“I barely survived, Mila. She had to shoot me.”
I laugh at the image of Nicolai being shot by a small female. “Had to? Or was she just sick of you?”
“Her father made her shoot me, or he would. A story for another day, brother.”
Nicolai’s tone grows serious, and I’m ready to hear what he rang me about. We didn’t contact each other unless we needed help. I was knee-deep in all this with Evie, but I’d still help Nicolai.
“I heard that you got an investigation job.” Nicolai starts.
“You have information that can help, brother?” I ask back.
We weren’t blood-related, but after all we had been through together, he was more a brother to me than if the same blood pumped through our veins.
“The Torpedo was spotted at a ball for auctioning off virgins. Most of the buyers were from Saudi Arabia, and we know how they like to spend their money. I heard of a lot of movement from oil giants coming here but brushed it off until I heard you were on the hunt for a group of girls.”
I’ve been so focused on other aspects of this that I hadn’t asked about anything else. I’m pissed I didn’t hear about the oil giants’ movements, especially ones from Saudi Arabia. Along with the ball, these are things I should have been looking for.
“This isn’t your territory, brother, but I have men keeping their ears to the ground who will inform me of any more movement. you are in luck, that's why I was ringing. I thought reports of women being held in a warehouse would interest you.”
“Thanks, brother, I owe you.”
“I’ll send you the address.” Nicolai finishes.
Now that I was close to finishing this job, I was also closer to handing Evie back.
Silence drags out along the other line of the phone.
“You need me to do something, you know all you have to do is ask,” I say.
“Actually, I do.”
I wait to hear what he needs me for.
“I’m getting married and need a best man.”
I sit back in the chair and grin. “Who is she?” I ask.
“Mila.”
“I’ll be there.”
More silence, and I know Nicolai isn’t finished.
“So will a lot of the Bratva. Like the Torpedo.”
“Don’t have him as a groomsman. He might not be able to make it.” If it came to a head-on situation with the Torpedo and he didn’t give in, it would be a fight to the death, and I had no intentions of losing.
“Just think about my wedding before you kill him.”
I half-laugh before I grow serious again. “I’ll keep that in mind. Give my congrats to Mila.”
“I will. If I hear anything else, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks, brother.” I end the call, and my phone beeps in my pocket.
Taking it out, I read the address of where the warehouse is. It is only twenty to thirty minutes away. I gather all I need, my throwing knives and two guns, and make sure they are ready and loaded before I go upstairs.
Evie is still in my bedroom. She quickly closes my wardrobe door like she wasn’t snooping. I don’t say anything, and when she faces me, she raises a brow. It’s an expression that’s very sexy on her.
The thought of having her again has me softening my tone before I start to speak.
“I got a call from a friend. I might know where the girls are.”
Her mouth opens slightly, and she takes a step towards me. “Really? Are they alive? Did he say what condition they were in?”
I hold up my hand to stop the next question that’s ready to fly from her lips.
“I don’t know, Evie. All I have is an address.”
“I’m coming.” She’s looking around the floor until she spots her shoes.
“No, you’re not.”
She slips them on, much to my irritation.
“I can calm the girls down when we find them. I’m sure they are terrified.”
“I can manage, Evie.”
She finishes putting on her shoes. “Please, Lucca. Let me be there for my sisters. If I can’t do anything else, at least let me do this.”
“I said, no.” My words are final. I won’t allow her to come. I have no idea what I am walking into, and I most certainly wasn’t putting her in danger.
“Leah: she’s fragile.”
I nod at Evie, hating the look of defeat on her face, but I need to leave now.
Anita is in the hallway when I come downstairs.
“Why is there so much security everywhere? Is it because of Evie?”
“No. It’s just a precaution.” I tell Anita as I take my suit jacket off the rack.
As I slip it on, Anita slams a hand on her hip. “A precaution from what?”
“From people.”
She rolls her eyes. “Always so vague.”
I press a kiss to my sister’s cheek, and she relaxes immediately. “You have nothing to worry about. You're safe.”
Thirty security men may have been overkill, but with my sister and Evie in the same house, I wasn’t risking them for a second.
“I won’t be long.”
Anita doesn’t ask me any more questions, and I leave and make my way to the warehouse.
It takes me twenty-five minutes, and when I pull up at the abandoned location, I sit for a moment and take in the surroundings. Checking street corners for cameras and the foot traffic to gauge how many people might have seen something. So far, I don’t see any cameras, and there is only one shop that appears open, but it’s hard to tell with the painted front window. No one passes along the block, and I get out of the car.
The alleyway is filled with rubbish and junk, but there is a clear path for a vehicle to drive down. Once I reach
