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“Word is he made some kind of deal with the Cubans. The hit on him and Cobra had the Cuban mafia written all over it. The Malfetto gang is taking responsibility, but the money and drugs that were stolen supposedly belong to someone of importance. That’s what we know so far.”
She covered her mouth and felt the tears emerge. “Why?” she whispered.
Brutas walked closer and pulled her into his arms. “We don’t know. But whatever he took from them, they want it back. Cramer and Viktor think they might come after you to get it.”
“Me? But why? I don’t know anything about this, or even where he would hide something like drugs or money or guns, if he even did something so terrible.”
Brutas stepped back and caressed the tears from her cheeks. He was a good friend and loyal guard to Viktor and the family.
“Because they might think you have it. Whatever it is. We don’t know, but you need to be careful.”
She nodded. “My God. How could he do this? How could Zinc do this to me?”
Brutas shook his head. “I don’t know. I didn’t want to believe it, either. I keep thinking that maybe he was forced. That maybe someone had something on him, but it doesn’t make sense. He was pretty fucked up when Viktor sought him out after serving in the military. They became good friends. Cramer has been trying to talk with Viktor, but the family is too busy with all this other crap, and some guy who was seeking revenge was the one responsible for all the trouble and danger against Nalia and Karlicov. Maybe when things settle down, Cramer and Viktor can figure things out.”
Nina wasn’t too sure, and now she felt even worse than earlier. Viktor had his own family to worry about, and Nalia, his woman, the boss’s daughter, to give full attention to. Nina’s life didn’t mean shit, and she realized she came back to even less than before. Her head was throbbing, and she felt sick to her stomach. Viktor and his team wouldn’t waste time trying to find out if Zinc had done these things or not. Their focus had to remain on Nalia and protecting Karlicov and leaders in the family.
“I’d better head out. I grabbed the few things you had on the list. They’re in the refrigerator.”
“Thanks, Brutas. I’ll see you at the club.”
He gave a soft, sympathetic smile before he headed out the door. Nina locked the multiple locks and deadbolt then walked over and plopped down onto the fluffy sofa. She stared straight ahead, absorbing the silence and the loneliness she was accustomed to. Being around the men in a big country house with the fresh air filtering through the windows and the constant sound of talking, noises, or busy work had been more relaxing than this. This setting made her feel lonely.
Her heart was heavy as she thought about what Brutas had told her. How she wished Corona, Atlanta, Freeman, and Jessup were here to hug her, hold her, and make her feel safe, as though everything would be all right. That thought upset her. When had she become reliant on them? When had she truly trusted anyone to that extent? She thought about the last time they’d all made love, and it answered those silly questions immediately. She’d allowed them to possess her body in every way. To take her virginity, as well as her heart and soul.
She tried to clear her mind. Thinking about them, longing for something that could never happen, would depress her. She reached for her bag and pulled out her iPad. She thought about what Brutas had said, about what Zinc might have taken, and how the Cubans might be the ones he was working for. The ones looking for what he’d taken.
Maybe Brutas was right about the drugs and money. Maybe Zinc heard about an exchange and thought he could take the stuff and be set, disappear? Why would he do that? She felt angry. Could it have been money—or maybe guns and drugs that Zinc sold off for cash?
Nina couldn’t help but think about her past and the men she worked for, how Viktor and Zinc had saved her from getting killed. Polo was a powerful man, and so was Vincent Malfetto. For a time, when she’d first left and Polo was away on business, he’d tried to seek her out. It had been true that he’d desired to have her and make her his woman, but Viktor and Zinc had taken care of that, somehow. She never knew how, and they’d never told her. They
made her focus on her studies, on achieving her degree and on making a new life. A safe life. Why would Zinc even consider ripping off Polo, of all people? If Zinc had taken money from them, where would he stash it?
She pulled up her e-mails and then her bank accounts. It would seem silly for Zinc to send anything to them. It would leave a paper trail. Any decent computer hacker would find out. But she felt helpless and wanted to somehow feel as though she was seeking answers, in hope of proving that her brother wasn’t a backstabber but was trying to help. As she logged into her account and saw her balance, her mouth gaped. The sixty thousand dollars she expected to see was now two hundred and sixty thousand dollars. She wanted to throw up.
Was this from Zinc? Had he really put this shit right in her lap and made his bad judgment her problem? The Cubans would come after her. Viktor would accuse her of being part of this, fire her, and then toss her out on the street and spread the word that she was a crook.
Nina felt tears fill her eyes. She scrolled down to see when the direct deposit had taken place and from whom.
What the hell? When she got to it, she gasped. It was just a few days ago, well after Zinc had been killed. Then she saw the name, and suddenly it all became fucking obvious. The tears rolled down her cheeks, her chest tightened, and she couldn’t breathe.
“Corona Perry. You Goddamn son of a bitch,” she spat and then cried. She’d never felt so used, so disgusting as she did in that moment, knowing that, after what they’d all shared, he’d paid her off like some fucking high-priced whore.
She could hardly catch her breath. The pain was so large and restricting that Nina thought she might die. Then, those gasps for breath turned into sobs of hurt, betrayal, stupidity, anger. She’d given them her virginity, her love, her heart and soul. And they’d given her cash payment for a week and a half of sex. Nina couldn’t believe it, and she fell to the couch, curled up in a ball, and cried until exhaustion overtook her body.
Chapter 8
“She’s back,” Paulie said into his cell phone. He watched Nina as she went about her job as if she hadn’t been gone for nearly a month.
“How does she look?”
“As beautiful as ever, but maybe a little tired. I haven’t had the opportunity to talk with her.”
“Any sign of the Cubans?”
“Are you kidding me? The security around here is intense. Karlicov and Nicolai aren’t taking any chances, and word is Cramer figured out Zinc was double-crossing Viktor and his team.”
“But he wasn’t.”
