Page 29 of Twisted Fate

My phone buzzes. “Markus,” I say. “I hadn’t expected to hear from you so soon. You have my money already?”

“I have information,” Markus says. He sounds nervous, twitchy.

I wait, but he offers nothing more. “And what will this information cost me?” I ask, expecting he’ll ask for more time.

He clears his throat. “Information in return and a favor.”

“I see. A two for one deal. Why don’t you share first so I can determine the value of your information?”

“Narcotics. Heroin, to be precise,” he says. “Emanuel Gallo decided he could make some cash on the side. He has a connection with the Mexicans, a guy he grew up with. Decided it would be a good idea to distribute for them. He’s been at it for at least three months.”

I had every confidence that I would find out the reason Mikhail sent Nikolai to confront my brother at the diner, but I hadn’t expected Markus to be the source. Nor had I expected that one of our men would deal narcotics. But neither of those things truly surprise me. Markus is very good at finding out information. He’s done several jobs for the family that required that exact skill set. As for the narcotics, greed can make men do stupid things. Especially men like Emanuel Gallo who has strayed from the path twice before.

“Thank you,” I say. “And what information would you like in return?”

“My sister. Is she okay?”

“She is more than okay. She is currently living a life of pampered luxury.”

“You haven’t hurt her?”

Annoyance curls through me. Where was Markus when Enzo was hurting her? My tone is clipped when I reply, “I have not.”

He exhales. “Good. Great. Thank you.”

Again, silence.

“Why did you let her date Bianchi?” I ask.

“What?” Markus sounds confused.

“Enzo Bianchi. Why did you let your sister date him?”

“Let my sister…?” Markus makes a choked sound. “Have you met Alina? She’s perfectly capable of deciding who she wants to date. I don’t tell her what to do. As for Bianchi, what the fuck are you talking about? My sister dated that piece of shit?”

And there’s my answer. Markus didn’t protect Alina because he hadn’t even known she was dating Bianchi. The part of me that lives in the modern world understands that Alina has no obligation to clear the men she dates with her brother. The part of me that lives the life I live, does the things I do, is furious that she was left unprotected.

“She met him at a party you took her to.”

“I was there looking for the information you asked for about Vlasta’s death,” Markus says. “Fuck. I had no idea Alina met Bianchi there.”

“I want to find him,” I say.

Markus knows better than to ask any questions. “I’ll ask around,” he says.

“And the favor?” I prod.

“Let Alina go. I’ll get you everything I owe you. I’ll figure it out. Just don’t do anything to her. Let her go. She isn’t involved in any of this.”

Let her go? Just the thought makes a cold rage spread through my veins. Alina is a key to my revenge. For all I know, she hasn’t told me everything. She could be hiding information or she might not even realize she knows something of value.

But it’s more than that. Letting her go could put her in the way of harm, and that is something I cannot accept. Enzo Bianchi is still out there. He could go after Alina, hurt her, kill her to keep her quiet. The thought of Alina being outside the sphere of my protection curdles my gut.

She isn’t going anywhere. She is mine. Mine to care for, to protect. Mine to keep.

Care for? Protect? Where the fuck did those thoughts come from?

She’s my fucking prisoner, my collateral.

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