Page 11 of Caught in the Crossfire

“The ship is sailing under the company name Adriatik Maritime Limited. The flag state is Malta, but the company that owns and operates the ship is Albanian.”

“Albanian?” Ryu’s voice was hollow, distant.

A chill rolled through my body.Albanianstook her. All four of us went silent as we tried to process what this meant. I could see fear on Obi’s face as clearly as it was on mine.

“The Albanians kidnapped Max, too?” Cas finally asked.

“It looks like it,” I responded slowly. “She has to be on that ship.”

Why? What was going on?

She wasn’t just surrounded by Albanians, who would do God-knows what to her. I shuddered to even consider it. She wasalsoon the same ship as the man who’d tried to kill her multiple times. Our number one enemy.

“I’ll call Giulio,” Cas said. “We need to talk to the Family. Maybe they know more about what happened.”

Obi took two full breaths to get his emotions under control before he stood, and our leader took over. “Yes. Get as much information as you can, Caspian. If they took Volpe, we can use the combined force of the entire Italian mafia to bring them down.”

“Got it.”

“What else do we know about the ship?” Obi asked.

I read off the details. It was a container ship with cargo listed as “industrial refrigeration units” and “replacement tooling.” Approximately 140 meters long. Max travel speed at 15 knots.

Calm filtered through my chest.Data. I had data. With this information, I could calculate a more accurate search window, based on how many hours had transpired since the ship sailed. The name of the ship would be connected to maritime records across the world. Satellites could give me a precise location. The company that owned it would lead us to exactly who was responsible.

We had enough to go off now to at least get us closer.

“Find her, Ciel,” Ryu urged, voice strained. “Please.”

“I will,” I promised. This was what I was good at.

I would find our girl. I’d bring her home.

“The Albanians will pay for this,” Obi said darkly. “I know their Clans operate in liquor stores, strip clubs, and pawn shops, all up and down the East Coast. Someone must have more information.”

“I can get you a list of businesses or known locations.”

He shook his head. “Focus on theRed Talonfirst. Then, I want everything you can find on Adriatik Maritime Limited,” Obi said as he grabbed his phone and headed toward the door. “I will look into their other operations. Caspian, Ryuji, I will text you an address where to meet me.”

“Where are you going?” I asked, rubbing my thumb into the palm of my bad hand to loosen the muscles.

His face hardened. “We’re going hunting.”

5

LEONA

Iwoke up with my head still lying against Max’s thigh. My eyes widened, and I scrambled away from him, then regretted it immediately. Every nerve in my body felt like it was on fire. I gingerly touched my swollen face and flinched. It hurt to justbreathe.

With a groan, I curled in on myself and leaned against the bars. I wanted to whimper, to collapse into one of my guys’ arms, and to let them comfort me. But I couldn’t let Max see any more weakness. I shoved the pain deeper inside.

“Leona.” His voice was soft, careful.

My eyes flicked up, and I glared at the concerned look in his titanium eyes. He had no right to look at me like that. Like hecared.

His hands raised in a placating gesture. “I just want to know if you’re all right.”

“Do I look all right to you, Max?” I wheezed. My eyes closed. My mouth felt like I’d swallowed cotton, and my head pounded. “How long has it been?”