Page 61 of Day Shift

He poured more vodka, his hands steadier now. “With foreign mafias squeezing into New York, the big families felt the heat. Antonio Genovese, Luca’s brother and the boss of the family, agreed an alliance with the Morettis was necessary. A blood alliance between all the families would guarantee support from the powerful Volkov family, keeping other Russians from encroaching on New York turf. Your marriage to Frankie—merging Volkov blood with a Genovese name and potentially Moretti offspring—it’s like a damn mobster match made in heaven to them.”

My hand was trembling slightly. I put down the knife and looked at Nik. “So, I’m just a piece in their game. My life is completely inconsequential?” I asked, the bitterness in my voice sharper than the blade I had been using.

Nik met my gaze, his eyes somber. “No, hun. You’re the damn jackpot. I’m sorry, Ana. I tried to keep you out of it as much as I could. But yeah, that’s the grim truth. They’ve been planning this since we were kids.”

I glanced down, and my lip quivered. “And…a baby?”

The injustice of my situation was suffocating.

Nik took a sip of his vodka. “That’s the plan. To create the most powerful mafia organization ever.”

The thought of bringing a child into this life was horrifying. “I can’t do it, Nik. I won’t.”

With that declaration, I sliced through a fresh tomato with more force than necessary. He set down his glass and pulled on my arm so I was facing him.

“Ana, there’s something you need to understand about Viktor. He’s not just planning to use this marriage to bind the families. I overheard him a while back; he might be planning something…more drastic to eliminate the other bosses once you’re married to Frankie.”

I gasped, my heart racing. “What do you mean? He wants to kill the other bosses?”

Nik nodded. “I don’t know all the details, but it’s possible. Regardless, you’re the key to his plans. For now, it’s best if you just grin and bear the marriage to Frankie. Play along and keep your head down.”

The very idea made my stomach churn. “Why do I have to be at the center of his plot?” I complained, sounding like the kind of whiny brat I’d always hated.

Nik knocked back the rest of his vodka and poured us each a glass, his way of dealing with tough conversations. “Because you’re the perfect link between the Russian and American families, a tool he’s crafted since our childhood. But listen…” He leaned in closer, dropping his voice to a whisper. “I’m working on an exit strategy. Not just for me, but for you too.”

I perked up, hope flickering. “An exit? How?”

Nik glanced around before continuing. “I’ve picked up…certain skills over the years. I’ve been setting up some companies under the radar that Viktor and the others don’t know about. It’s risky, but it might just work to get us out.”

“But Viktor’s still powerful, Nik,” I argued, my voice trembling. “I’m done with the mafia. I can’t keep living this lie, becoming a monster like them.”

He reached out, grabbing my hand tightly. “I know, Ana. And I won’t let you live that life. I’m close to securing a safe house and a new identity for you. But for now, you need to do as they say and not cause any trouble. If you bolt, the families will hunt you down.”

“Fuck the arranged marriage,” I spat out, my spirit rebelling against the very idea of being traded like some whore.

Nik’s face hardened, a protective fierceness overcoming his features. “I’d rather die than see you hurt. But if you try to run, you’ll have the most powerful Russian and American mafia families after you. You won’t live a day. Just trust me a little longer. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

I was sure he meant his words to be comforting, but all they did was remind me of the cage I was in. I wanted to believe him, but the stakes were too high. I couldn’t let Nik get killed trying to protect me. And I couldn’t ignore the danger Conan, Atticus, Braxton, and Samantha were in because of me either. I decided I would contact Samantha because I had her email address on the laptop. I would write to her and explain who I really was and tell her everything. Then she could pass on the message to the others. They needed to know the truth.

For the next couple of hours, Nik and I spent some time catching up. After we had eaten and cleaned up from lunch, he showed me around the estate, pointing out all the recent changes, especially the new security measures. “No one can get in or out without my say-so,” he said proudly.

As I listened, my mind raced with plans of my own. Nik never mentioned his side work again, but I held onto the hope that he was building a way out for us. In the meantime, I had to make sure the people I cared about were safe, both here and in New York.

I spent the afternoon in a haze, half-listening to Nik while I plotted my next move and helped him board up the window I’d broken. I was more determined than ever to take control of my fate. It was time to tell the Thorins everything and figure out a way to protect us all. Even though Nik insisted I stay with him and let him handle things, I wasn’t going to be able to do that.

I needed to warn Conan, Atticus, Braxton, and Samantha, and get back to the city.

When we were sitting once again in the living room, Nik’s phone buzzed. His eyes narrowed slightly as he listened to the caller on the other end. “Business,” he mouthed at me before stepping aside to talk.

“I have to head out for a few hours,” he announced after he hung up, the urgency in his voice poorly masked. “The house is secure, and if you need anything, just call me.”

“I lost my phone in the garage the day of the wreck. I’ll follow you down there on your way out and see if I can find it.”

Nik chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s right. I almost forgot. One of my guys found it. Let me get it for you.”

He disappeared for a moment and returned with my phone and the duffle bag I had brought from New York. I sighed in relief as I took the phone and bag, grateful to have some of my things back now that my memories were intact.

“You okay?” Nik asked. “You look really shaken up.” He pulled me into a hug, and I wrapped my arms tightly around him, trying to hold back my tears. I was about to leave, and I might never see him again. He noticed how emotional I was getting and gave me a protective squeeze.

---