Page 31 of Hunting

“Yeah, and you are?” Asks Luca again.

The man returns to walking towards Luca. He stops a few feet from him and extends his arm. “Ivan. Ivan Vasiliev.”

“Russian.” Grumbles Luca. He takes his hand in his and shakes it. It’s a peace offering for the moment. It means we can all lower our weapons which we do.

“What happened here?” Questions Ivan.

“Three fuckers thought they could kidnap a girl from our club. We don’t allow that shit. Decided we could knock more of their operation if we let them lead us to their warehouse. We were right. Found fifteen other girls, and put down twelve guards. There’s still one alive. Plan on torturing him to see what else he knows.” Answers Luca. Then he crosses his arms over his chest. “What are you doing here?”

Ivan scrubs a hand down his face. Looks like he’s having as long of a night as we are. “My fucking sister snuck off. Ditched her guard. I’ve got a tracker on her. It pinged here before going dead.”

“All the girls we found are over there.” Says Luca as he nods to the gathering of girls. “Except for the one taken tonight. She’s still a little woozy from the drugs in her system. My brother Val is trying to get her to drink some water to help.”

“Lena!” Barks Ivan. His eyes set on the girl in Val’s arms. He’s not touching her inappropriately. His arm is around her waist, but high enough not to skim her butt. His jacket is draped over her shoulders and hiding her low cut neckline.

Ivan stomps over to her. Giving Val a nod of appreciate as he takes her from him. He carries her over to his SUV. “Viktor was fucking worried sick about you. Don’t you ever pull this shit again. You hear me?”

I’m not sure she does. She’s pretty out of it still.

Ivan returns to Luca. “I owe you a debt. You saved my sister, and three of the girls you saved are ones we’ve been looking for.” Luca nods in return. Debts are powerful chips to cash in in our world. “I’ll be taking over the Russian territory soon. Mishkin is dangerous, unpredictable. I could use an Allie when I take over.”

Luca thinks it over for a moment. Then turns to me. I know what he is thinking. We want the Cartel gone, he wants the Russian throne. It’s a good deal all around, plus it earns us a powerful new Allie.

“You help us end this skin trade and exterminate the Cartel from Chicago, we’ll help you with your coupe.” Luca holds out his hand for Ivan to shake.

“Seal it with blood?” Asks Ivan.

Fuck. He means a marriage contract. A union between our two families.

This time Luca doesn’t look at me. I know what he’s thinking. It’s got to be either Val or Milan. There is no one else high enough in our organization. Well, there is me. I’m not technically married, yet, but I’ll be damned if anyone takes away my Livianna.

“I’ve got a brother of marrying age now. Or a sister of my wife not recognized by blood but by the Council as my predecessors second daughter. She’s fifteen.”

Ivan turns to who we can assume is his second in command. They whisper for a brief moment before Ivan answers. “I have no other sisters, and Lena is taken. My Second has a sister who’s eight. Your Val can either marry her, or I can marry the second sister.”

Luca looks to Val. He gives a noncommittal shrug. He’s currently unattached, but ten years is a long time to wait to solidify an alliance. “Would you be faithful to a wife, or would you expect to be allowed a mistress?”

“I have no time for mistresses.” Replies Ivan.

“That’s not an answer.” Pipes in Elena.

Instead of being mad, Ivan looks pleased. “You must be Elena. The first daughter. The unknown heir.” Fuck. He’s done his homework.

“I am. And you still didn’t answer the question. Would you be faithful to Milan?”

“I would.” He takes a momentary pause. “I cannot promise we will love each other. Best I can offer is that I will be a respectable life companion. There will be needs she will be expected to meet. I will not force myself on her, and I would need an heir.”

Luca answers quickly. “I wish to get Milan’s approval, if it’s alright with you. If she does not accept, Val will marry your second’s sister.”

“I look forward to hearing from you,” Ivan replies and offers his hand to shake on it.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Livianna

WE ENDED UPspending the night at the hospital. I needed a few stitches, and Massimo demanded I be monitored overnight due to my mild concussion. I thought it was unnecessary, but I didn’t dare tell him that. He was on edge. My being injured nearly sent him into a tailspin, so I let him call the shots and fuss over me.

He left me only a couple of times and didn’t go any further than into the hallway. Luca and Val were coordinating the care of the girls we found. Ivan had even followed us with his team so his sister could get looked at. At one point there was a loud commotion a few rooms down from me. Apparently her fiancé had arrived and gone ballistic when he heard what happened.

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