The Deep End

Chapter 34

•Polina•

My head was spinning with the new information I'd been given. I had so many questions my tongue ached but I held every single one of them back. I knew now wasn't the time to question how everything went down between Enzo and Giovanni. There's too much to do and we need to put a plan into motion to retrieve my father as soon as possible.

We took a seat on the couches as Enzo called his men back in the room and I gave them the information I had after introductions were made. Giovanni was pissed. He didn't believe me with the little proof I had and Enzo was annoyed that no one had paid more attention to the van after the wreck. 

"Going against Valentina will be nothing like going against Luís. Her men are loyal, they follow her every command without so much as a flinch, and she has a fucking army of them. It will be a slaughter if we go against them." Giovanni insists. "I want Mikhail more than anyone else in this room but not at a loss that large, not if it means none of us make it back."

"You're acting as if I need your approval, Fratello. This is what you wanted, you said to do it for Rafe so we're doing it." Enzo demands.

He had hidden it well, the pain he felt when his nephew that had passed was brought up, but I saw it in the depths of his amber eyes. Giovanni knew exactly what he was doing when he said it.

"That was before I knew who she was accusing." Giovanni exclaims, his brow dipped in a glare at his brother.

"Is this a common occurrence for them? Blatant distrust of their leaders?" Vero asks me in Russian, a disgusted look on his face.

"If you're going to speak, do it where everyone understands you, stronzo." Enzo snaps at Vero.

Vero meets his angry gaze with an expressionless face. "I asked Polya if this was common. He's showing you disrespect in front of everyone. If this were the Bratva he'd have his tongue removed."

I nudge Vero with my elbow and mutter, "That's not helpful."

The last thing I need is Vero provoking Enzo. I got him to back off once but I doubt I could do it again. Enzo usually isn't one to become annoyed easily but with everything that's gone on lately I'm not sure how he's doing mentally.

Enzo smirks. "If it were anyone else I'd do more than remove his tongue but he's not used to no longer being in charge yet and I'm giving him a pass since I kept Polina a secret." He pulls his phone from his pocket and taps the screen. "I'm gonna call Connelly. The Irish will be our backup although I don't think we'll need it. Valetina sent a large group of her men to Colombia and a second group to Mexico, it'll take them a while to make it back even if she manages to call in reinforcements. We also have Luís, we can use him as our shield from the cartel if necessary."

"There's one other thing we have to do." I say fighting a wince.

He arches a single eyebrow at me. "What?"

I cross my arms and steel my spine, knowing they aren't going to like this. "If there are any members of the Bratva there we can't kill them."

Giovanni scowls. "And why not?"

I glance over at Vero, getting nothing but a look of indifference in return before replying. "Nikolay wants them. It was part of our agreement for him helping me find my father."