Page 38 of Arranged with Twins
“Then triple it. I want a small army between her and Adrian’s reach.”
He arches a brow. “That level of protection will be impossible to hide. She’ll know something’s wrong. You’re still not planning to tell her the truth yet, right?” When I shake my head, he sighs. “She’s going to be very angry.”
“Better angry than dead.” The brutal pragmatism in my voice surprises even me. “How quickly can you arrange additional personnel?”
“Within hours. I’ll hire men from a security firm we work with sometimes.” Ilya makes notes in his leather portfolio. “What about Vincent? Do we warn him that we know?”
“Not yet. As long as he thinks his betrayal is secret, we can monitor what intelligence he’s feeding Adrian. The moment Vincent knows we’re aware, he’ll either go to ground or escalate his cooperation.”
Ilya nods but looks concerned. “What will you do if Adrian decides to move against Sienna while we’re gathering intelligence?”
The question cuts to the heart of my dilemma.
Every instinct screams at me to lock Sienna away somewhere safe until Adrian is neutralized, but she’ll never accept that level of control.
I think she’ll forgive me for hiding the truth of her father’s actions until she’s in the second trimester, but I’m sure she’ll never get past her rage if I try to hide her away without her permission.
“We stay vigilant and hope Vincent retains enough loyalty to his daughter to draw a line somewhere.” I return to my seat. “What else do we know about Adrian’s current capabilities?”
“He’s expanded significantly since leaving your organization.
He has five dozen men, maybe more, plus financial backing from sources we haven’t identified yet.
” Ilya flips through intelligence reports.
“He’s been recruiting from smaller syndicates by offering them better territories and fewer restrictions. ”
My mouth twists in disgust. “Translation: He’s promising them the freedom to be more brutal than I allow.”
“Exactly. Men who’ve been frustrated by your codes of conduct find Adrian’s methods appealing.” Ilya’s tone carries disapproval. “He’s built loyalty through fear and greed rather than respect.”
The difference between Adrian’s leadership style and mine represents everything that drove us apart five years ago.
I believe power should be earned through competence and maintained through trust, though I have used brute force when required.
It’s never my first option, whereas Adrian sees power as something to be seized through violence and held through intimidation.
“Is there any indication of when he might move?”
“Phone intercepts suggest he’s growing impatient with Vincent’s stalling. It could be days, or maybe weeks, but I doubt we have that long.” Ilya closes the intelligence folders and stacks them neatly. “Something will trigger action soon.”
“I agree, which is why I want her to have a small army.”
“I’m also increasing your detail, Leo.”
I nod in agreement.
“There’s something else we need to discuss.” Ilya’s tone grows heavier. “Vincent’s not the only Cooper who’s been in contact with Adrian’s people.”
I’m sure it’s not Sienna, so that leaves just one option. “Katherine.”
“Yeah. Phone records show calls between her personal line and a number registered to one of Adrian’s shell companies.
They’re brief conversations and always initiated from her end.
” Ilya slides another document across the table.
“They could be innocent. She might not know who she’s actually talking to. ”
“Or she’s more involved than we thought.” The possibility that both of Sienna’s parents are actively working with Adrian makes my stomach clench with fury. “What’s your assessment?”
“Katherine strikes me as someone who would sell her own daughter if the price was right and the optics were favorable.” Ilya’s blunt observation echoes my own suspicions about Katherine’s priorities.
“Vincent might have some residual loyalty to you, but Katherine only cares about maintaining their social position.”
“Which makes her more dangerous than Vincent in some ways.” I lean forward, elbows on the table. “Vincent might draw lines he won’t cross. Katherine will cross any line if she thinks it serves her purposes.”
“Should we put surveillance on her too? Vincent is already being watched.”
“Yes, but carefully. If they detect monitoring, it could force them deeper into Adrian’s camp.
” I consider the delicate balance between gathering intelligence and maintaining operational security.
“Use resources they won’t recognize, including new faces, different vehicles, and passive surveillance only. ”
“Understood.” Ilya closes his portfolio and prepares to leave. “What do you want me to tell Sienna’s security team about threat levels?”
“We’re at maximum alert, and they don’t need an explanation. If they ask questions, refer them to me directly.” I stand as well. “If Adrian makes any move toward her, I want him eliminated immediately. No capture and no negotiation. I’d prefer to kill him myself, but whatever keeps her safe.”
“Understood.” He pauses at the door. “What about collateral damage? If Vincent or Katherine get caught in the crossfire?”
The question forces me to confront something I’ve been avoiding.
Sienna loves her parents despite their manipulation and betrayal.
Killing them would devastate her, potentially destroying our relationship permanently, but if protecting them means risking her life or our children’s safety, the choice becomes clear.
“Sienna and the babies come first. Everything else is secondary.”