Chapter 186 Double Leverage

Chapter 186 Double Leverage
Viktor walked stealthily along the roadside, constantly looking over his shoulder.
The farther he got from the Russo estate, the better.
He couldn't afford to relax.
Not yet.
Don Roman's men could still be searching for him.
Every passing vehicle made him tense.
Every distant sound made him turn his head.
The night had been a disaster.
He had entered the Russo estate believing he was about to become the most powerful man in the city.
Instead, he had lost almost everything.
His men were dead.
His captains had betrayed him.
Enzo had been left behind, and probably dead by now.
Same with Bianca Russo.
And Don Roman Moretti...
Don Roman was still alive.
Celebrating his win and reclaiming his empire.
Viktor clenched his jaw.
He needed to get away.
Far away.
He needed a vehicle.
Walking around in broad daylight was too dangerous.
Someone would recognize him eventually.
And once his face reached Don Roman's men, it would only be a matter of time before they found him.
Viktor reached inside his jacket.
His fingers closed around the cold metal of his pistol.
He felt slightly better.
If necessary, he would take a vehicle by force.
He didn't care who owned it.
He didn't care whether it was a man, woman, or family.
He needed to survive.
He needed distance.
And once he was somewhere safe, he could think about his next move.
Viktor stepped behind a tree as a vehicle approached.
He watched it carefully.
A dark-colored sedan.
One driver.
No passengers.
Perfect.
He stepped back onto the road and raised his hand.
The driver slowed down.
Viktor immediately pulled out his pistol.
"Get out."
The driver froze.
"What?"
"I said get out of the car!"
The driver looked at the gun.
Then at Viktor's face.
He didn't need to be told twice.
He quickly opened the door and stepped out.
"Please..."
"Move."
The terrified driver backed away.
Viktor walked toward the vehicle.
He was almost at the driver's door when something caught his attention.
Two people were standing a short distance away.
Viktor stopped.
His eyes narrowed.
He stared.
Then his expression slowly changed.
Recognition.
Disbelief.
And finally, a huge smile spread across his face.
"You have got to be kidding me."
The two familiar faces had just turned his morning around.
The driver glanced nervously between Viktor and the two people approaching.
Viktor lowered his gun slightly.
He couldn't believe his luck.
After everything that had gone wrong, fate had just handed him exactly what he needed.
The familiar faces belonged to none other than Nico Moretti and Aurelia Vale.
Viktor almost laughed.
How could he be this lucky?
After losing his men, his captains, his allies, and nearly his life, fate had just placed two people directly in front of him who could change everything.
Nico Moretti.
And Aurelia Vale.
His eyes moved between them.
A slow smile appeared on his face.
With Nico and Aurelia in his hands, he had something far more valuable than soldiers.
He had leverage.
Enough leverage to make Don Roman listen.
Enough leverage to get back into the fight.
Enough leverage to survive.
Aurelia saw him first.
She froze.
Her heart seemed to stop beating.
"Viktor..."
The name escaped her lips in barely a whisper.
Nico immediately followed her gaze.
The moment he saw Viktor standing beside the vehicle with a gun in his hand, his entire body tensed.
"Run."
He grabbed Aurelia's arm.
But they were too late.
Viktor raised the pistol.
"Don't."
Nico stopped.
Viktor's expression hardened.
"Both of you."
He pointed the weapon directly at them.
"Get into the car."
Nico stared at him.
"You don't want to do this."
Viktor laughed bitterly.
"Actually, Nico..."
He gestured toward the vehicle.
"I think this is the best thing that has happened to me after last night."
Nico's eyes narrowed.
"What do you want?"
"I'll tell you after you're inside."
He moved the gun toward Aurelia.
"Now."
Aurelia stood completely still.
Her hands instinctively moved toward her stomach.
Only she knew the truth.
She was pregnant.
Don Roman's child was growing inside her.
She had already risked everything by escaping the safe house because she wanted to find Roman.
She couldn't afford to be reckless now.
Not with her baby's life at stake.
One wrong movement...
One nervous trigger pull...
And everything could be over.
Aurelia slowly raised her hands.
"Okay."
Nico turned toward her in disbelief.
"Aurelia—"
"It's okay."
Her voice trembled.
"Just do what he says."
Viktor smiled.
"Smart girl."
Nico looked at her.
He understood immediately.
She was frightened.
And so was he.
But there was another reason he couldn't fight Viktor.
Bianca.
If Viktor killed Aurelia, there was no chance Don Roman would ever cooperate with him.
He had to think carefully.
He couldn't afford another mistake.
Aurelia slowly walked toward the vehicle.
Viktor followed her with his gun trained on her.
Nico reluctantly followed.
They climbed inside.
Viktor immediately pointed toward the driver's seat.
"Nico."
Nico looked at him.
"Drive."
Nico hesitated.
Viktor's gun moved toward Aurelia.
"Now."
Nico clenched his jaw.
Then he climbed into the driver's seat.
Viktor got into the backseat beside Aurelia.
He closed the door.
"Reverse."
Nico looked at him through the rearview mirror.
"Where are we going?"
Viktor's eyes hardened.
"The Russo estate."
Nico's heart skipped.
The Russo estate.
Of course.
Viktor was going to use them as leverage.
Nico carefully started the engine.
Viktor watched him closely.
"Don't try anything."
Nico said nothing.
Viktor leaned closer to Aurelia.
"If he makes one stupid move..."
He deliberately left the sentence unfinished.
Aurelia swallowed.
She kept her eyes forward.
Her hands rested protectively over her stomach.
Nico's grip tightened around the steering wheel.
He couldn't let anything happen to her.
Not only because she was Don Roman's woman.
But because Bianca's life depended on him keeping Aurelia alive.
The car slowly reversed.
Viktor watched the road behind them.
"Good."
Nico shifted the vehicle into drive.
They began moving.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
The silence inside the car was suffocating.
Aurelia stared out the window.
Her mind raced.
She had finally escaped the safe house.
She had finally found Nico.
She had believed he would take her safely to Roman.
And now, Viktor had taken both of them hostage.
She swallowed hard.
Roman.
She wished she could somehow warn him.
She wished she could tell him where she was.
But she couldn't.
She had no way to contact him.
No way to escape.
And no way of knowing what awaited them at the Russo estate.