Francisco was the first to speak.
“Please, sit down. The chef is making his special and should bring out the food shortly.”
Catalina waited for me. I kept my eyes on the other man as I pulled Catalina’s chair out for her. She sat down, placing her hands on the table, her fingers tapping mindlessly. She was nervous, and it showed. I was sure it didn’t go unnoticed by Francisco.
I grabbed a seat close to her, my hand finding her thigh and resting there, offering comfort any way I could.
She shifted in her seat, coming in closer to me.
Roberto smiled at her. “How are you, Catalina?”
If I hadn’t watched her carefully, I would have missed the slight droop in her shoulders. She felt relaxed with this man. And if what he said was true, then he was sent to work for Agnello all those years to look after her.
A lot of good that fucking did.
She nodded and pulled out her notebook. I didn’t miss the dark shadow that passed over his eyes.
He didn’t miss the fact that she was back to communicating with us through her notebook.
She wrote something down on the paper before handing it to him. He glanced at it before looking back at her, nodding slightly. I didn’t know what she wrote, and I didn’t care unless she wanted to share it with me.
I turned to Francisco, who was watching the interaction between Catalina and Roberto with … longing in his eyes. “I didn’t ask you out to this meeting so you can catch up with Catalina.”
Francisco crossed his arms over his chest causally and leaned back against the chair. “Why did you call this meeting then, Mr. Volkov?”
Right now, I needed something from him, and that put us at a disadvantage.
But I was a man used to getting what he wanted. I would not leave this place tonight until I had fucking Luca Monroe’s locations or a plan to get him.
“Your bomber. I want his head.”
Catalina sucked in a sharp breath beside me. I tightened my grip on her thigh. I wished I could have come here without taking her with me.
But I knew at least two of the three men sitting across from me had a soft spot for her. And I wasn’t above using her … to this extent.
“Why would I do that? He has proven quite useful to me,” Francisco answered.
“Because he messed with the Bratva. And anyone who stands with him stands against the Bratva. Do you really think you’re in a position to go to war against us?”
He took a sip of his water. “Seems a little drastic. He’s not part of Bianchi’s Famiglia. Why should we pay for his sins?”
One side of my lips tilted up in a smirk. “You think there’s a limit to what I won’t do to find him? People I won’t torture or kill?GangsI won’t destroy?”
His eyebrow twitched when I referred to his organized crime as a gang. Perhaps he was too big to be called agang. But he wasn’t bigger than the Bratva.
Francisco’s eyes moved briefly to Catalina. “If that’s how you feel, why did you bring her here?”
I leaned back against my chair. Catalina played with my fingers from beneath the table. I focused on her touch to calm myself down.
“Consider this an olive branch, Bianchi. You say she’s your daughter—”
“She is,” he interrupted. He turned to Catalina, talking directly to her. “You are, sweetheart. You’re my daughter.”
She took in a shaky breath.
“Help us out. You’ll be helping your daughter out.”
Both of his hands pressed down on the table as he leaned forward. “How do I know she’s not being held against her will?”