Page 86 of Cruel Love

I rise out of my chair to shake his hand. “Looking forward to it,” I say, discreetly exhaling.

Luka buttons his jacket. “But before I help you… I ask that you help me.”

Fox stands up. “What do you need?”

“Gio,” he says. “We spotted him last night.”

“Where?”

“Here in Moscow.”

Fox grunts. “Ballsy.”

“I don’t know why he’s here or for how long, but before he vanishes again, I want him.” Luka looks between us. “Help me capture Giovani Zappia and you will have the full weight of the Lutrova family behind you.”

I look at Fox’s cocky brow and nod. “We’re in.”

Luka takes a wide stride around his desk toward the door. “First, let’s grab a drink,” he says. “I’m sure you’ve had a very long day and it’s far from finished.”

I take a breath. “Sir, your wife,” I say. “I apologize if I upset her. I wasn’t aware of her family history.”

Luka pauses in the doorway. “No need to worry, Mr. Hart. I’m sure the only sadness Sofia feels is the regret that she didn’t get to kill them herself.”

He walks out into the hallway and I glare at Fox.

“You couldn’t have warned me she was a Zappia?” I ask.

Fox grins and pats my back as he passes by. “Where’s the fun in that?” he asks.

I scoff. “Dick.”

Chapter 26

Luka

Never let a snake loose in Moscow.

My family has lived by these words for three generations. Still, my father was killed, as was his father before him. In that moment, my family united and agreed that we’d never let something like that happen again on Lutrova soil. I looked into the eyes of my son and swore to him that he’d never have to fight this fight as we have.

If a snake enters Moscow, it must never leave again.

I trust Fox Fitzpatrick with my life and my Sofia adores him. She saw the good in his eyes long before I ever could. I owe him a great debt for what he did for my family.

Which is the only reason why I didn’t shoot Dante Hart the second I saw him.

Killer of Zappias or not… I have not yet decided if I will let him loose after this.

I stand behind them in Markov’s study, quietly pacing as they watch the video footage of Gio. Markov sits in his chair at the desk while Yuri leans against it, leering at the image of the man who killed our father.

“So, that’s Gio?” Dante asks.

“That’s Gio,” I say with a nod.

“He looks different,” Fox says.

“That’s what Sofia said.”

Fox furrows his brow, offering nothing more.

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