Undefeated: Bad Boy Fighter Romance (Fighting For Gisele #4) (5 page)

“He will take what he wants…fight or no fight.”

Micah lifted a finger. “Yes. But he is a greedy son of a bitch, and that’s what I’m counting on. Yuri won’t turn away from a high-stakes fight like this. He stands to win too much.”

Gisele just stared as if she didn’t know how to respond.

“Luke is arranging for Chernov to set up the fight for Saturday night, and then Chernov can pull Yuri into it. That’s the carrot Luke will dangle in front of him, and as the fight sponsor he will want as many heavy betters as he can rope in.”

Micah leaned back in his chair, and continued telling her the plan. “The Kovalenkos can bet too, if they like. Lazar might want in on what he will see as easy money, and the more the merrier.

“I want to put pressure on Yuri, and I’ll make sure that Chernov spreads the word that your mobster father is fueling the action.” Micah waited for Gisele to say something.

“Why do that? I don’t follow. How will that help us?”

Micah’s lips thinned into a smile. “That’s what’s so clever about it. The more Russian factions that know about the fight and Yuri’s stake in it, the better. And I want them all there that night, watching the fight. It will be hard for Yuri to back out of his promise to free us.”

Gisele looked puzzled, so he elaborated. “The word of a mobster means little,” Micah said, “
except
among other mobsters. It’s their code, criminal though it may be. They must be able to trust that when another mobster makes a promise that his word is good. So I’m counting on Yuri saving face with the other factions by paying up when he loses.”

“By letting us go, and my mother too?”

“Yes, and the other factions don’t need to know the gory details of his deception. All they need to know is that he
has something on us
, and that he will forgive the debt when I win the fight.

“It’s simple. Yuri has more money and power than any of the other factions, so if he agrees to wager, then the fight will definitely happen. In fact, I’m sure he will be ordering Chernov around before this is over. Others will want in on the big money, so they will all be there watching me fight Fromer.”

Micah opened his arms. “I win. We go free.” The stakes were high, but it was his one chance to force Yuri to let them go, so he had to take it.

“He will still get the diamond,” Gisele said. “But I’ll gladly give it to him, if it ensures our future.” Then she frowned. “What did Luke say when you asked him to arrange the fight?”

Micah laughed. “He said, ‘I can’t believe that you want to fight that asshole again.’”

Gisele smiled, although she didn’t look happy. “I have to agree with that sentiment.”

“I told Luke that the odds are good that we will profit nicely, because everyone will bet against me.”

Gisele raised her brows. “Was he in favor of that?”

“Well, he said something like, ‘I’d rather the odds were good that you’ll survive in the ring.’ Luke knows why I’m doing this, and it’s
not
for the money.”

Gisele reached across the table and put her hand over his. “Are you ready to fight again?”

Micah didn’t flinch. “I’ll have to be.”

Chapter 6

The next morning, Gisele dressed to go see her mother. It was still dark out, but she hadn’t slept much anyway. She was anxious, and her stomach knotted with worry. Yuri might back out and change his mind. That was a possibility.

By the time she’d dressed, early dawn had cast an orange glow on the city below. When she was ready, Micah called a cab and rode with her to the complex. He was quiet but held her hand. Gisele leaned against him for strength.

When they arrived, Micah walked her to the entrance. He wrapped his arms around Gisele and held her close. She breathed in the scent of soap, and pressed her cheek to his muscled chest, not wanting to let go.

But her mother waited, and Gisele wouldn’t miss an opportunity to be with her, uncertain whether she’d have another one. “I’ll call you when I get back,” she said, looking up at Micah. He kissed her tenderly, then released her.

Inside, a guard strolled along the hallway. Gisele didn’t look his way, just walked toward the library to find Yuri. As it turned out, he was having breakfast, and appeared unaffected by such a monumental day.

Alek sat across from him. “Good morning, Gisele.”

“Good morning.” It wasn’t yet six, so she sat down. Yuri didn’t interrupt his meal for her. He continued eating, and she glanced at her brother, who looked uncomfortable.

When Yuri was finished, he pushed his plate aside and dabbed at his mouth with a napkin. She couldn’t help but notice the heavy gold rings he wore on his fingers, reminding her of his ill-gotten wealth.

“Alek will go with you,” her mobster father said, then stood up. He couldn’t have conveyed any clearer that he didn’t like sparing his precious time for Gisele’s sentimentality. The glance he gave her was a message that he was losing patience.

“I’m glad you’re going,” Gisele said. “It would be traumatizing to go off alone with Yuri’s guards.”

Alek nodded, but didn’t offer any words of sympathy. The listening system was surely on, and anything they said would be heard.

“I don’t even know where we’re going.” Gisele pushed her chair back, wanting to get on her way.

“The guards are waiting.” Alek headed for the hall, so Gisele followed.

Instead of going out the front, her brother led her to the elevator for the garage. Since Gisele normally took cabs, she didn’t frequent the lower level. Once there, she was ushered into a black sedan with blacked-out windows in the rear.

Alek sat beside her in the back seat, and the two guards occupied the front. It wasn’t as though she would try to escape; she wanted to see her mother. Soft rock played low on the radio, but otherwise the car was silent. She noticed the direction the car was traveling, and realized that they were driving to the airport.

It was a bit frightening to fly off to an unknown destination, but having her brother there was of some comfort. Yuri’s private jet awaited them, but the luxury was lost on her. The purpose of the trip wasn’t frivolous, and she didn’t enjoy the amenities of the flight.

During the trip, Gisele was seated beside Alek with the shades down. The pilot’s cabin was closed so she couldn’t hear any communications. She had no idea where the plane was headed, but tried to keep track of time to estimate how far they might have gone.

Gisele drank Coke, and thought about her mother. If the plane changed course over the hours they were in the air, she wasn’t aware of it. It was impossible to tell, so she just waited, hoping they’d arrive soon. It was midmorning when the pilot announced their descent.

Alek had largely ignored her, pretending indifference in front of the guards. When she buckled her seatbelt in preparation for landing, her brother looked over and nodded, as a sign of encouragement. It did little to calm her nerves.

Gisele wished that she could see where they were, but knew the guards were there to ensure that she didn’t. It seemed wherever she was escorted, a minimum of two guards were required, which she decided made a statement. Based on past experience, Yuri and Alek assumed she had quite a talent for having her way, so recruited enough muscle to keep her in line. But so far, she hadn’t figured out a way out of this situation.

Before leaving the plane, one of the guards blindfolded Gisele, then Alek threaded his arm through hers. “Hold on to me,” he said. “I’ll guide you.”

Carefully, they descended the stairs, and Gisele was relieved when her feet were on solid ground. Wherever they were it was warm out, as heat radiated off the tarmac. Alek ushered her into a car, but did not remove the blindfold.

After a short drive, Gisele was escorted into to a building. “I’ll be waiting,” Alek said. Then the guards took over, holding her arms a little too tight, and guiding her away. She thought they must be going down a hall, since it seemed like a straight path.

When they turned a corner, one of the guards released her, and she felt cushiony carpet underneath her feet. The door clicked shut, then a guard removed the blindfold. Gisele was in a living room, adequate but not plush.

Heavy blackout curtains were drawn across the windows, but the room was well lit by lamps. Gisele looked around, taking in the surroundings where her mother had stayed for so long. There was a stone fireplace, several chairs, and a long sofa. The carpet was medium beige, and the walls were white.

Gisele crossed the room and sat in one of the chairs, while the guard stood next to the door. Butterflies fought in her stomach. She didn’t know how she’d react after all these years. But she was excited, and anxious for reassurance that her mother was okay.

Then the door opened and the guard stepped aside. A slender woman entered. She wore slacks with a floral print top. She had long sandy-blond hair and lovely brown eyes. The woman was visibly shaking and had tears in her eyes.

The instant Catarina looked at her, Gisele recognized her. She had aged, but otherwise looked very much the same as Gisele remembered. She flew into her mother’s arms, as if not even a day had passed since she’d seen her.

Her mother held her tight, sobbing. “Sweetheart.”

“Mother, you’re really here.” Gisele released her just enough to look at her again. Then she gave her another long hug. “I missed you so much.”

Catarina took her hand and they sat on the sofa. Her mother wiped away tears with a tissue, and Gisele swiped under her eyes with the back of her hand. “Mother, I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you.”

“I’ve waited for this day for so many years,” Catarina said, fighting back more tears. “You’re twenty-one now.” Her mother seemed to marvel over that. “You were only six years old the last time I saw you.”

“Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

“It broke my heart to be separated from you. I could have tolerated the captivity if only I’d been allowed to see you.” Her mother reached out and touched her cheek.

“It’s unthinkable,” Gisele said. “Are you well? Do you have what you need?”

“I haven’t been physically hurt. I was too valuable to them.” Catarina poured out a few details of her captivity. The guards had been rotated, so she didn’t form any bond. When she’d needed a doctor, a hairdresser, or other service, she’d been blindfolded and not allowed to speak. “I had radio and television, but no phone or computer.”

Gisele took in her mother’s appearance, seeing no signs that she’d been brutalized. Yet how barbaric was it to steal a woman’s life? “You look good, for being locked away for so many years.”

Catarina glanced at the door. The guard had left, but was probably in the hallway. The place was most certainly secured, so they weren’t likely to escape. At the moment, Gisele was too focused on reuniting to think of going anywhere.

“The room is bugged,” her mother said. “Be cautious about what you say. I’m not at liberty to tell you where we are.”

Gisele nodded. “The windows are covered. Have you seen the sunshine?”

Her mother smiled. “Yes, the grounds are fenced with barbed wire facing in at the top, like a prison. But I exercise daily, and I’ve been allowed to read. I can’t tell you how many books I’ve gone through.”

“I can imagine.” Gisele held her mother’s hand. “Did you try to escape?”

“No, they knew I wouldn’t.” Catarina looked sad. “I was told that if I tried to escape…they would kill you. I couldn’t risk it.”

“Oh, Mother, you’ve given up so much.”

“The hope of seeing you again is all that kept me going. But we have a lot of catching up to do. I don’t know what you’ve been doing all these years, or what growing up was like for you,” her mother said. “Did Yuri treat you well?”

“In many ways yes, but he doesn’t love me. I believed that he did, and that he accepted me into the family out of loyalty to my father.” Gisele’s eyes welled with tears. “But it was all a lie.”

“I’m so sorry. We don’t have much time together. The guard told me that they’re taking you back within the hour.”

“But that’s so soon.”

Catarina hugged her daughter again, as if fearing she might not have another opportunity. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions, and some of them I can answer. You know about the inheritance now, so the rest of it doesn’t have to be kept secret.”

“I have figured out part of what happened, but I was stunned to learn that you were still alive.” Gisele’s lower lip quivered and she gripped her knees for support. “I didn’t think I’d see you again. Father said you were killed in a car accident.”

“Andrew sent me into hiding, and shortly after that he was taken to prison,” Catarina said. “I was told that he died there.”

Gisele didn’t dare tell her mother that Yuri’s men had killed him. She’d been through enough; she could spare Catarina that much.

Her mother proceeded to tell more of the story. “Andrew was the Danilovs’ main accountant, and they trusted him. He had specific qualifications. His verification of a set of books was beyond reproach, so they pressured him into their employment.”

“Why did my father want the diamond?”

“It was his way to protect us. It was leverage, and he could exchange it for the safety of his family. Only he didn’t get that chance.” Catarina wrapped her arms around her waist. “It was awful, sweetheart.”

Her mother talked as she remembered more. “Andrew set up the trust for you before he went to prison. He feared for your safety most of all, so he took extreme measures.”

“How did he gain possession of the blue diamond?” Gisele figured the mob knew all about that, so it couldn’t possibly matter if her mother told her now.

“Once the diamond was sold, Andrew was supposed to launder the money, to cover up the theft. The gem was stolen from its rightful owner, then transported to a bank in Zurich.” Catarina hesitated. “But your father tricked them.”

“How did he do that?”

“The mob couldn’t imagine that a lowly accountant, one they’d terrorized, no less, would dare to go against them.” Catarina lowered her voice, as if she didn’t want to be overhead, and Gisele leaned closer.

“Andrew had connections at the bank, as he’d had many clients with Swiss accounts. I don’t know exactly how he did it, but he managed to have a switch made, so the diamond ended up in his safe deposit box.”

Gisele gaped. “I wouldn’t have thought of that.”

“So when the mob opened their safe deposit box later, it was empty, and I’m sure they’ve wondered ever since where that diamond is.” Catarina paused. “Even the mob can’t bully the Swiss banks. They are renowned for their security, as many fortunes are secured in their vaults.”

“How did you know about it?”

“Your father told me about the trick he planned, before he was incarcerated. We talked on secure phones while I was in hiding, but he didn’t tell me how he executed his strategy. Then once he was locked up, I didn’t find out anything more.”

Catarina shifted on the sofa, seeming relieved to have shared what she knew. “The diamond was your father’s insurance. He told them he had it, and would trade it for our freedom. It didn’t play out that way.”

“So Father told Yuri that he’d created a trust and I’d inherit at the age of twenty-one?”

“Yes, but he actually planned to deliver the diamond himself, once he was released from jail. It was brilliant of him to ensure your future, though, planning for the unexpected. But that was your father—he cared about you and did all he could to protect you.”

Gisele realized the full weight of what her father had done for her. She had no idea what might have happened if Yuri hadn’t been coerced into caring for her. And she dreaded to think what would have happened to her mother.

“Why didn’t Father send me with you to Italy?”

“He didn’t want you to go into hiding until he knew it was safe,” her mother said. “Clearly, it wasn’t safe.”

Gisele remembered what she’d brought with her. Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved the items. She extended her arm and opened her hand. Catarina bit her lower lip, then gently took the wedding rings from her. “Andrew kept my wedding band, so that when he faked my death he could say my possessions had been sent back to him.”

Her mother rolled the wedding rings in her palm. “Thank you so much for these. I’ll treasure them.”

The scant minutes they had together flew by. The guard entered the room and motioned for Gisele to leave. They stood up and she hugged her mother, wishing desperately to rescue her. “I’ll get you out of here, Mother.”