God, please don’t let them touch Bianca. I’d burn this city to ashes.

“I go in,” I told them. “Alone. I have to see how many men we are against. There are twenty of my men enroute, but it will take them at least an hour to get there. We can’t wait that long.”

I dialed up a direct line to Vladimir Solonik, the Russian Bratva scum that purchased her agreement. I had to have all my basis covered.

“Vladimir,” he answered in a heavy Russian accent.

“Nico Morrelli here,” I told him. “I won’t be wasting your time nor mine. You bought Bianca through Benito. She’s my wife. You can’t have her, but I’ll pay you for the contract.”

He chuckled. “Why?”

“Because I’m being nice,” I growled. “If you’d rather lose that money and your life, I’m fine with it too. She nor our children will ever be yours.”

Silence lingered as I waited for his response, while at the same time I arranged on my laptop for a courier and a sniper. It would seem I couldn’t get away from Sasha Nikolaev. Either way, that agreement would be in my possession.

“Fine,” he finally conceded. “Twenty million.”

“Courier is on his way,” I told him. Bianca and her girls were worth billions more. If he asked for my entire bank account, I would have signed it off. I’d make more. Nothing was worth more to me than my family. “Money is being transferred to your account now.”

“Fuck, should have said forty.”

I heard the bell ring. “But you didn’t. Hand the agreement for Bianca and her daughters to my courier.”

He spat a few curses. “I want a piece of Benito’s ass. I’m guessing you want him dead. So do I!”

Well, this was unexpected. Vladimir had good soldiers; I could use them today.

“You might get your chance today,” I told him. He was on board. Maybe we wouldn’t be going in underhanded. Vladimir was closer to D.C. than my men.

Now that was done. I met Bianca’s brothers’ looks. “You love her,” Cassio stated.

“Yes.” There was no reason to deny it. I should have told her. “We crossed paths when she was nineteen. I didn’t approach her; I didn’t know who she was. She’s my destiny. You have yours, Cassio; she is mine.”

Understanding passed between us.

“Yeah, the way she talked about your ass in jeans,” Luca cracked a joke. “I think she believes you are her destiny too. Thank God she didn’t comment on your cock.”

I shook my head at her brother. Wise ass! If Bianca liked my ass and my cock, I’d use it until she falls in love with me. I meant it when I told her I wasn’t going at it alone.

I handed Cassio and Luca an earpiece. “I have to get to Benito. He’ll be with Bianca. I’d bet everything he won’t leave her side and risk losing her.”

Cassio nodded. “You two stay outside, wait for my men with Alexei. Then attack. Whatever happens, you go for her and get her out.”

Fuck! I couldn’t even contemplate that she might not be alright. I’d lose my cool and go on a murder rampage.

“If neither one of us-”Don’t go there.“Make sure the twins are safe. No matter what.”

A jerky nod.

“Let’s go get her,” I told them.

If I took my last breath today, it would be with her warm eyes on me.

ChapterThirty-Eight

BIANCA

Iwoke up surrounded by the scent of musty dampness, metallic blood, and rot. It made me want to retch and choke, if only my throat didn’t feel like there were cold steel fingers wrapped around it, keeping it all down.