CAPTIVE: A DARK MAFIA ROMANCE Page 12

  Bile hit the back of my throat.

  "Again, I'm not interested in your offer."

  "I figured you might say that. So, I wanted to get myself some insurance," Viktor murmured. "Tell your Auntie Kit, hello."

  My mouth went dry. I could barely swallow, and I heard rustling in the background as I began to scream.

  "Aunt Kit!!"I bellowed into the phone.

  "Astrid what have you gotten yourself mixed up in?" Kit's familiar voice filled my ears.

  "Aunt Kit, I'm going to get you out of this..."

  Viktor immediately replaced Kit and spoke. "You just need to get a name. Your aunt is safe for now... you have until midnight to get me that name, Ms. Davis."

  The line went dead and I began to scream for all I was worth. I hadn't wanted to get involved in this shitstorm. When mobsters fought, the only people who hurt were the innocent ones. I threw the burner phone over into the passenger seat.

  Viktor just wanted a name.

  The only problem was, Valentin was never going to give that fucking name up. I couldn't just leave my family to die. Kit had taken me in when my own parents had discarded me to go and live their lives.

  I only had one card that I could play.

  My hand rubbed my stomach.

  "I guess I have to tell your daddy about you after all," I murmured softly.

  Chapter 23

  Valentin

  The heels of Astrid's shoes were biting into the hard wood floors of Liam's office. We were all watching her, and I had even brought Lucien in for this meeting. Her blond hair had been doused by the rain and hung in loose curls. Her mascara had streaked from tears she'd been crying. She'd only just calmed down moments ago.

  "Okay, tell us one more time, what Viktor said," I came over to her and rubbed her arms.

  She moved away from my grasp and then looked at everyone in the room. Taking her time, and deep breath she retold the story.

  "And he called you on a burner phone?" Liam asked.

  "That's what I said," Astrid snapped.

  "And he has your aunt?" Lucien asked.

  The look that Astrid cast him could have set him on fire. I winced and tried to lift her chin to meet my eyes. Her brown eyes were red and angry.

  "It's going to be okay," I whispered.

  "How the fuck is it going to be okay?"

  "It just will," I said.

  She shook me away from her.

  "Are you going to give him this fucking name or what? My aunt's life is hanging balance...we're not involved in the mob shit."

  Liam spoke, "You are now."

  It got eerily quiet and you could have heard a pin drop in the room. Astrid's eyes seemed to throw flames from them and her skin began to glow like a scarlet aura had surrounded her body. She was going to blow her top.

  "We need to talk," she eyed me.

  "Anything you need to say you can say in front of them," I shrugged.

  "No, this is private," she turned and looked at both Lucien and Liam.

  "Guys can you give us a minute," I said.

  Opening the office door, Liam gave me a look of disbelief. The two of them traveled out of the room and I closed it behind them. Turning back to Astrid, I watched as she examined her manicured hands. Part of me wanted to go to her and wrap my arms around her. The last thing she wanted from me was to try and hug her.

  Instead, I went and leaned against the desk. For a few moments the only sound the room was the hum of the laptop sitting behind me. The heat had kicked on and it seemed extremely warm, which caused me to tug at the collar of my dress shirt.

  While I waited for her speak, I noted that Katia’s ashes were sitting on a shelf. They had come at some point today and Liam had stashed them there. Turning my eyes away from the urn, and back to Astrid who was shaking, I tried to relax my body.

  "You have my attention," I spoke.

  She took a deep breath. "I need you to give me the name, Val."

  "Little Star, I can't do that."

  "You can...you just won't. I get that you and Katia....that you had a lot in common and you understood her. But this is my family that's gotten put into the middle of this just because of who I'm associated with."

  I scrubbed my hands over my face. Fucking, Viktor. He had truly put me in between a rock and hard place. Astrid's eyes seemed to be pleading with both me and God. I couldn't give up my brother, not even to save her aunt.

  "You told me once, that if you'd known about Lexie...that you would have been there," Astrid spoke.

  "Yes, Little Star, I did."

  "I'd hate to cut you out of the picture a second time..."

  She let the words hang in the air. For a moment, I couldn't decipher them. I was lost and she waited for me to get the fucking picture.

  "Are you trying to tell me that you're pregnant?"

  "I've been feeling sick and I did some math. It's not a huge surprise," she threw up her hands. "I mean we’ve never used any protection. It's like five years ago all over again."

  My mouth had went dry.

  Order.

  My world was spinning out of its carefully crafted order.

  Another child.

  My child. Astrid was pregnant...again. Damn, who said lightening didn't strike twice in the same spot.

  But that was us, wasn't it?

  A damn lightning storm in a sea of chaos.

  Finally, I went to her and pulled her in. She was tense and never quite leaned into me, but she had good reason to be tense.

  "There's no way in hell, I'm going to let you cut me out of my children's lives, any of them," I whispered against her hair. "Astrid, I'll lock you in a tower and throw away the key before I let that happen."

  Her fist slamming into my chest felt like someone throwing a pebble on glass. I held her close until she stopped. Astrid felt so small in my arms; small and fragile for the first time ever.

  "What about my family. You heard what I said...I have until midnight to give him a name," she began to sob.

  Goddamn it!

  A protective instinct came up out of nowhere.

  And joy.

  God, I was so joyful and feeling so protective over her. I didn't want Astrid to feel any sort of distress. Stress wasn't good for a baby; I'd read that somewhere once.

  "So, we'll give him a name," I stood back and wiped at her tears.

  "He's going to know," she shook her head.

  "Viktor's problem is he's never been the smartest man in the room. Don't worry, I'm going to get your Aunt back to you, Astrid. I've never lied to you, right?"

  "I guess."

  A chuckle escaped from my mouth. "Goddamn, I can't believe you're pregnant."

  "This is seriously what happens when condoms aren't involved."

  Astrid bit her lip and then sneezed. She was still pretty wet from the rainstorm. I hushed her fears a few more times and then sent her to get fresh clothes and warm tea. Lexie was with Nova and the twins and it would do her good to be with our daughter.

  Liam and Lucien reentered into the room and I laid out the plan for them both.

  We were going to get ourselves a fake brother. The golden gleam of my Rolex twinkled into view as I checked the time. We literally had six hours to create a fake brother in order to get Astrid's aunt back and hopefully kill Viktor once and for fucking all.

  Chapter 24

  Astrid

  He'd taken Viktor's burner cell phone from me and placed a kiss on my forehead. Valentin had then told me to pack up Lexie, Yara and Desmond along with Nova and head to the family cabin in Lake County.

  Stunned hadn't been the word.

  So, I'd stood there in the middle of the empty guest house looking around and feeling lost and empty. Worry was pitted in my stomach, weaving its way around my heart. I felt paralyzed and wondered if this was some sort of nightmare. Was Valentin going to be my dark knight in black armor and save my aunt. He hadn't explained any of his plan to me, either. Just told me the part about getting away from all the dange
r so he could focus on saving us.

  A breath finally escaped from between my lips and i was able to regain some sense of feeling. My stomach remained tight and achey but a second wind had come. I needed to get Lexie and I packed.

  And on top of it, Rhonda, Aunt Kit's daughter had been calling me left and right. I had no idea what to tell her, but I knew I needed her to keep the police out of it. Finally, I picked up and she was practically screaming into the phone.

  "Where's my mother huh? Astrid you're fucking garbage! Those men came here earlier today! Grabbed her up!"

  Taking a breath, I spoke. "Aunt Kit's going to be fine."

  "How would you know? Why did they take my mother, ho? I got something for your ass bitch!"

  My brain was already frazzled and all over the place. Rhonda's threats were not making things any better. I was moments from seeing red, when Lexie tugged on the hem of my shirt. "Mommy it's going to be okay."

  How she'd even known anything wrong was beyond me. I turned around so she woudn't see me about to go postal on my cousin via the phone. Taking a deep breath.

  "Rhonda, don't threaten me. It's in your best interest to not say anything to the police either. I have someone working on getting Kit home..."

  "You better work faster then, bitch," a husky female voice that didn't belong to Rhonda spoke.

  "Who is this?"

  "Guess..."

  "This isn't a good time..."

  "Show up with my million in case bitch, or we going to the police," the voice said.

  A million in cash?

  Capone's sister.... Rhonda had to be one of the stupidest women I'd ever met. In my mind's eye, I could see her ass strung out on the stone front porch of Kit's house. The track marks running down her arm making an intricate pattern that spelled out disease and addiction.

  "Fine," I said. "Meet me in forty five minutes at the address I'm about to text you. Don't be fucking late.

  "I knew you had my money," she said.

  I rolled my eyes and hung up. The red end call button practically being punched by the weight of my thumb ended the call. Lexie was still behind me and I needed to get her packed.

  "Go and pick out a few of your new dolls daddy got you," I leaned down and got eye to eye.

  "Why?"

  "We're taking a little trip," I replied.

  "Is Poppa coming too?"

  Lexie's green eyes were wide in surprise, and her hair was tousled. I didn't want her to worry so I assured her that her father would be joining us. Satisfied with my answers she proceeded to go and get her toys. Meanwhile, I raced to pack a back.

  Going into the kitchen, I had to hop onto granite counter tops, and searched around. I knew Valentin kept a Baby Glock up high where Lexie would never be able to reach. There were more guns in the safe hidden at the back of the closet but I didn't know the combination.

  My hand bumped into something cool and metallic. I pulled it down and inspected it. Releasing the clip, I looked it over before slamming it back into place. Thanks to my brother, I knew a few things about guns. He had taken me to the shooting range a few times when he'd returned home to Chicago to visit.

  Making sure Lexie wasnt in sight, I hopped down and landed on the balls of my feet. I felt as agile as a cat and as dangerous as a mobster. If Rhonda and Duchess tried something, they were going to be in for a severe shocked. With the gun tucked away on my person, I managed to hustle Lexie and our bag up to the main house. Nova and her siblings were waiting, also packed.

  "I know the way to the cabin, so just follow behind me closely, okay," Nova said.

  She eased the key to her new wedding present from Liam off the key hook on the kitchen and turned back to me. I didn't want to alert her to something else being wrong but I needed to get Rhonda off our backs before she messed everything up by getting the police involved.

  "I need to make a quick stop, but I'll be pretty much right behind you? Will you take Lexie Girl with you?"

  “But mommy, I want…”

  “Lexie, shhh. I’ll be right behind you I have to make this quick stop first.”

  A frown line began to crease Nova's forehead.

  "That's not the plan," she said.

  "I have something I need to take care of. I promise I'll be quick, just need to pay a bill."

  Nova eyed the clock and then turned to take me in. From the way her mouth was pursed, I knew she was holding back. She came over and gave me a quick hug.

  "Hurry up," she murmured.

  "I will."

  After hooking Lexie into her car seat, I gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. She whispered, “I love you” and placed her cat eared headphones on top of head, her face illuminated by the glow of the tablet screen. Valentin had bought her a brand new one after I’d told him not to. She needed fresh air and dance, not technology. Finally, I’d given in when he’d turned on pleading eyes, suggesting she needed only the best of everything. How could you argue with a father’s logic.

  I didn’t move until Nova’s car drove out of sight with Lexie tucked away safely inside, I started up my Porsche. The push button glowed to life in the dark. In the glove box, I kept a spare check book. I was going to pay these two headaches off and give them everything I owned. I would rebuild. I would rebrand. My hand covered my stomach and I looked down. I hadn’t really processed the idea of pregnancy. It was different this time, though.

  This time I didn’t have to be alone. Valentin wanted to be apart of the process. Which was why I hadn’t told him about this. About going off to meet my cousin and her maybe…lover? The less he knew about that the better. I wanted this to go off as smooth as possible.

  Throwing the car into gear, I sped off to meet my cousin and…something clicked in my mind.

  Rhonda!

  She had been the one to give Duchess my address to destroy my car.

  She had given her my work address so that she could find me.

  Sometimes, it really was your own family that would sell you out.

  Chapter25

  Valentin

  I could almost smell the scent of Astrid’s Chanel perfume, when I took a deep breath. Could almost feel her beneath my touch, instead of the steering wheel currently in my hands. I looked over at the cellphone that my father had given to her.

  It sat silently in the seat.

  There had been no text messages.

  There had been no phone calls.

  It was as if it read my mind and it lit up and began to ring. Swerving on the busy freeway, I reached for it.

  A breath exploded from between my lips as I hit answer.

  My father’s voice filled the air and instantly I wanted to pull over and vomit. That was the type of effect he had on me. Thoughts of Lexie filled my mind. There was no telling what Viktor actually had planned for my family, but I wasn’t about to find out.

  “I hope you have that name for me, Ms. Davis…”

  A moment passed before I spoke.

  “Good evening, father.”

  He immediately laughed; it was low and deep. “Valentin, my boy.”

  His words made my skin crawl. Viktor had never been a father to me. Liam’s father, my uncle Albert had been that. The day he had died, I had mourned him. When the time came to kill Viktor, no tears would fall from my eyes for him.

  “I have the boy,” I said needing to regain control.

  Control was my thing.

  I controlled everything and everyone around me for the most part.

  Control equaled order.

  “Do you really?” Viktor asked.

  “Yes, I’m brining him to you….but I need an address,” I spoke. “And I need you to release Astrid’s family.

  He laughed low and deep again on the phone.

  “I don’t believe you,” he spoke.

  “Father, I wouldn’t play games with an innocent woman’s life at stake. I have the boy, give me an address.”

  There was a pause; and a minute even seemed to tick by.

  “Bo
y, you never could lie,” my father stated.

  I hated him.

  I hated that he knew that about me. The lights from the other cars began to blur and I almost don’t know where I’m going.

  “I’m not lying,” I replied.

  “I’ve decided that I want something else now. A new heir,” he stated.

  “Viktor, what in the hell are you talking about…”

  The green sign for the next exit popped up. Quickly turning on the signal, I merge and hopped onto the ramp. Viktor’s words had begun to make me weak again.

  “The entire time you and that idiot nephew of mine…thought you were both so clever. So much smarter than me. You weren’t. All I wanted was the name of my son, true heir to the Bratva. I should be in control of the Bratva. All those years of waiting my turn, just to watch Liam take it over...”

  Viktor was sounding more and more out of control in his little speech.

  He no longer wanted my brother’s identity.

  Impossible.

  Something was off.

  “You two thought you were steps ahead of me, didn’t you….never knowing the entire time, I was in the room with you. Listening…”

  “What?”

  “I bugged Liam’s office, or should I call it a war room? My dead’s wife ashes….thought she’d finally do more in death than she had in life.”

  Fuck, I thought.

  “What do you want?”

  “I’m not a cruel man.”

  Viktor laughed again, deeper and more cruelly than I had ever heard before.

  “Father, please,” I said. “What do you want.”

  “It’s to late…but I’ll let you say goodbye to Astrid.”

  Immediately, my heart dropped into my stomach. It felt as if it would never stop falling.

  I wanted to tell him not to hurt her. That I would kill him if he laid a fucking hand on the woman that I loved. However, I knew that my father would take that as a challenge. That he would enjoy torturing Astrid just because I asked him not to.

  Before I could say anything else, I could hear Astrid in the background screaming. I was able to make out just a few words and I managed to figure out that Lexie was possibly with Nova. Then, the line went dead.