Page 74 of Scars He Gave Me (Bratva Crime Syndicate 2)

Before I can convene with Kostya to discuss what to do now, my cell rings. Roberto Totti is on the other end.

I answer the phone. “Roberto.”

He says, “I have something that belongs to you. Two somethings.” His voice is singsong English flecked with the drawn-out syllables of his native language. “One of them is very pretty. I think I would like to taste her. What do you think?”

My blood boils. For every word he speaks, he’s going to suffer another day in ways he’ll never see coming. But I can’t give anything away. Not now. “Do what you want with her. She’s nothing to me.”

His laugh comes from a place deep in his chest. “Oh, your little friend told me how important she is.” His voice is deep, and I hear her yelp. “Once I taste her sweet American pussy, I’m going to give her to my men. They will tear her to pieces.”

Think, Tomas, think!

“Roberto, it’s ten fifteen. Do you know where your family is?” I grit my teeth. “You have a young son and a daughter, about fifteen now? Bet she’s a looker with all that strong Italian blood in her veins. And Junior has some toddlers, right? I’m gonna sell your son and your daughter and send the rest of your family back to you in pieces.”

I wonder if he knows it’s an empty threat. That I would never stoop to his level and hurt an innocent woman or child.Never hurt anyone who’s not in the game.That’s the code. That’s the Bratva Syndicate’s line in the sand. I intend to honor it—even if it costs me everything.

I nod to Kostya, and as if he can read my mind, he leaves. He won’t do anything until I give the order, but he knows to watch and to be ready to act.

Totti’s voice deepens. “You know, I liked dealing with your father. He was … honorable. Played by the rules of combat. Too bad he had to die.”

“Fuck you.”

“Get your Russian dogs out of here before I send your little boat sky high.” He laughs again. “I’m watching you, boy.”

I have two missile launchers trained on that building, enough firepower to blow it and everyone in it to hell and back, but now that includes Corinne. And I can’t make the call. I can’t fire that first shot with her standing in the way of the bullet.

“Good. You watch me come for you. Because I will.”

“Go home, little boy. This is a grown-up game now.” He sighs like a man sitting down at a feast. “And I have a new toy to play with.”

“If you fucking touch her …” The threat is incomplete because, as he hangs up without another word, we both know he’s won the battle.

But the war isn’t over.

Not if I have anything to say about it.

The future is mine, and when the time comes, I’m going to kill this motherfucker.

Very, very slowly.

I go sit in my car to call Alek. He won’t answer, but he’ll get the message. Or at least, that’s what I thought. But to my surprise, he picks up.

“Hello.”

It’s a bland greeting for a man who’s going to die at my hand. “What have you done, Alek?”

“I had to. They know about … they know everything. And they’ll kill my little girl, Tomas. You know they will.”

“If anything happens to Corinne—”

“I’ll come to you and let you kill me.”

I laugh because even he can’t be dumb enough to think that is enough retribution. “No, Alek. I’m going to kill everything you love and I’m going to keep you alive so I can remind you every day how they suffered and how it was your fault.”

“Tomas, please, I’ll do anything. Just don’t hurt my little girl.”

I don’t know how far I would go, but he has to believe I would. “Get Corinne out of there before they hurt her and your little girl gets to go on living every day without ever knowing danger from me.” It hurts me to even make the threat. Am I becoming my father? A monster who would truly go that far?

What would Corinne think of me?

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