Page 144 of The Umarova Crime Family

“I was beginning to think you ghosted me.” Ruslan chuckles, and I force a smile.

“No, but I do need to speak with you.”

“Then speak,” Ruslan says while he stares at Karim playing with blocks on the floor.

“You know the meeting with Duarte went well, but there were a few details I left out.”

“I figured that since none of us have seen you much,” Ruslan points out, and I swallow hard.

I’m in the dog house, and I didn’t even realize it.

“When I arrived at the meeting, Duarte told me he had something for me. I didn’t know it then, but what he had was a woman. Long story short, Duarte had her for years and was trying to pawn her off on me. I kept saying no until it started getting to a point where he was being aggressively adamant. Eventually, I was in a room with her by myself, and I found out a lot about her. He was going to kill her, Ruslan. I couldn’t just leave her there.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. You could have left her there, yet you chose not to, so why did you make that choice?”

I inhale deeply and then tell him the rest. “Duarte used her like a cow to give him children. They have two little girls together, who are in Duarte’s care… and that’s a dangerous place for them to be. Mona, their mother, has scars on her face from Duarte’s care, and he hurt her badly during her third pregnancy, which resulted in her losing the baby.”

For the first time since I’ve been speaking, Ruslan’s eyes flash up to me. “You think he’s going to hurt the children?”

“I do. It’s only a matter of time before it happens, and I’m trying to help her get the children back as soon as possible. I know we’ll have to do something methodical. I know we can’t just act… we need to be smart about this.”

“Is she important to you?”

Ruslan’s question surprises me, but I should’ve expected something like this from him. “In a way, yes.”

“Is that why you want to get the children from Duarte?”

I shake my head. “No. I want to get them away from him because I know the longer they’re with him, the more risk they’re in. That is no place for children. The man obviously can’t hold his temper, and those little girls are going to end up dead if he stays with them long term.” With every word I’m speaking, I know without a doubt that it’s the truth.

If we don’t intervene, those little girls will die.

Chapter Eight

Mona

To say I’m totally fine that Nazyr left me here with Emily by myself would be a total and complete lie. I understand she’s with his brother, but he practically ran out the door as soon as she got here, and they spoke. What did they talk about? Was it about me? Was it about Duarte? I have so many questions right now.

All I know is that I’ve been stuck with a stranger for the last half an hour, who is smiling brightly at me like she’s been in an insane asylum for years. I know there’s no way she has, but it really feels like she’s trying to be overly kind to me. I think Nazyr did talk to her about me and, more than likely, the situation I came from. That has to be why she’s being so nice, right? At least, it’s what I’m thinking.

Since Nazyr left, Emily has mainly been talking. I’ve found out everything from her being with Lom to having a daughter and another baby on the way, which will be here in only a short couple of months. I found out she worked in Atlanta for a short time, went to college there, and Ruslan—who is the eldest of the Umarova brothers—is her cousin’s husband. What a small world, but it isn’t really. Emily told me she met Lom through Amelia.

“So, I’m going to naturally assume that you’re from Ireland, given your lovely accent?” Emily prods me.

I laugh lightly. “Yeah, I’m from a small town called Westport, but I went to school in the city.”

“Okay, cool. What did you go to school for? I feel like I’ve been talking about myself for the last half an hour. I don’t really know much about you.”

I debate what to say to Emily, but I feel as though I can speak freely here. Sure, Nazyr is a dangerous man, but I don’t think that I need to bite my tongue. “Emily, we both know that isn’t true. I know Nazyr must’ve said something to you about my situation because I see the way you’ve been looking at me. I’m not an idiot by any means. You’ve been treating me with kid gloves this entire time. A woman who doesn’t know about my situation wouldn’t be doing that.” I cut the bullshit and wait for Emily to respond, which takes her a few moments. I’m sure she’s trying to figure out how to reply to me right now.

Should she be honest, or should she try to lie a bit?

The longer our silence becomes, the more unsure I am about which course of action she’ll choose to take.

“Nazyr told me a little bit about the situation you came from,” Emily answers, choosing honesty. If I’m here with Nazyr for some time, then I’m going to be seeing Emily a bit, I think. All week, I kept thinking that Nazyr seemed to be a family man. There are photographs of his family members hanging on the walls, and there’s even a calendar in the kitchen where “family dinner” is marked every week.

“What did Nazyr tell you?” I’m curious more than anything.

“He told me that you were with a client of the family for some time. He told me it looks like you were trafficked, and he isn’t sure if Duarte had a hand in it from the beginning or if he purchased you after someone else did the dirty work. He also told me about your children, your two little girls, and I’m terribly sorry that they’re still with him. Nazyr seems very determined to get them back for you, so I’m sure, at some time, he’ll make good on that promise.”

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