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“I share your concern, but throwing tantrums and destroying furniture isn’t going to achieve anything,” Arian admonished in his usual calm demeanor.
“She was in a coma, for Christ’s sake! We don’t even know if she’s still alive.”
“Don’t go there.” Arian refused to entertain such a grim possibility. “Vanya will be back today. No one is better at searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack than she is. If that bastard’s in Moldova, she’ll find him.” He paused in thought. A shadow of doubt darkened his face. “If he’s the one who took her.”
“Of course, it’s him. Who else stands to gain from abducting her? No, Arian, this is just another ploy to divert our attention while he conspires with the other Bratva groups.”
“Maybe, but I still don’t—” His phone vibrated with an incoming call. He answered it brusquely, “Guzun.”
“Are you aware that Luciano Maranzano is in Moldova?”
Arian sat up as he recognized the deep, guttural voice.
“You fucking bastard! Where is my mother?”
“And are you aware that he is currently at your sister’s vineyard?”
Arian’s heart sank at the revelation.
“How do you know that?”
“Because I saw him arriving.”
“So, help me God, if you go anywhere near Vanya, I’ll—” Arian’s anger surged.
“I vowed to kill that bitch, but I’ll do it at a place and time of my own choosing. Until then, you fucking better believe that Luciano Maranzano is a bigger threat to her than I am.”
Arian clenched his jaw to subdue a torrent of curses that threatened to burst out, but the call abruptly ended. With a steely expression, he grabbed his car keys.
“Let’s go, Vadim. Luciano Maranzano is at Vanya’s.”
“Isus Hristos!We’ve been so focused on Andrei and the search for mother that we forgot about the traitor in our midst. Do you think he’s aware that Vanya hacked his system?”
“The only thing I’m certain of is that I won’t leave anything to chance. Even with Bogdan there to protect her, Maranzano is a ruthless bastard. I’d never underestimate his capacity for violence.”
“If he doesn’t know about the hack, he won’t suspect that we’re onto him.”
“Exactly,” Arian agreed. “So, when we get there, keep your composure.” He turned thoughtful. “The question is, how did Andrei know to warn us… unless he’s aware that we don’t trust Luciano anymore? He was supposedly dead and already in Russia by the time we found out Luciano was lying to us about his intentions all these years.”
“You’re right. We better be extremely careful. Looking at things from that perspective, I’d say it’s a toss-up whether Andrei or Luciano kidnapped mother.”
Chapter Eight
Chateau VanZun Winery…
Renewed concern for her mother’s safety showed in the hunched shoulders and pallor on her face as Vanya watched Luciano stack a plate with food.
“I don’t recall inviting you to join us for breakfast,” she grumbled in annoyance.
“Come now, my dear. How about we let bygones be bygones?” The clichéd entreaty meant to disarm his hosts and set a tone of benevolence was fraudulent. He made no eye contact. The condescending use ofmy dear—all of it delivered in its rote simplicity—was devoid of any parts that could be considered authentic. Seen as a personal affront to the truth, it was immediately refuted.
“Raping someone then asking to let bygones be bygones is the worst kind of obscenity. It reeks of the institutionalized sexual violence that has been perpetrated against women for thousands of years by a misogynistic patriarchal society, youpridurok.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Bogdan turned to Vanya with his eyes blazing. She could see the rage brewing inside him.
“Shit,” she mumbled regretfully. No one knew what had happened during her previous trip to Catania. She never intended to tell anyone about it because she believed she carried much of the blame for it.
Now was definitely not the time to lose focus, especially since Maranzano’s sudden appearance seemed too much of a coincidence—at the same time as her mother’s abduction. What had happened to her in the past had to take a back seat for now.
