Chapter 346


    Sephte


    “Everyone is going to fetch him?” I asked. I knew the answer, but I wanted to toy with him.


    “As long as you think you can make that trip, solnishko,” Adrik said, hesitantly. “But i would like you to


    meet my father.” He looked almost shy about his request. I could feel his uncertainty.


    “Of course I’ll go. I would like to meet him as well,” I said, unable to string him along any longer. He


    rxed as soon as I said I would go.


    “We need to figure out security for Trino,” Ivan said. “He shouldn’t use any of his guys he has now


    going forward. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were all loyal to Martin now.”


    “What about Chris or Keith?” I asked. “You guys have been training them still, right?”


    “That might work,” Viktor said. “They’ve progressed in their training. You’d be proud of them.”


    “You might have too many guys volunteer once they find out they’ll be spending their time in Colombia.


    I would imagine the winters there are much easier than the winters here,” I said.


    Viktornghed. “Most of our guys are from Eastern Europe or Russia. The winters here are mild,


    sestrichka. They all love it here.”


    “Valid point. I do not know what winters are like in Russia. I’m also fairly positive I do not want to know


    what winters are like in Russia,” I said, pulling the cookies out of the oven. Misha was overly excited


    since I ended up going with chocte chips, since that was the easiest solution for the evening’s bake.


    Andrei got up to make a fresh pot of coffee to go with the cookies. After pulling the cookies from the


    oven, I leaned against the counter, watching everyone again, enjoying the moment of peace. I loved


    that they had a ce where they could talk about st upid things like types of cookies and just forget


    about everything we were facing at the moment. I knew how stressed everyone was. I was fairly certain


    a couple of them were having trouble sleeping. They were constantly on edge and tense. But they got a


    few hours to forget about it all and just be friends. It was quickly bing one of my favorite things.


    The kitchen grew quiet as everyone enjoyed warm cookies and coffee. We heard Adrik’s phone beep.


    Then we heard Viktor’s phone beep.


    “You first,” I said, looking at Adrik.


    He nced at the message. “Trino is safe. He said to tell you that you already know how much he


    needs to thank you for making him leave tonight.”


    I felt the tears welling up in my eyes as I thought about his situation. I knew how heartbroken he would


    be to lose his mother, but I also knew how much peace it would bring him to know he got to see her


    onest time. I wiped the tears from my eyes as Adrik walked to me, pulling me to him. I saw the look


    of surprise on his face as he held my gaze. I raised my eyebrow, trying to figure out what they were


    doing now. “They’re golden brown now. Almost amber,” he whispered, as he held me against him


    tightly.


    Viktor’s phone beeped again. And again. And again. “Is that her or him?” Ivan asked, trying not to


    laugh.


    Viktor looked at his phone. “It’s both. He finally got back to her and she responded. Andrei was right.


    She’s not happy he waited so long to respond.”


    “What did he say about her going to Italy?” Misha asked.


    “He’s not happy about us sending her anywhere. He says he’s still going toe get her,” Viktor said.


    I stood up straighter, looking at Andrei, then looking at Misha. Finally, I looked at Ivan. “Is that fishy to


    you guys?” I asked.


    “Very,” Ivan said.


    “What do you want to bet that Martin getting Giana as payment is contingent on something specific


    happening here?” Stephen said.


    “She’s not happy with that n,” Viktor said. He got up to hand me his phone. “She must be cussing


    him out again, because I can’t imagine this is a


    situation that calls for di rty talk.”


    “Maybe it is and we’re just so old now that we have no clue,” I said. I read through her texts. She could


    definitely type faster in Italian than she could in English. She sent five more lengthy texts in a matter of


    seconds. “Oh, she’s definitely cussing him out. She wants to know why he’s being stubborn. Lots of


    creative name calling, though. I’ll give her that. She says that if hees here to get her, then there’s a


    chance she’ll d ie. If she goes to Italy, she’ll be safe. More name calling. More regret over sleeping with


    him. More threats of her trying to escape on her own. She also says she might escape and disappear


    on her own. She doesn’t need him. More name calling.” I looked up at all of their amused faces. “She’s


    very creative on the name calling. I didn’t expect that. It’s like her


    Viktor’s phone was silent for a few moments, then Martin responded. I looked at the texts. He


    responded in Italian. “Well, that’s surprising. He’s responding in Italian,” I said, reading through his


    texts. I suddenly felt very si ck to my stomach. “Oh my God…he’s threatening her.” I quickly handed the


    phone to Adrik then I ran to the nearest bathrooms, hoping to make it in time. Luckily, most of the


    contents of my stomach had already been digested, but I did pu ke up the cookie I ate. Not gonna lie,


    one of the more pleasant puking experiences I’d had in my life.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I felt Adrik’s warm hands on my back. “Talk to me, love. What happened?” He ran his hand lightly over


    my back until I was sure I was done. When I


    stood


    1. he handed me a towel. I went to the sink to wash my mo uth out and sshed water on my face as


    well. I groaned as I wiped my face.


    “I don’t even like her but I’m scared for her. Martin is very much like Anthony, it seems. He turned evil


    on her quick. He told her that she belonged to him and he would decide what happened, not her. He


    said if she ever spoke to him like that again, he would arrange for her to be kidnapped and sold as a sl


    ave. It was her choice. She could either do what she was told or be sold off,” I said.


    Adrik looked at me thoughtfully. “While I don’t like any of that, why did it make you vomit? You know we


    won’t let that happen asked, turning me around to face him.


    TO


    her, right?” he


    I looked up at him, not really knowing how to answer. I leaned against the bathroom sink, my hands


    fidgeting with the buttons on his shirt. I thought a few minutes, still not sure of the answer. He gently


    lifted my chin, so I would look at him. He calmly searched my eyes, looking for the answer that I


    couldn’t articte. I saw the recognition on his face when he found what he was looking for.


    for: