Behind the Mask

Chapter 69

Raven's POV

Seeing her unconscious in Silas's arms made my heart ache. She looked so pale, so fragile. I cradled her next to my chest and sang her favorite lullaby as I climbed the stairs to her room. Solnechnyy svet followed me into the room, pulling back the covers on her bed. We stripped her out of the hospital gown and quickly pulled a nightgown over her head. Corey brushed back her hair as I positioned her between us. We just lay there watching her chest rise and fall.

After a while, Sean poked his head in the door. "Any change?"

"Nyet," I said quietly.

"I can stay with her for a bit. I think Dominic would like to talk with you about how to handle the Academy. Brandon shared about reaching out to your family. North thinks we should go with Dominic to Italy," Sean said quickly. I was shocked North would agree with Giovanni, but then again, I too thought we needed to leave.

I looked over to Corey. "Do you want to come down or stay with Sean?"

"I'll stay here. Just message if you need either of us." He placed a firm kiss on my lips. "I trust you, Raven. Make the decision and I'll follow you, husband." I kissed him again, squeezing his hand tightly, then placed a kiss on Marissa's forehead. Sean slid into my place as I left the room.

When I walked into the kitchen I saw that Nate and Marc had arrived as well. "Any changes?" Nate asked.

I shook my head, "Nyet, she's still asleep. Sean and Corey are staying with her." I grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down. "So what is the plan so far?"

"I say we take Dominic up on his offer and go to Italy," North said.

"She'll kill us," Axel replied.

"At least she'll be with us to kill us," North boomed in response. He was quickly losing his cool. I can't imagine seeing her collapse like that, and his protective nature rivaled my own.

"North has a point," I said calmly. "I would rather have malen'kaya shalun'ya angry than missing. Staying here isn't an option any longer." Axel shot me an angry look.

"Sean's right, we need to take down the fucking Academy. It's the only way this all ends," Dominic growled. He looked at me, "I think it's time our fathers spoke." Fuck. I wasn't looking forward to that. Don't get me wrong, I love my father, but he's a bigger hothead than me, and Papa Giovanni was just as volatile.

"North, why don't you go sit with malen'kaya shalun'ya. Ask Corey if he can come down. We need his help with the conference call," I asked him. He nodded and headed up the stairs eagerly. He needed to be with her more than down here right now.

Corey came down with a curious expression. "What's the plan?"

"Can you set up a conference call with my father and Dominic's?" I asked him. His eyes went wide, but he quickly agreed and led us to Owen's office. He'd been using the space as well since it had all the security cameras already linked. He dialed my father first. The others faded to the back of the room as the video feed filled the screen. "Otets," I said when my father's bearded face filled the screen.

"Евгений? У тебя все нормально? (Yevgeny? Are you okay?)," he asked in a concerned tone.

"Нет. Мне нужна помощь семьи, чтобы обеспечить безопасность нашей жены и ребенка. Доминик Джованни тоже здесь, отец. (No. I need the family's help to keep our wife and child safe. Dominic Giovanni is here also, father.)" His eyes went wide at my words. "Can we speak in English so they can understand?" I asked him.

"Da, bring them closer, Giovanni too," he rumbled. "What do you need from us?"

"We need to take down the Academy before they take her from us," I said as Corey clasped my hand.

He let out a heavy breath and nodded. "Giovanni, are you involved?"

Dominic took a step forward and addressed my father, "Marissa reached out for information. What I've learned is frightening at best, and I fear her safety is in danger." He cleared his throat and gave a sheepish look at us, then spoke again, shocking us all. "She also believes their lives are in danger. She's afraid the Academy will come after them to get to her."

"Ублюдки! (Bastards!)," my father swore.

"Sir, I'd like to put my father on the line and see if, between the families, we can solve this matter," Dominic added. My father agreed and in a matter of minutes, Corey had Mr. Giovanni on the line as well.

"Dominic? What is the meaning of this?" Leonardo Giovanni demanded. "What is he doing on this call?"

"Father, stop! Marissa is in danger," Dominic yelled, cutting him off.

"La nostra piccola principessa? What has happened?" his father demanded. Dominic and I explained what we had already shared with my father, then went into further details about what had happened with the client, our suspicions about the local cops, and Jackson's threats at the hospital. I heard a door behind us and looked up to see Kota and Owen enter the room quietly.

"I agree with North and Dominic, son," my father said, "take her to Italy. Assuming Leonardo doesn't object, we can meet you there and make plans to take down the Academy." I was surprised he wanted us to go to Italy. I was sure he'd suggest Russia, but as if reading my mind, he said, "There's too much unrest here. It wouldn't be safe."

"They are all welcome here," Leonardo said. "Aleski, we need to reach out to the others. I think it's time the Academy realizes they are playing with fire."

"Da, I'll reach out to the Irish. Do you want to contact the American families?" my father asked.

"Sì, I'll contact you with a date and time," he responded. "When should we expect you son?"

Dominic looked around the room, "I'm not certain, she hasn't woken up yet, but I think we may leave even if she doesn't. I'll call when the plane departs." We hammered out a few more details and then ended the call.

Now we just had to figure out how to get Marissa to agree with our plan.

Author's Notes: Passports ready? Let's go to Italy!