Page 89 of Yours

“Take a seat,” he said, gesturing to the chair.

I sat, my back straight, my gaze locked on him. “You’ve got news.”

“I do,” he said, leaning back in his chair. He steepled his fingers, watching me for a long moment before speaking again. “But before I tell you, you’re going to have to trust me on this. It’s not what you’re expecting.”

I frowned, my jaw tightening. “What does that mean?”

Victor exhaled slowly, his expression grim. “It wasn’t Marco.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

“What?” I asked, unable to hide the disbelieving lilt to my voice.

“It wasn’t Marco,” he repeated. “I’ve been digging, pulling strings, calling in every favor I got. And I’ve figured out who’s behind this. But it’s not the Benedettis.”

“Then who?” I demanded.

“It was the Russians,” Victor said finally, his voice heavy with the weight of the revelation. “Specifically, the Ivanovich family. They’re the ones behind this.”

The name took me aback. I was more than familiar with them. The Ivanovich family wasn’t just any Russian outfit—they were brutal, calculated, and ruthless.

I sat back and shook my head.

“If they’ve taken Leena,” I said slowly, my voice cold, “this isn’t just about me. This is a play for the entire city.”

Victor frowned. “You’re right. They killed Lorenzo to light a match, and taking Leena is their way of pouring gasoline on the fire.”

“They’re trying to start a war,” I said, the realization settling over me like ice.

Victor nodded, his jaw tight. “Exactly. They want the O’Malleys and the Benedettis at each other’s throats. If you go to war, it weakens both of you. And while you’re busy tearing each other apart, the Ivanovich family steps in and takes control of the pieces left behind.”

I clenched my fists, my teeth grinding together.

“So, they’re playing both sides,” I assessed.

“They’re not just playing both sides,” Victor said. “They’re playing every side. They’re using you and Marco as pawns to destabilize the city. If you and the Benedettis go to war, it doesn’t end with you two. The fallout spreads to my office, the police force, every damn corner of New York State. And they know it.”

“Smart,” I muttered bitterly. “But they’ve made one mistake.”

Victor raised an eyebrow. “And what’s that?”

“They tookmysister and messed withme,” I said, my voice low and deadly. “They think they’re untouchable. They’re wrong.”

Victor exhaled heavily, rubbing a hand over his face. “Listen, Ronan. I get it. You’re pissed, and you have every right to be. But you need to think this through. The Ivanovich family isn’t some small-time operation. They’ve got tons of resources, manpower, and a reach that extends far beyond this city. If you make this messy?—”

“I won’t make it messy,” I interrupted, my voice razor-sharp. “But I will make it final. Now tell me, where are they holding her?”

Victor’s lips pressed into a thin line, his frustration evident. “They’ve got her holed up in a cabin in the woods. Upstate. Isolated, heavily guarded. If you go in there with your guns blazing, you’re walking into a trap.”

“Good,” I said coldly. “Let them think they’ve got the upper hand. I’ll tear them apart from the inside out.”

Victor leaned forward, his elbows on the desk as his voice dropped to a hard edge. “You need to understand what’s at stake here, Ronan. This isn’t just about getting Leena back. If you handle this wrong, you’ll start a war that makes the one between you and the Benedettis look like a schoolyard fight.”

“Do you think I care?” I snapped, standing abruptly. The chair scraped against the floor, but I paid it no mind. “They took her. They crossed the line. There’s no coming back from that.”

Victor stood as well, his expression hard as steel. “You should care. Because this isn’t just about you. It’s about everyone in thiscity. If you burn it all down, there’s no coming back from that either.”

I clenched my jaw, my fists curling on the arms of the chair. “How many men?”

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