Page 18 of Rise of the Queen

Battista was happy to help us out, especially if it meant Ricardo was going down. Sephie laughed at one particularly impassioned rant from Battista. She quietly said, “He’s almost as imaginative as Giana is about the insults for Ricardo.”

Vitaliy and Battista talked for a few more minutes, then I heard Vitaliy say Massimo’s name, followed soon after by Sephie’s name. She looked to me, somewhat surprised, then looked back at Vitaliy. He looked proud as he kept talking to Battista. Battista asked a question, which Sephie answered. It was difficult to tell, but I think Battista was shocked at her answer. He was laughing at the end of it, which made Sephie laugh as well.

Once the call ended, Vitaliy said, “He’s going to see what he can find out about Sal and Ricardo. He’ll be able to findinformation on Niko and Vito too, if they’re still there. Battista has the most connections in Italy. He’ll be able to find the most information, but he’ll likely want to deliver it in person. That means he needs to come to the city or you need to go to Italy.”

“I won’t go to Italy if Sal and Ricardo are still there. Not until Sephie is completely healed. I won’t put her in danger again,” I said firmly.

Vitaliy put his hand up, like he was trying to calm me down. “You won’t need to. He’ll come to the city if I agree to meet him there. He still owes me a very large debt. He’ll come to the city if it means paying that back.”

I felt Sephie’s hand timidly in mine. “I can travel. I’ll be okay. We can go there if we have to,” she said, quietly.

Before I could answer, Vitaliy said emphatically, “No. He’s right. No one is putting you in danger. Sal clearly has it out for you. And that was before he lost his son and his brother. Even though it was Trino who killed them, he’ll likely find a way to blame it on you just to have another reason to come after you.”

“Dammit. Scolded,” she said, under her breath.

“No one is going anywhere right away anyway. It takes time to collect information. He’ll need a few days, at the very least,” Vitaliy said, taking a softer tone with her. He looked at me. “What are your plans with Trino? He’s going to stay in the city for now, no?”

“For now, yes. His entire security team is compromised. We need to get him a new team before he can go back to Colombia. The Mexicans are after him, as well. It’s just as big of a mess down there as it is in the city,” I said.

“His security is compromised because of malishka?”

“Totally accountable,” Sephie said, raising one hand.

Vitaliy scoffed. “They were never loyal to him in the first place, then.”

I laughed, which made him look at me. “She said the very same thing to Trino when we found out.”

“Smart girl,” he said, winking at her.

“I think it’s time we go back to the city. It’ll take time to get a new security team for Trino. He has very loyal dealers, but I’m not sure they’re adequate enough for the security he needs. Viktor can help him with it, but they need to be in the city for that to happen. I also feel safer with Sephie at my building,” I said. “You’re always welcome. We have room for you and your guys at the building, although it won’t be as warm as it is here right now.”

Vitaliy looked lost in thought for a few moments. “I haven’t been to the city in years. Maybe it’s time I paid a visit.”

“Aleksei will be happy. He can go to that restaurant he’s been missing,” Sephie said.

Vitaliy laughed. “It’s not the food he misses at that restaurant, malishka. It’s the waitress. She’s likely not working there any longer.”

“That dog,” Sephie said quietly, shaking her head and laughing quietly.

Chapter Eight

Sephie

We made plans to returnto the city the following morning. Vitaliy had agreed to come back with us, but he was going to come up a couple of days behind us. He said he needed to take care of a few things in Panama before leaving.

I had quietly snuck off to the bedroom to take my contacts out. I told Adrik where I was going and what I was doing, so he wouldn’t worry about me. I knew he was going to worry about me anyway. I didn’t want to interrupt his conversation, but my eyes were itching so badly that I couldn’t take it. I needed a break for at least a few minutes. Contacts were highly overrated.

I sat down on the end of the bed, rubbing my eyes, finally getting relief. I felt a slight breeze, so I opened my eyes. I didn’t remember a door or window being open. When I looked up, there was a woman standing in front of me. At first, I was startled, but she looked familiar somehow. She smiled sweetly at me, then asked, “You can see me?”

I nodded my head, wondering why she would ask that question. I could see her standing plain as day in front of me. She caught on to my confusion. “You’re the only one who’s been able to see me. Or hear me. You really are special,” she said.

I gasped. “You’re Vitaliy’s wife. Adrik’s mother. You’re Lena. How can I see you right now?” Her smile widened. She took a step closer to me and I saw her eyes. The same eyes that I adoredon her son. “This has never happened before,” I said, completely taken aback.

“I wanted to thank you,” she said. “I keep an eye on Vitaliy, but I don’t always stay with him. I have other responsibilities. That’s how I met your father. He told me I could make this happen.”

“He always talks to me in my dreams. Never when I’m awake. Except that one time when he swooped in, but even then, I didn’t see him. Did he show you his swooping?” I asked, grinning at her.

She laughed. “You’re very much like him.” She walked closer to me, sitting on the bed beside me. I felt the bed dip as she sat down, like she was completely real. I could see that Adrik got her smile, along with her eyes. The softness in his face came from her as well. He favored his father, but she made his father’s harsh good looks softer.