by Unknown
"Yes."
"Right away sir."
Jack ended the call knowing that if anyone could find Victoria, it was Aaron. Aaron was the head of Information Technology for Storm Enterprises; the best IT guy in America, but an even better hacker.
GIANNI
Gianni weaved his way through the crowded club and entered Luca's office in just enough time to hear Luca say something about Tammy swinging on a pole. Tammy inhaled a sharp breath and slapped Luca hard enough to make him take a step back. Luca, shocked that she'd struck him, grabbed his face like a wounded puppy.
“Fuck you!" she spat, ready to hit him again.
Gianni rushed between them.
"Something’s happened," he blurted. "We have to leave now."
"What's happened?" Luca growled, still rubbing his cheek.
"The limo is waiting out front. I'll explain on the way."
Tammy, without saying a word, turned and hurried out of Luca's office. Gianni gestured toward the spot that Tammy had abandoned.
"What the fuck was that?"
"That cousin... was me fucking up, again."
"Yeah, you think?" Gianni responded, sarcastically.
"I don't know how to deal with her."
Gianni could hear the frustration in Luca's voice. He knew exactly why Luca was unable to "deal" with Tammy. It was because Luca had never dealt with a woman on anything more than a sexual level. Before Tammy, women were considered a means to an end. But now that he was feeling something more significant, he was realizing that he was going to have to adjust his behavior.
"Listen, Jack called. His limo was in a wreck, and eight of your men were found on the scene. They were shot to death."
"Fuck! And the girls?"
"No sign of Katherine, Vic, or Emily. Jack believes that they've been taken."
Luca pulled his phone out of his pocket.
"Go. I'll meet you at the airport."
Gianni knew that Luca would make the necessary moves to find their family. He nodded and walked out of the office. Gianni made his way through the club, thinking about how worried Jack and Joseph had to be. When Natasha was taken, it was if his world had ended. Sadly, not only had Jack been through the horror of Victoria being kidnapped once before, now his mother and sister had been taken as well. Gianni climbed into the limo, needing to be by his cousin's side as soon as possible. He sat next to Tammy, who was staring out the window. He pried her hand from her lap and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"You okay?"
Tammy turned to him and squeezed his hand in return.
"Yeah. I'm good."
Gianni knew that she wasn't good, but he didn't push the issue. He looked across at Natasha, and she mouthed, "What happened?"
"Later," Gianni mouthed in response.
Natasha nodded and looked out of the window; a silent agreement to shelve the conversation until later. Gianni smiled, thinking of his mild-mannered wife. Yes, Natasha was tough as nails, and once unleashed, truly deadly. But most of the time she was docile, soft-spoken, and agreeable.
Chapter 21
TAMMY
No sleep and fifteen hours later, the entire family was meeting in Jack and Victoria's family room. Jack's super-serious security advisor, John, along with a seriously good-looking computer geek were also in attendance. Gianni quieted the room and shared with the family what little information that they'd obtained.
Apparently, someone slammed into the limo that Vic, Emily, and Jack's mom were riding in. By the time the computer geek pinpointed their location and arrived on the scene, all of the bodyguards were dead, and the women were gone. And, strangely enough, there was an iPad with a sticky note on it that read, "Take Me." Gianni said that Jack tucked the iPad away before the police arrived.
Tammy watched Jack pace the floor. He was wringing his hands while mumbling to himself. He was clearly becoming undone, and Joseph wasn't looking any better.
"Aaron, what's on the iPad?" Natasha asked.
"Nothing yet. There's no registered account, but it was purchased in Chicago."
"Tasha, can you rush the prints?" Tracy asked.
"No, but Frankie can. I'll call him."
Natasha pulled her phone out of her purse and dialed Frankie. She walked into a corner and spoke softly into her phone. Almost immediately after Natasha finished her call, they heard a distinctive notification coming from the iPad. Afraid to touch it, everyone turned to Aaron. He quickly sprang into action; attaching some sort of magnetic device to the top of the iPad before swiping to activate it.
"There's a video feed," he said.
"What, like FaceTime?" Natasha asked.
"No. It's an uploaded feed."
He touched the screen to play the video. Everyone in the room froze when a disheveled Victoria appeared on the screen. She was wearing a white t-shirt and gray yoga pants. Her hair was wild, and she had what looked like a small cut on her forehead, but overall, she looked okay.
"Jack... Baby... I'm fine. Don’t worry. We're all ok," Victoria said into the camera before she was snatched out of view.
"Aww... So precious," the Russian woman said, as she stepped into view. "Yes, your women are alive, for now. But know this... I will be coming for the songbird, the stripper, and the dyke. But for now, please enjoy the show."
VICTORIA
A crowd cheered and laughed as Victoria was tossed face first into a filthy pit; a makeshift boxing ring. She stood to her feet and swiped the dirt from her face. She had no idea where she was. She woke up on a flimsy mattress in a dark room with no windows. It was all too familiar; reminiscent of being the captive of a madman, with the only difference being the presence of Katherine and Emily. They were understandably terrified, yet surprisingly calm. But neither of them were able to provide any information as to their whereabouts.
Victoria remembered the three of them clinging to each other when a door flew open, and a huge man entered. He was a muscle-bound redhead with a long curly beard. He shouted something at them in Russian and then tossed a pile of clothing at them before slamming the door shut. Knowing what happened to Natasha, Victoria wondered if they were being forced into some form of human trafficking. But when she inspected the clothing that they were being forced to wear, she realized that there was nothing sexual about them. He had given them t-shirts and yoga pants. Hopefully, they were more likely being forced into some sort of servitude, which would buy her more time to get her family to safety. But now Victoria was standing in a pit designed for battle. She looked at Katherine and Emily, who were seated in the front row, and a tear ran down Victoria's cheek at the sight of a terrified Katherine physically shaking. An announcer's voice on a microphone captured Victoria's attention.
"And now.... the beautiful Katya Romanov presents... The Battle of the American Scum!"
Applause
"In the red corner... Victoria Storm. Weighing in at roughly one hundred and forty-five pounds, she hails from Chicago, Illinois. She's an ex-cop, now the spoiled wife of a billionaire. This is her first time in the ring.
"Now, in the blue corner..."
A man was thrown into the ring. He was a tall, somewhat thin, young Black man with older bruises that were healing.
"...Robert Brown. Weighing in at one hundred and eighty-five pounds, he also hails from Chicago, Illinois. He's a hotel concierge turned police informant. Robert has survived four bouts and his survival skills are not to be underestimated."
The crowd cheered loudly as the man rose to his feet. Victoria was confused, and admittedly, afraid. She must have looked like a lamb in preparation for slaughter. She looked around, literally waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out and tell her that she was being Punked. This shit couldn't have been real. She was actually expected to fight the man across the ring.
"Let's find out who has more will to live! This will be a fight to the death!"
"What?!" Victoria screamed. "What?! No! I'm not doing this! I won't fight!”
She tried to flee from the ring but was pushed, reall
y hard, on the dirty mat. Victoria sat on the mat and crossed her arms and legs; a position meant to demonstrate defiance. The crowd's boos echoed throughout the dark dusty arena.
The gigantic redhead stepped into the ring and walked over to her. Victoria braced herself when he closed in on her. He clutched a good portion of her hair and yanked her to her feet. He then angled her face toward Katherine and Emily, in just enough time to see the Russian woman point a gun at her mother-in-law's head. Katherine inhaled a sharp breath and closed her eyes. Emily screamed and tried to reach her mother before she was yanked away.
“Okay!" Victoria shouted. “Okay! I'll fight!"
LUCA
When Katya placed her gun to her mother's head, Amy became undone. Luca held Amy as she hid her face in his chest and cried to the point of hyperventilation.
"Shhhh... Amy, look, she's fine."
Amy turned and peeked at the screen. Her breathing began to regulate when she saw Katherine, clearly in distress, but alive and well. Mia walked over and rubbed her back.
"She'll be fine and we're going to get them all back," Luca promised.
Luca looked around at the terrified faces in the room. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. Natasha clung to Gianni, Jack sat frozen in a chair in front of the iPad, and Tracy and Tammy were whispering words of encouragement to Joseph.
Luca walked over and stood next to Jack. He dropped a hand on his shoulder. What Jack must have been feeling at that moment was unimaginable. He should’ve killed that cunt when he had the chance. Tammy walked closer and squinted at the iPad.
"That's Robert!"
"Who? Who is Robert?" Luca asked.
It was the first words that he'd said to her since Paris. She turned to Natasha and Gianni.
"He's the friend that told me that the Russians were in town when you were kidnapped."
Everyone quieted and leaned in when the fight started. Victoria took a fighting stance, and Luca prepared to coach her in his mind. Although her opponent was bigger and more than likely stronger than Victoria, if she struck and moved, Luca believed that she could survive. But, she didn’t. Victoria opted to fight toe to toe with the bigger man and he punched her hard enough to make her drop to one knee. Her opponent wasted no time rushing her. He forced her on her back wrapped his fingers around her throat. Victoria struggled, but Luca could see her arms going limp. Jack fell to his knees.
"Aghhhhh! God please! Noooo!" he begged.
As if God was answering Jack's prayers, Victoria lifted her leg over her opponents head and pried him off of her. When he tried to rush her again, she kicked him in the groin. Her opponent fell to his knees, clutching his genitals. Victoria used the small amount of time that she'd bought for herself to catch her breath. Her opponent rushed her again, but she quickly scrambled to her feet and slipped his attack. Victoria stepped, slightly to the side, and kicked the side of his knee. His knee buckled, but he managed to stay on his feet. Victoria sidestepped to the center of the ring and returned to her fighting stance. The crowd cheered as the other fighter joined Victoria in the center of the ring and settled into his own fighting stance.
"Keep moving. Keep moving. Keep moving," Luca chanted over and over as if she could hear him.
As if listening to his subliminal coaching, Victoria began to dance around the ring. Her opponent closed in on her and threw a hard right. But, this time Victoria performed a combination that made Luca proud. She blocked with her left while throwing a hard elbow strike to his face with her right. Then she threw in another elbow, before skipping backward, away from her opponent. Her opponent covered his face with his hands for only seconds before charging Victoria and tackling her to the ground.
Jack gasped, and moved even closer to the iPad.
"Aaron! Find my wife!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.
"Yes sir," Aaron responded without looking up from his computer. He continued to type furiously, trying to pinpoint the location of the video feed.
Luca returned his attention to the video as Victoria tried the same move when her attacker climbed on top of her, but this time he knocked her leg away. So, with both hands, she caught his arm and lifted her hips from the ground. She managed to roll herself over, locking his arm between her legs, and placing her body weight on his elbow. Luca couldn't see under Victoria, but he knew that the armbar that she placed him in was extremely painful. And judging from the way his body jerked, Luca was positive that Victoria had just broken her opponent's arm. Unfortunately, he wasn't finished. He grabbed her hair with his other hand and yanked her head back, causing her to hit the mat hard. But, as her opponent sat up and tried to nurse his broken arm, Victoria scurried behind him and placed him in a chokehold. He pried at her fingers and scratched at her arm, drawing blood, but Victoria had a secure hold. She fell back on the mat, adding pressure to the choke. Victoria's opponent began to fade into darkness. Even after his body went limp, she held the choke. She was visibly sobbing as the life drained from her opponent. Sure that he was dead, Victoria slid from under his body and crawled to her knees. She covered her face and wept.
Luca wasn't surprised that the women in the room were crying for Victoria and her fallen opponent. What surprised him was the tear that almost escaped his eye. Although Victoria had proved herself to be a warrior, she was no killer, and she had just killed a man with her bare hands. Luca felt for Victoria, knowing that the face of her opponent would haunt her, probably, for the rest of her life. Luca felt Tammy's hands slide up and down his arms, before snaking her arms around his waist and hugging him from behind. Luca caressed her forearms, grateful for her touch.
Chapter 22
TAMMY
Luca turned in Tammy's arms and engulfed her in his own. He kissed the top of her head, just like he'd done so many times before. But, the way he held her was different. It was as if he was reassuring himself that she was actually safe, in his arms.
"I couldn't take it," he whispered. "I couldn't be as strong as Jack and Gianni. Their women chose such a dangerous life; occupation. Tammy, I need to keep you safe. I'm not as strong as them."
"You don't have to worry about me. I'm just a pole dancer."
Luca recoiled as if she'd slapped him again.
"I'm sorry about what I said. Please forgive me. I got jealous. And... I understand the point that you were trying to prove. I'm so sorry. I'll do better."
"It's okay Luca. And, I'm really sorry that I hit you."
Luca grabbed the back of Tammy's head and pulled her against his chest. As he held her tight, Tammy could feel his body trembling.
The sound of the crowd's cheers reverberating from the iPad diverted their attention to the screen. Victoria was in tears, still on her knees, as Robert's lifeless body was dragged out of the ring. The bearded redhead walked into the ring and grabbed the back of Victoria's neck. He lifted her to her feet as if she weighed nothing. He grabbed her wrist and forced her hand into the air.
"And the winner is... the spoiled, ex-cop, billionaires," an announcer shouted, eliciting cheers from the crowd.
Luca saw Jack finally exhale. But his relief was short-lived because Katherine was immediately pulled from her seat.
"Oh for the love of God," Joseph groaned, painfully.
VICTORIA
Victoria heard Emily scream. "What?! No! Are you people crazy?!"
She lunged at a man holding her mother but missed. She was grabbed from behind by two men and restrained. Emily kicked and pulled, but she couldn't break free. Victoria stood in the ring, wondering what was happening to her family. But when she saw Katherine being dragged toward the ring, reality hit like a ton of bricks. They actually expected Katherine to fight in a death match. Victoria's heart began to race. She was nearing a full out panic. The horror on Katherine's elegant face made Victoria's heart sink.
"N...n... No," Victoria stuttered.
With pleading eyes, she turned to the big redhead.
"I'll fight for her."
The redhead igno
red her and tightened his hold on her wrist.
"Please! I’ll fight! Please!" Victoria beseeched, only to be ignored again.
As Katherine was being forced into the ring, her eyes never left Emily, who was in a violent struggle with two men. Victoria looked over at Emily just as a third man threw a blow that knocked her completely out.
"Emily!" Katherine cried out.
Victoria turned to her mother-in-law, who was no longer struggling. The redhead began to pull Victoria from the ring just as Katherine's opponent was thrown into the ring. It was a man twice Katherine's size. Victoria searched the room for the Russian woman and found her sitting in the front row.
Victoria screamed at the woman. "What the fuck is this?!"
The bitch smiled and shrugged her shoulders. At that moment, Victoria realized that they weren't expected to survive. The vile Russian bitch had plans of them dying in the ring. Well if they were going to die, Victoria intended to go out fighting. She turned and kneed the redhead in the groin, stunning him long enough to break free. She savagely attacked one of the men holding Katherine. She took him down and crawled on top of him. She was throwing frenzied punches when she was grabbed by her hair from behind and tossed across the ring. She hurried to her knees, but was kicked in the back.
Victoria's face hit the mat just as she was kicked again. Suddenly, she was being kicked from every direction. She could hear Katherine screaming, “She’s pregnant!” as she pled for the men to stop. Victoria curled into a ball in order to protect her unborn child. Warm tears fell from her eyes as she thought of Jack and Jasmine. The thought of how distressed Jack had to have been caused her to wail. Victoria knew that at least one of her ribs were broken, but when she took a kick to the back of her head, she became lightheaded. She felt her body go limp, but she also felt warmth. Victoria struggled to open her eyes. She could still see feet coming at her, but she no longer felt the pain. Just as she passed out, she realized that the warmth that she felt was coming from Katherine. She was using her own body to shield Victoria from the blows.