Page 78 of Burning Beauty

"My woman is missing," DeLuca said bluntly, his hard eyes narrowed on Sitnikov’s face. His gaze rounded the entire company before settling on Jane. "Your sister was the last person seen in her company."

"That doesn’t mean anything," Jane snapped. "Luce wouldn’t hurt a fly!"

Sitnikov’s hand flew up Jane’s back and tangled in her hair, gripping the back of her neck. A reminder to stay silent in the face of a potentially formidable enemy. Nic studied Jane, then decided she wasn't a threat. He nodded sharply and said, almost to himself, "You are worried for your sister."

Jane muttered something unintelligible. Another feisty one. Interesting. For now though, Nic's entire focus was on finding Maria. He jerked his head at Sitnikov indicating that he should step aside with Nic to discuss the disappearance of their two women. They spoke in low voices so no one would overhear.

"Enemy?" Sitnikov asked shortly.

Nic shook his head. "They were seen leaving together, neither under duress." He paused, before continuing, "Though Maria could be scooped up if one of my competitors notices her wandering around on her own. I haven't made a secret of my feelings for her."

"And Lucy with her," Sitnikov muttered, glancing toward his wife.

They discussed possible strategies, whose men would be mobilized to what part of the city. Obviously, Sitikov could offer more in the way of manpower since he lived in the city, but Nic was going to contact every connection he had in the area and get them to work looking for Maria. She wouldn't be able to pass a CCTV camera or use a credit card without him knowing about it seconds after it happened.

They were deep in conversation when a voice interrupted, "I heard there may be a problem, is there anything I can do to help?"

Nic looked up at the tall broad form of Tyson King. He wore a tuxedo fitted perfectly to his muscular frame, his dark skin complimented by the deep blue of the tux. A concerned frown creased his face, and at his side clung the stunning bride, Claudia.

"Nothing that needs to concern you, my friend," Sitnokov said easily. "We will remove our drama from your ballroom."

Neither Nic nor Tyson were good with this explanation. Nic understood that Sitnikov didn't want to give the shady billionaire ammunition for future use, nor did he want to disturb the man's wedding day. Fuck that, Nic wanted his woman back and he wasn't above setting fire to a wedding to get her. In his opinion King's lapse in security was the reason Maria had been able to slip away so easily.

Nic filled the bride and groom in on the situation, making it clear that heads were going to roll if he didn't get his date back in one piece in the very near future. Though Nic was friendly with Tyson, and even Sitnikov, he was not friends with either of them. Friends were a liability. Friends could stab a man in the back and steal his territory.

"I'll get Mercer on it," Tyson said shortly, turning to leave without another word. Nic wasn't surprised he was going to pull in the head of his security team. If anyone had the connections to find the two women, it was Daniel Mercer.

"I'm so sorry," Claudia murmured, forced to rush after her new husband as he pulled her along. Her concerned gaze remained on Nic for a moment though, and he saw a flash of pity. She was worried about what could happen to the missing women. He remembered then that she'd had dealings with Delgado in the past. Perhaps she might have some insight into the man that Nic didn't. He would have someone question her.

Nic turned toward Sitnikov who was staring at the spot his wife had been standing, a fierce frown on his face. The spot was now empty. Another woman gone missing? What the fuck was wrong with this wedding, and why were all the women running off?

As if reading his mind, Sitnikov shook his head and muttered. "Damn woman, needs a fucking tracker planted inside her. Never stays where she's supposed to stay. I'll bet my next shipment she's gone looking for her sister with her bounty hunter partner."

Nic raised a brow. Though Sitnikov was certainly pissed at his small wife for taking off without talking to him, he didn't seem overly concerned. Maybe the small woman could take care of herself. Nic remembered something about her being a cop or a private detective.

"Come," Nic said, turning away. "You can ride with me. We'll follow up on the leads as they come in. I'm done waiting around."

Nic was a man of action, he couldn't sit still while his people searched for Maria, he needed to be on the ground searching for her too. He stopped at the security desk and, without a word, handed over his card and waited for them to give him his weapons. Two guns, a holster, a knife, and brass knuckles were placed on the desk in front of him. He strapped the items to his person while Sitnikov did the same.

"Ruger 9mm?" Sitnikov asked him as Nic strapped his guns into the holster.

"Si," he agreed. Sitnikov appeared to favour the Glock 40, which carried more weight than Nic liked. He preferred a lighter weapon for a quicker draw.

The two gangsters strode out of the hotel lobby side by side, the normal aura of danger that surrounded them doubling. Anyone that understood mafia, understood the significance of these two men joining forces, even for just one night. No one would be safe until they got what they wanted.

* * *

Two hours later, Nic was back in his hotel room, pacing angrily, dissatisfied with the lack of answers he was getting from his people on the streets. Maria should be back in his arms, her ass beaten black and blue until she understood her position in his life and at his side.

Missing.

His woman was motherfucking missing and not a single person could explain to him how the untouchable woman of one of the most savage mob bosses to touch down in the United States could disappear off the street without a whisper. Nic threw his phone with a savagery that didn’t bode well for anyone that knew him. Nic was everything that was calm and collected. Even when he killed, it was always with a coolness that sucked the civilization out of a room and made those left to bear witness tremble in fear.

There was a reason Niccolo DeLuca had been expelled from his own country and sent to conduct business in a place that could appreciate his level of savagery and disregard for polite rules. He was vicious and effective. He was top of the food chain.

Whoever took Maria would pay in rivers of blood and mountains of broken bones. They would pay with the screams of their children and the bodies of their kin. And if Maria was hurt in any way... The. World. Would. Burn.

His obsession with the woman had become such an all-consuming, burning emotion. He knew his fire burned his beauty too. He knew she might run from him if given the chance; if he looked away for a single second. He was the opposite of everything she stood for. He was oppression, subjugation, hate, fear and vice. She was intelligent and beautiful, she stood for those that were too weak to stand for themselves. But she loved him, she would always come back when that fiery temper cooled. She had not disappeared on her own. Someone took her.

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