Ripper gave Gio side-eye. “Because it’s questionable whether or not one of the richest men in Europe has a self-driving car, or that he’d prefer to drive himself when Venus baits him into meeting her?” I had to bite my lip to keep from smiling. Luckily, Giovanni was too busy blustering to notice.
“Bastard,” Gio muttered.
“All right.” Ripper sat up straighter and cracked his knuckles before starting to work. “I have a secure video conference with each club’s command center. Bones, Tzars, Bane, Grim, and Black Reign. We’re live.”
“Do we know where he is now?” I didn’t want to do this in Nashville. Giovanni was right that Bohannon didn’t have everything we needed for something like this yet.
“He’s in London, Kentucky. Likely on his way to forcibly remove Katya from Bones.” Millie had taken responsibility for our half-sister because Katya was more comfortable with her. After our father died and our mother married Victor, Millie had raised Katya practically on her own.
“I don’t want him anywhere near Katya,” I said immediately. “We need to meet away from Somerset. London is less than hour from Bones compound.”
“Do it in Evansville.” Sting appeared alongside Wylde on the team conference, leaning over the other man so he was in camera frame.
“You sure?” All the presidents must have been close by because Rocket now came into camera behind Crush. “Grim Road is as private as it gets. Bit far, though.”
“I’m sure,” Sting said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Bring him here to the barn, Venus. Take as long as you like.”
“Appreciate it, Sting,” I said, sincerely.
Sting raised his chin, a cocky smirk on his face. “Got purely selfish reasons for the offer, Venus. We’ll talk later.”
“Good.” Ripper waved us on, not inviting Sting to elaborate. “We’ll set up a meeting with him in London, then transport him to Iron Tzars once we have him.” He did something on his computer before continuing. “As each stage in this takeover is complete, let me know in the chat window. If anyone needs help in their area, communicate that to me in the chat also. Questions?” When there was none, Ripper turned it over to me. “Whenever you’re ready, Venus.”
I looked at Piston for reassurance. He gave me nod of encouragement and I punched in number, putting call on speaker. Call was answered on second ring.
“Da?”
“Victor Zaitsev,” I said in a silky purr. “So glad I caught you. I hope I’m interrupting something very important.”
There was a pause. “Ulyana?”
“You were expecting someone else?”
“I’d hoped you’d be dead by now.” His voice sounded strained, which was good. I wanted him to know what he’d unleashed.
“Hope in one hand, shit in other. See which fills up first.”
“Suka. What do you want?”
“I want you dead.”
“Good luck with that,” he snapped. “I will kill you before you even know I’m around.”
“Word is you’re in US to get Katya back.”
“She’s my daughter. My property. You took what didn’t belong to you and you’ll die for it. Give her back to me and I might let you and Millie live.”
I bared my teeth on instinct but kept my breathing smooth and even. Last thing I needed was to let Victor know he’d gotten to me. That threat to Millie had been to get reaction from me. I absolutely would not give it to him.
“Millie can take care of herself. I’m calling you now because, for reasons she won’t divulge, Katya says she wants to go back with you.” A blatant lie, but I knew Victor well enough to know, if I stroked his ego hard enough, he’d fall for any trap I set hook, line, and sinker. He was intelligent, but always thought he was smartest man in room when he was nowhere near.
“Because she knows I can give her whatever she wants. She misses her creature comforts.”
“You and I both know you terrorized her. Katya was isolated in what amounted to prison cell when we rescued her from you. Whatever you’re holding over her head, don’t. You’ll only piss me off and that’s not something you want to do.” Too late, but I wasn’t telling him that.
“No. Give me my daughter. She wants to come home. If you love her like you say you do, you’ll honor her wishes.”
“She is child, Victor. She’s scared. If not for her fear, she’d never want to go back with you. I’m asking you to let her go.”