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I waited a few minutes but didn’t get a text back. So I decided to call her, but the call went straight to voicemail. That was even stranger because she never had her phone off. I decided to call Daniel next, but the phone just rang, which meant he was ignoring my call.
I didn’t like this. I didn’t like this one bit.
“Dad…” I said, and my father turned around. My inner panic must have been more outwardly portrayed than I thought because he came forward and put his hands on my shoulders, his grip strong and grounding. He had a look of parental concern on his face, something I hadn't seen since I was a teenager.
“What’s wrong, Jimmy?”
“I… Natalia and I were at the beach earlier today having drinks with Seth and his wife when Daniel suddenly showed up and started hanging out with us too. Then I got the call about what had happened here. I didn’t want to bring Natalia with me in case it was Mafia-related, so I asked if Seth could take her home from there. But he and his wife had some place to be which left Daniel to give her a ride. She was okay with it, so I agreed and told her to let me know when she was home,” I explained, trying to speak as slowly as possible to keep my heart from beating too fast and running straight out of my chest. “Dad, I haven't heard from her in over two hours. Her phone is off, and when I tried calling Daniel, he didn’t pick up.”
“Have you checked your home cameras?” he asked and I nodded. Like father like son, I guess. He knew I would have cameras installed at home.
“She’s not there.”
“Okay, well, she is with your brother, so she is safe. Maybe they broke down and her phone died, and Daniel is too busy trying to find them rides to answer. Maybe he dropped her off, and then she went to a friend's house and forgot to call. Don’t get worked up over this until we know more, okay?”
I nodded, trying to keep my head together. I was starting to get borderline panicky at this point.
“Okay.”
“Why don’t you go home and wait for her to come back. I’ll try to track Daniel down, and if I find out anything, I’ll let you know.” He gave me a look I didn’t quite recognize, then he hugged me. It was a full-on, hand on the back of the head, full-chest-contact hug. My father hadn’t been that affectionate toward me in years. “I am so glad you found love, son. I was hoping it would turn out this way.”
I didn’t know what to say.
When he let me go, I did what he suggested and got back into my car. As I drove, I ran everything through my head. I thought about seeing her in my apartment for the first time. About watching movies with her. About enjoying the colorful touch she had added to my place. About how the apartment now felt likeours. We had been together for a short time in the scheme of things, but already she meant so much to me. I didn’t know what I would do if I couldn’t wake up next to her every morning or see her dancing in the kitchen when making coffee.
She had become a part of me. I didn’t really know what to do with that, but I did know I wanted her home. Whatever was going on, I wanted her back in my arms because this sick feeling in my stomach was telling me something was horribly, horribly wrong.
I made it home and walked through the front door. I almost expected her to be passed out on the couch or something even though I had seen on the cameras that there was no one home. The place echoed with my footsteps as I searched the house, coming up with nothing. It had been over three hours now since I had last heard from her.
I sat at the kitchen island with my phone in my hands. I took three deep breaths to try to center myself. Then, I started calling everyone I knew.
Chapter 22
Natalia
“WhatamIdoinghere?” I dared to ask as the big man drove. I didn’t know if it was the smartest thing for me to do, but I did know I wanted answers, and the only way I was going to get them was to ask the right questions. Ivar seemed like a reasonable man, or at least I was hoping he was. I couldn’t stand not knowing. My head was making up crazy scenarios as I sat there, panicking.
“Your brother-in-law made deal he could not pay for. Your husband say he would cover it but did not. I do not like being lied to. So, I teach him lesson,” Ivar explained calmly. Okay, well at least I could get somewhere with him.
“Jimmy told me a little about that. He said he gave his brother the money to give to you. Daniel screwed you both over,” I explained, hoping I could help the situation.
“Not my problem,” Ivar grunted, and I folded my hands in my lap. I was wishing I had worn shorts or something. I was still in my bikini and sheer coverall, which made me feel very exposed. I knew nothing about this man except that he was huge and had a car built for kidnapping people. That didn’t bode well for me.
“Well, that means Jimmy didn’t lie to you. Daniel is the only one in the wrong here,” I offered. Ivar sighed.
“You are sweet girl and do not know our ways. Jimmy says he take responsibility for Daniel. After that, if Daniel fucks up, Jimmy fucks up. Jimmy now needs to be taught lesson for fuckups. Is how things work,” he explained, eyes on the road.
“And how do I fit in?” I wondered, hoping that he would keep talking. Funny enough, I was less afraid with Ivar than I had been in Daniel’s car. Daniel had been erratic and nervous. This guy was the epitome of cool, calm, and collected.
“You are Jimmy’s woman,” he said simply, as if that was supposed to explain everything.
“I am, but… what’s going to happen to me?” I hesitated, not sure if knowing was going to make things better. I had heard stories from my father about the craziness of the Russian Mafia. Russians as a whole tended to be tougher people, but Russians without rules? They were just plain dangerous.
He didn’t answer, just drove.
So many things passed through my head that I worried it was going to explode. Was he going to kill me? Sell me? Rape me? Would I ever see Jimmy or my father again? I never made up with Daddy after the wedding, but I should have. Now, I might never get the chance to. And I had never told Jimmy that I loved him even though I think it had been true for a while.
“Please,” I whispered, looking at my folded hands. “I just… I need to know. I’ve done nothing to you.”
