Page 34 of Forced Mafia Bride
I led him to the living room, motioning for him to take a seat. I occupied the seat across from him with a groan and ignored the pounding headache when I waved for a cigarette. He plucked out a cigar stick from the box on the table and offered a lighter. I struck, shutting my eyes after the butt glowed red.
“I’ve encountered no other person as lousy as he is, and there’s really no other person I can think of at the moment. So, yes, I’m sure he was the one behind the attack. The driver was pretty good, though.”
“I don’t think your near-death experience is anything to laugh over, Niko.”
I scoffed, taking a long drag from the stick and exhaling white puffy clouds through my nostrils. “Near-death? Please. You know how many times I’ve had fucking death scares? I stopped counting last year.” I unbuttoned my jacket. “Ronan is not going to be the death of me; I assure you.”
His unimpressed expression meant he wasn’t going to drop it. “Still....”
“Anatoly.” I glared from over the glowing cigar butt.
Before he could stubbornly press on, Avian rushed into the house, a deep frown making lines at the sides of his mouth. “Boss, I’ve just been informed that Miss Gallagher is not in the house.”
The headache stopped pounding, and instead, a rush of adrenaline, along with a wave of fury, took its place.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What do you mean Rosalyn is not in the house? Where the fuck is she then?” Before the young man responded, I fired a scowl at Anatoly. “Call Hannah.”
Anatoly brought out his phone, and Avian planted himself like a stick at the center of the room. I tried to think. Was it possible that Ronan had her taken away? Or did she find a means to escape? I checked the security footage from the CCTV in her room. The last video was of her leaving the room for breakfast.
And it plays on a fucking loop.
“Hannah’s number is not available.”
I eyed the big man holding his phone like a betrayed lover. “Did you try again?”
“I did.”
“Hm.” I leaned back on the couch, forcing my rage to simmer down while I brooded on alternative methods for the situation with a logical approach. She definitely messed with the system and had Hannah’s help doing it.
“Should we search for her?” Anatoly offered, but I held up a hand, although I wasn’t certain whichherhe referred to.
“No.”
Avian tried not to appear stunned. “We can assemble a team—”
“You all are forbidden to search for her. Leave her. Just keep your eyes and ears open. Monitor all the city exits: land routes, sea routes, air routes, private terminals, public terminals…every fucking route. Just in case she tries to leave the city. But that’s all. When the time is right, I will get a hold of her.”
As long as she remained in L. A., it was fine. I knew what this was—her little game of cat and mouse.
I grinned.
Fine.
I was going to play, but the next time I laid my eyes or hands on her, I promised to leave the shadows and drag her back mercilessly to the hell she escaped from. Only this time, it would be much worse after I reminded her who she belonged to.
Chapter 15 – Rosalyn
Two Days Later
We chose this place for one reason: It was the last place anyone would look for us.
The air was thick with the scent of mildew and decay and the distant sound of raised voices and blaring music from the neighboring apartments. This was the kind of place people kept their heads down, where no one asked questions—old apartments in dilapidating suburban areas.
I moved over to the grimy window, pushing aside the tattered curtain to gaze out at the bleak landscape. It was nothing like the view back at Father’s house or Nikolai’s, but it would have to do. The streets were lined with crumbling buildings, and the sidewalks were cracked and uneven. It was a place where hope came to die.
Hannah joined me at the window, her shoulder brushing against mine. I didn’t think I’d taken the time to thank her for being here. Almost everywhere I was, if I was being honest.
I sighed, my voice barely above a whisper when I asked. “This is it, huh? Our new home.”