It was silly. Roberto was obviously with Bianchi somehow, but I didn’t care.
“You’re real? You’re really here?” I asked softly, so only he could hear.
He pulled away from me and looked at me with gentle eyes. “I’m here.”
“Roberto,” Francisco said behind us. I tightened my arms around him, not wanting to turn around and see the man claiming to be my father.
“Catalina, it’s okay,” Roberto said. I shook my head.
I didn’t know how he got mixed up with them, but I would try to help him as best as I could.
But he pulled back until my arms were no longer around him, and turned me around to face the men.
“This is my brother,” Roberto said, shocking me. My mind tried to make sense of what he was telling me. If Francisco was my father like he claimed, and he was Roberto’s brother, then Roberto was my …
“I’m your uncle. I was sent to work for your father to look after you and your mother.”
Roberto’s eyes turned a little misty. “A lot of good that did. Your mom’s gone, and you’ve …”
“You did the best you could,” Francisco said, taking a small step toward us. “You looked after my daughter for the last twenty years.”
Roberto met my eyes. “I would have protected you with my life if it came to it. But now I don’t have to. Your father is finally gaining control of the West. He can protect you. You’ll be the treasured daughter of a don. You’ll want for nothing.”
I backed away from him, not knowing what he was trying to say. Was he trying to get me to go back to California with them? Leave New York? Leave my men?
I shook my head.
“Catalina—”
A loud noise rang out from outside, in the hallway. Roberto pushed me down on the floor and covered my body with his as everyone pulled out their guns and more men filed through.
Roberto moved off me and pulled me up. “We have to get out of here.”
Before we could leave, there was another loud noise, and I covered my ears.
Then, three men walked in through the doorway as if in a dream.
I let out a small cry and ran over to them, ignoring Roberto’s protest.
Nikolay got to me first.
He wrapped his arms around me, moving over my body as if checking for injuries before shoving me back behind him.
Mikhail stepped forward, aiming his gun at Ricardo. “Tell me right now why I shouldn’t blow your fucking head off.”
“Because we have men pointing their guns behind you. You really want to risk Catalina’s life by getting into a gunfight?”
“Don’t fucking say her name.”
Damien held up his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet the head of the Bianchi Famiglia. Francisco, is it?”
Francisco nodded, looking way too calm for a man standing at the end of three gun barrels held by three deranged men.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of you flying out to my territory? Surely it isn’t to just kidnap my woman?”
“Your woman?” Francisco asked, speaking for the first time. “Is the girl with you willingly?”
Damien shook his head. “I don’t answer to you.”