Page 104 of Stolen Seconds

That’s why he thought it was the Bratva. Aside from them being ruthless and intelligent, he had no other leads yet. Still, it wouldn’t make sense to blame them when Irina was thePakhan’sdaughter.

Unless there was a bigger play at hand.

“Wait.” My mind tumbled, the pieces of the narrative coming together. “You knew Nico’s background. That’s why you were on the fence about affiliating with them when Viktor came to visit.”

He pressed his lips into a thin line, the answer evident on his tired face. “I didn’t think they’d known about him.”

Irina’s lies kept piling. I was almost certain Viktor wasn’t an exporter and that he’d been in Italy for the same reason as her.

It was then that Nico’s door opened, Irina storming past us until she disappeared down the hall.

“While you run after her, you might want to think long and hard about who you’re risking everything for.”He waved his hand mockingly. “Go on, ask her about Viktor and why he was really here.”

Then he disappeared inside the room, leaving me to follow the one person who would be my demise.

When I stepped outside, I saw Irina walk past the bike, her steps furious.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” I called out to her, frustration building inside me. With Roman’s anger issues and Irina’s chaos, I had enough.

“To hell!”

My own feet beat against the gravel as I caught up to her before lifting her off the ground.

Her legs kicked in the air as she beat her fists against my back, but it was futile. “Let me go!”

“Never,” I hissed, squeezing the back of her thigh.

Making my way back to the bike, I dropped her on it, searing a look in her direction as she bared her teeth at me.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Me?” she huffed out before laughing hysterically, eyes watering in an ocean blue. “What the hell is wrong withyou?”

She stood up and closed the space between us, face scrunching in irritation. “Do you haveanyidea what’s at risk the longer I stay here?”

My jaw tightened at her tone before I gripped her collar, pulling her up to me. “I do but for the life of me, I can’t find a good enough reason to let you go!”

“Why?” Her voice cracked, pressing her hands against my beating chest. “My father will come for me. Viktor will come for me!”

And there it was.

“What do you mean Viktor?” The bite in my tone made her flinch. “Why would an exporter come for you, Irina?”

“Because he’s not an exporter,” she whispered. “He’s my cousin.”

Motherfucker.

I let go of her and turned away, grabbing the back of my neck.

Shehadlied to me, and I aimlessly believed her.

It wasn’t a coincidence that he’d shown up at the same time Irina did. He had been here to keep an eye on her—on all of us.

“Luca.” She wrapped her hand around my bicep before standing in front of me. “Let me go.Please.” Her voice shook as she pleaded me with her drawn eyes.

My chest ached from her words. She was still in my vicinity, yet the mention of her absence was worse than her lies. It felt like shards of glass cutting me open.

They would come for her. And Nicolai.

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