Chapter 74
Nico
Aurora looks like shit, I bet she hasn’t slept. “We found Andrewkov,” she seems out of breath like she has been running a marathon. I raise my eyebrows.
“Where is the fucker?”
“He’s at the cell in New York,” she steps further into the house appraising myself and taking a glance over to Lucky. “Shall we talk more privately?” She runs a hand over her chest. Her hair is tied back tightly into a ponytail. I nod and guide her towards a door leading off the entrance.
“I want to be present,” Lucky says and follows behind.
“You can go to dinner with the family, I will handle this. My mother is waiting,” I tell her in no uncertain terms. She glares at me, yet only a few moments ago her mouth was all over my cock. I’ve never known a woman blow so hot and cold.
“I want to hear what she has to say, I have the right. It was me that was under attack, Nico.” Lucky stands firm with her hands on her hips. My brother Tony comes out of the kitchen.
“What the hell is going on out here? Why are there raised voices,” he spots Aurora. “Right, okay. Let me know mother to hold dinner.”
“No need, you will all eat. I can handle this with Aurora and take Lucky with you.” I nudge Aurora to enter my office, Lucky hisses at me but does thankfully allow Tony to guide her into the kitchen.
“Sit,” I tell Aurora who does as she is told without any backchat. “I want to know what he had to say for himself,” I lean forward at my desk, propping my elbows on it, clasping my hands in front of me.
“Not too much to tell to be honest, Boss. He admits that he was working alongside Yelena but not who hired them. He is being tight lipped.” She leans back against the wingback chair and crosses one leg over the other.
“I will fly there tonight; he will talk one way or another.”
“Doubt it, you know what the Russian bastards can be like, he’d rather have his throat slit. Then we have no information.” She is right, a man like Andrewkov will protect whoever has hired him. Like I thought he was protecting me only that turned out not to be the case.
“And Yelena, what is her latest movement?”
“She has stayed put, no movement. She is still at the Four Seasons.”
“You reckon she knows we are here in Atlanta?”
Aurora scoffs, “hardly, who knows you have this place except the family, myself and the guards you have here.”
“I can’t trust anyone Aurora.” I sigh, the weight of the world on my shoulders right now. Fuck’s sake. “Why don’t we just get her? She is a sitting target right now. We know where she is, we can get to her…”
“You have a point, Boss. Let’s do it.”
“Or we can watch her,” I suggest, “she may lead us to whoever hired her. Don’t do anything with Yelena just yet. Let’s keep a close eye on her. And do you have more on the family background for me?”
“Still nothing, everything I know you already know. We are still digging.”
“Fine, keep at it. Good work so far and for getting hold of Andrewkov and taking him to the cell.” The cell is an old used building, once having been a laundry mart many years ago. I bought it because it’s in a rundown neighbourhood outside of Manhattan, not a place many people want to hang out unless they’re drunks or addicts. It suits my uses perfectly since I can come and go as I please, not to mention the people who get taken there and never come back out.
Andrewkov will not give in easy, he will take whatever it is we dish out. Like I said, he would rather lose his own life than give up the person he is protecting. The question who really does want me out of the way or Lucky? Is it family that I don’t know about? Is there some bad blood with the Russians that I am not aware of? What if it is one of the gangs in New York who have it in for me? Or even worse, what if it is Don Gianluca willing to sacrifice his daughter to prevent me from being the King of New York?
The door flies open and Lucky storms in. “Well, I demand to know. Who is the fucking bitch?”
Aurora gets up faster than lightning and places her hand straight to the gun in the back of her faux leather pants. “Stop,” I tell her before she does anything worse. I get that she is protecting me but holding a gun to Lucky’s face.
“What, seriously? You think I am a threat to my own fiancé? Put the fucking gun down.” Lucky’s voice is authorative, like she owns the damn place. I’ve never heard her speak like this before.
“Fuck, sorry Lucky, instinct.” Aurora says and relaxes as she lowers the gun.
“Listen, I think everyone is on edge, Lucky what the hell do you mean by storming into my office?”
“I have every right to know what the hell is going on! You are keeping me in the dark, spill.” She points to Aurora. “Give me all the details. NOW.”
Aurora glances towards me then to Lucky. I give her the nod to tell Lucky everything that we know. She takes it in and remains expressionless, like we’re talking about the weather. Nothing on her face gives anything away, it’s impressive for such a fiery woman like Lucky Gianluca.
“I take it you are going to deal with Andrewkov?” Lucky asks as she takes a seat by the full-length window. I nod.
“Good, I want all his fingers broken until he speaks. Cut off his fucking balls if you need to, but don’t come back until you have some answers. This has gone on way long enough. We deserve our freedom back. You,” she points at Aurora. “I want you to take the hit on Yelena.”
“No fucking way, Lucky. That is not happening, she is our only source if Andrewkov does not give us any information. Which is likely that he won’t. You know the breed of man. We have to keep Yelena in sight not fucking dead!”
She glares at me. I glare back at her. This is one battle she is not going to win. Instead, she stands up and kicks Aurora’s foot as she leaves the room. Is my wife jealous of my hired assassin? Despite all the shit flying around us right now, I have to admit it amuses me that Lucky Gianluca is jealous.
“When will you be ready, Nico?” Aurora asks ignoring Lucky like she is an annoying fly.
“No time like the present. You will be with me at all times. Double up the security around here.”
She nods. I raise myself from my desk and let Aurora know the meeting is over. “I will meet you at my car in fifteen minutes. I have to let my family know I am leaving. This could take longer than we think.”