Chapter 147 AN ENEMY.
\~~~LUCIANO.
“Talia has arrived in New York City now.”
Viktor's words echoed in my head again, sharp and urgent, like a warning bell I couldn't ignore. I pushed the door open and entered the study, the familiar scent of leather-bound books and polished wood doing little to calm the storm brewing inside me. The room was dimly lit by the desk lamp, casting long shadows across the walls lined with shelves. Viktor stood there, his broad frame tense, phone still in hand, his face set in that unreadable mask he wore when things got serious.
"When?" I asked, closing the door behind me with a soft click.
"I just got..." Viktor started, his words trailing off as the door creaked open again. I turned, and there she was Raina, slipping into the room like a shadow determined to chase away the darkness.
Her hair was tousled from our earlier moment in bed, her shirt slightly askew, and her eyes burned with that fierce determination I both loved and worried about.
I breathed out a long sigh and shook my head, trying to keep the frustration from showing on my face. She looked ready for a fight, and the last thing I needed was her diving headfirst into this mess. "Are you looking for something, baby?" I asked, keeping my tone light, though my heart wasn't in it.
"Whatever it is you two are planning, I want in on it," she said, stepping fully into the room and shutting the door behind her. Her chin lifted in that stubborn way, arms already folding across her chest like she was bracing for battle.
"You need to sleep," I replied, moving closer to her. The words felt inadequate, but exhaustion clung to her like a second skin after everything she had been through today.
But Raina wasn't having any of it. She marched right up to Viktor, stopping just inches from him, her arms still crossed tight. Viktor towered over her, his expression flickering with surprise, but she didn't back down. "Report to me too," she demanded, her voice steady, her eyes locked on his.
Viktor's brows shot up. "Ma'am?" He glanced at me, uncertainty in his eyes. He was used to taking orders from me, not fielding questions from my wife, no matter how bold she was.
"Whatever it is you said to him on the phone and now, report it to me too," Raina pressed, not budging an inch.
"I can't, I'm sorry," Viktor said, his tone polite but firm. He shifted his weight, clearly uncomfortable with the shift in dynamics.
Raina straightened even more, her frown deepening into something almost comical if the situation weren't so tense.
She looked like a kitten trying to roar, all fire and no real claws, but damn if it didn't make me proud. I smiled softly, leaning against the edge of the desk as I watched her. Even when she feigned anger like this, it didn't suit her one bit as her eyes sparkled with mischief beneath the seriousness, and her lips twitched like she was fighting a grin.
"Viktor," I said quietly, drawing his attention. He turned to me, and I nodded gently, gesturing for him to go ahead. If she was this insistent, there was no point in stonewalling her.
Raina was part of this life now, whether I liked it or not, and keeping her in the dark would only push her away.
Viktor hesitated for a split second, then cleared his throat. "Ms. Talia has been reported to be back in the city, ma'am."
Raina's eyes widened, her arms dropping to her sides as she whipped around to face me. "T... Talia? You've been keeping tracks of her?" Her voice cracked with surprise.
She searched my face, and I nodded once, holding her gaze steady.
She turned back to Viktor, her posture shifting from defensive to demanding. "Tell me everything you've gathered so far," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Viktor looked at me again, seeking silent permission, and I nodded once more. He was loyal to a fault, but I trusted Raina with this. She deserved to know, especially if Talia was sniffing around our territory.
Viktor leaned against the bookshelf, crossing his arms as he began. "We've had eyes on her movements since she fled earlier this year. She was spotted in several different countries first Italy, then France, and many more. We suspect she's traveling with someone, but we haven't pinned down his identity yet. The patterns suggest it's a long-time rival, someone from the old syndicates we've clashed with before. That makes Talia an enemy too, no question. She's aligned herself with threats that could come back to bite us."
Raina listened intently, her leg shaking slightly as she processed it all. She hissed under her breath, the sound sharp in the quiet room. "Well, the moment she fled, she became an enemy, did she not?" She glanced at me briefly, then back to Viktor, her foot tapping faster now, like nervous energy she couldn't contain.
"Yes, she is," Viktor agreed, his voice gravelly and matter-of-fact. "And I'd put her down if she comes anywhere near you, or here." His eyes hardened, the promise in his words as real as the gun he always carried.
I shook my head at the statement, a low chuckle escaping despite myself. Viktor was blunt to a fault, but hearing him lay it out so casually made the room feel heavier. Raina parted her lips, her eyes going wide as she stared at him, then at me.
"Does he always say things he doesn't mean with this seriousness?" she asked me, her voice a mix of disbelief and amusement, though her cheeks flushed a little.
"Viktor never bluffs, baby," I said, pushing off the desk to stand closer to her. I rested a hand on her shoulder, feeling the warmth of her skin through the thin fabric of her shirt.
"And if that isn't more scary!" Raina exclaimed, shaking her head as she looked back at Viktor. But there was a spark in her eyes now, the tension easing into something lighter.