Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
I stare at the closed door, feeling kind of helpless. After talking with Sam, I find I’m worrying more about Victor. I can’t let him get hurt. The only problem is I have no idea how to protect him. I’m basically a prisoner. I walk to the window to stare outside. I’m fighting tears as I try to get control of my emotions.
“Please be careful, Victor. Come find me but don’t get hurt. I love you,” I whisper, praying somehow my words get to him, even if I know they won’t.
victorio
. . .
One Week Later
We’ve traveled everywhere around the US and still haven’t found any sign of Gia. I’m fucking tired and worried sick. I’ve never gone this long without my woman and I’m close to breaking. To make matters worse, I have no idea what to do next. I ruled out going to Russia to find her, because we tracked Sam’s plane to Alabama and the flight plan was to Mexico. It never showed. Which left me at a crossroads. Since then, I’ve been systematically going through every holding in the US that the Levkin brothers owned or were tied to one of their corporations—either dummy or legitimate ones.
I went down to Alabama to the private airstrip that Samuil’s plane took off from. There was nothing there but a private airstrip. It was empty except for a broken cellphone. It was Gia’s and when I found it, I just held it to myself and tried not to cry in front of all my men. I’m not giving up. I’ll move heaven and Earth to find her. I’m just losing hope.
I move my hand to the back pocket of my jeans, where her phone rests. I close my eyes while holding it and silently promise her that I will find her… somehow.
I go to the computer room and sit down beside Ghost. He had a chair moved in because I’m always here. It’s the only place where I feel like things are not totally hopeless.
“How many more properties do we have that we need to investigate in the US?” I ask.
“What makes you think he’s in the US for sure?” he questions back, studying my face.
“It’s just a gut feeling,” I answer honestly with a shrug. “It’s not easy to get women out of the country especially on a plane, private airstrips or not—especially if she’s not willing and my girl definitely wouldn’t be.”
“True, but it still can be done.”
I nod, forced to agree. “It can, but I don’t see Samuil leaving his uncles behind so easily. Especially when the gossip is that the younger Levkin brothers are gathering allies to go to war against Abram. Samuil seems to have sided with them. If there’s a war, you can bet he’ll be there to face his father. He’s too damn cocky not to.”
Ghost seems to accept that. “There are three properties left. One is in New York. The second is in Tampa, Florida and finally, there’s one in Seattle, Washington.”
I study the places in my mind, weighing each choice as I struggle to come up with my next destination. I’ve tried to be very methodical, and I wish Ghost was on my team permanently. He’s good—really good. It wasn’t easy finding these properties at all. The man was relentless, sifting through a mountain of paperwork and a hell of a lot of fake corporations. I made it a little easier because I didn’t bother looking at the properties that were easier to find. As much as I hated to admit it, I think that slimy motherfucker was too smart to do that. On that basis alone, I make a quick decision.
“Let’s cross out Tampa. It’s too close to DeLuca headquarters. He’d want to make sure Gia was far away from me.”
“That leaves Manhattan or Seattle,” he replies.
I rub the tension in my forehead. I can feel a migraine building. “We’ll head to Seattle in the morning.”
“Are you sure?”
“It’s a logical choice. It’s closer to Arizona where his brothers are stationed. If I look at it like that, it makes the most sense.”
“I’ll have my crew ready,” Ghost says.
“I’ll have mine. Do we still have a crew watching the Levkin brothers here in Phoenix?”
“Yeah, no sign of Angelina or Samuil. I’ve even tapped into their security cameras.”
“I didn’t think so, still I was hoping…”
“Go get some sleep man, you look wiped. We’ll head out in the morning. I’ll have my men ready around seven.”
“Sounds good,” I mumble, then walk out down the hall to my room.
angelina
. . .
I follow Sam’s maid into his office. Apparently, I’m being summoned. I don’t know what I did in a former life to give me so much bad karma in this one, but I’m ready to cry uncle now. I smile at Loretta. I try to be nice to her. She’s just doing her job. It’s not her fault that her boss is an insane idiot. She gives me a reassuring smile back and then leaves, closing the door behind her. I stare at the door a little while wondering what would happen if I made a run for it.