Page 117 of Beautiful Beast

“Elio Romano.” I taste the name on my lips. “I think I’ve heard of him.”

“He’s been in the game for many years. He’s not Dante’s second, from my understanding, but he does work for him. He’s definitely in Dante’s inner circle. That much I know.”

“So, what do we do with this? Kidnap him? I doubt Dante will come out of hiding for one of his men. I don’t think he cares enough.”

“True. But Elio has a daughter. She’s young. Twelve. After asking around, my men found out that apparently Dante dotes on this girl. Treats her like a daughter almost. Very caring.”

“What’s the point?” Anya asks. “Of bringing up this girl? I don’t understand.” She looks at Nadia, who seems just as confused.

“What’s her name?” I ask.

“Aria.”

I go silent. I know what Sergei is suggesting.

“I don’t understand,” Anya says slowly.

I turn to face her. “Your father is suggesting we kidnap Aria, which will draw Dante out.”

She gasps and shoots her father the deadliest glare I’ve ever seen from her. It’s honestly a little scary. That’s impressive. She’s learning from me.

“You want to kidnap a twelve-year-old girl? What’s wrong with you?”

Sergei shrugs. “Everything is fair in this world, daughter. Erik almost died. Dante got close to ending everything we’ve worked for. We have to end him. And what I’ve been told, he seems to care for this girl. Dante doesn’t have a wife. He doesn’t have children. There’s no one else we can use to draw him out. This is the only way.”

“There has to be another way,” Anya objects, looking between her father and me. “There just has to be.”

“It’s a sound idea,” Ivan says. “But I have to be honest, I feel uncomfortable with the idea of kidnapping a girl even younger than my daughter.”

“See? Even Ivan doesn’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Be quiet,” Sergei snaps at Anya. “Erik, it’s a good idea. You have to consider it, and you know it. If we want Dante dead, this is the way.”

Anya pleads at me with her eyes not to do this. The old me wouldn’t have hesitated. I would’ve agreed to Sergei’s plan to kidnap the girl. I would’ve been ruthless in my efforts to take him down.

But I know what it’s like to lose Anya. For a moment, I thought she was dead, killed by Dante’s men. And that almost killed me. I know now I don’t want to lose her.

I can’t lose her.

And if I agree to Sergei’s plan, I will lose her. All the little progress we’ve made will be for nothing.

I turn to Sergei. “We’ll think of something else.”

Anya slumps with relief and mouths,Thank you.

“You’re going soft,” Sergei grumbles, standing up and shoving his chair to the floor. Nadia flinches. “You’re going to regret not acting on this, Erik. And when Dante kills my daughter to get to you, don’t come crying to me about it. Nadia, let’s go.” He storms out of the room.

Nadia slowly gets up, looking so sad and scared that I can’t help but feel guilty for not trying to save her harder.

But then she’s gone, following her father out the door.

Chapter

Eighteen

ANYA

“What was your mom like?” Erik asks as we walk through central park. When he invited me out today, I realized it was a date. I’m on an actual date with my husband. I never thought we could get to this point, yet here we are.

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