Page 70 of One of Them

Taking advantage of the pause, I eyed the delicious pastries on the table.

Unable to resist the amaretti cookie, I popped one into my mouth. The almond taste took over my senses, and I refrained from moaning a vocal approval. Creamy coffee washed it down before it sounded.

I put down the cup, smiling at the thought of rewriting history the same way Enzo’s ancestors once did. Dario studied me closely. Not much escaped him. I could see why Enzo warned me. But the warning didn’t prevent me from running my mouth the way it tended to. Or putting his skill to use.

When the porcelain saucer clung, I revealed the other reason behind my visit. “I’m also in need of your services.”

“From what I hear you’re well capable.”

The corner of my mouth lifted. “It’s more the capacity that I lack.”

I pulled out the stacked envelope, placing it on top of the newspaper. Don eyed the object, as if he possessed the ability to read it through the paper.

For all I knew, it could be tossed the moment I left, but I hoped it would at least be opened first. I was betting a lot on this moment, knowing full well that asking for help, calling in favors, never worked in this world.

Alliances broke daily, but the cost had to be worth the price.

So I opted for trade. Don worked for organizations outside the alliance. Whether for money or respect didn’t matter. Trade and business ruled, so I played the system to my advantage. I gave him an out, offered him an in, and secured the help outside both choices.

His hand hovered over the envelope, not close enough to touch but not too far to reach.

“If you dare to climb high enough to get to the moon,” Dario spoke in code, the wrinkles on his forehead more pronounced. “You better hold on,” he warned, his tone weighted with experience. “Because the stars will rise closer each night, and your fall will come long before the ground is in sight.”

I understood each word, feeling the weight of responsibility already dragging me toward the very ground he warned of. Dario was right. I needed to be sure. But what he didn’t know was that years of resentmenthad built up within me. I couldn’t stand the unfairness. I wanted to wipe it off the face of the Earth for good.

I would climb over the moon if that’s what it took to restore the balance.

When the tension bubbled, I broke it with a smirk. “You should make public appearances more often,” I suggested, his wisdom leaving an impression.

Dario’s body tensed. “Not my style.”

“Too bad. You and I could be friends.” I flashed him a charming smile.

His expression could melt icicles, but the intensity of his stare didn’t faze me.

“I could be your father, Ms. Taya.” His tone registered, but his charm left no effect on me. No goosebumps traced my spine, no instinct stirred to attention. The words brushed past me like a breeze: noticeable, but without real impact.

My smile was wicked, but there was some truth behind the words. “I always wanted a Daddy.”

The upper corner of his lips lifted in an attempt at a smile. He came close, but not quite.

Dusting the crumbs off my sundress, I stood tall and met his gaze again.

“I’ll give you time to think it over,” I said. “The document is on the network.”

I eyed the spot he kept returning to, watching the somewhat calm waters before I added a few coded words of my own.

“The tides are turning,” I implied, my chin lifting toward the sun. “The question each of us must answer is: will you swim, or will you let them drown you?”

The heel of my shoe sank into the perfectly mowed grass as I turned, my sundress floating behind me.

“I want her found and brought back immediately.” Ilya’s words played on repeat. Every meeting, every command, involved her whereabouts. Bratva’s operations were temporarily shut down, production postponed. Members were called in from various locations to NYC. Our warehouses were overcrowded with more people than products.

Members slept on top of gun crates. Maps and screens occupied each corner. All in efforts to find her.

Ilya, or Malek, spared no manpower. We were all working around the clock, scouting the Earth for a single person.

While she was stubborn and beyond capable of taking care of herself, there was very little Taya could achieve in such a short time without help.

---