we found on Dimitri’s estate, the FBI can easily build a case against his sex club, which was basically just a human trafficking business.”
“That’s good.”
“By the way, did you know Dimitri has another son?” he mentions.
Surprised, I look at Adriano who shakes his head.
“No, we didn’t.”
“Yes, two sons: Mykhail and Adam. Adam’s three. The mother was one of Dimitri’s girls at his sex club and she’s dead. I think it would be wise to focus on locating Adam or Mykhail, and then you’ll probably find Dimitri.”
“Maybe...” I weigh our options. “See if you can discover more of Dimitri’s safe places. You concentrate on him. I’ll try to locate Mykhail and Adam.”
“Okay, I’ll call you as soon as I know more.”
And I inform James, “Rosa knows Mykhail.”
