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Fuck. Where would she go? If she’s not home, where would she be? She’s never opened up about her life outside of work. I know where she’s originally from, but she’s never talked much about her family.
The file I have on her reveals very little communication between Angelica and her parents – aside from generous cheques she sends them each month. I can’t turn up at their house unannounced. If she’s not there I could be opening a whole can of worms and she wouldn’t thank me for it. I’m in enough shit as it is already.
Fuck.
What can I do?
My mind races as I consider my limited options. It’s clear that Angelica doesn’t want to be found, that she’s intentionally cutting ties with me. But I refuse to let her slip away without a fight.
Cursing myself, I pull out my phone and block my number from the caller display. There’s only one person who can help me, and whilst calling in a favour with him may cost me everything, I don’t have a choice in the matter.
What I can control though, is his ability to track me down so easily. Besides, this is my work phone and I really don’t want him having access to that number.
Sighing, I dial his number and press call, the ever-present tension in my body ratcheting up as it rings once, twice, three times…
“Baby brother,” a smug, insufferable voice on the end of the line says. I cringe.
“How did you know it was me?”
“Who else would call me from a withheld number, bambino?”
I grit my teeth, trying to quell the rising frustration at his casual tone. “I need a favour, Luca,” I say through clenched teeth. “And I need it done discreetly.”
Luca lets out a low chuckle on the other end of the line. “Ah, trouble in paradise already? You really know how to pick ’em, fratello.”
Ignoring his jibe, I get straight to the point. “I need you to find someone for me. Her name is Angelica, and she’s disappeared.”
There’s a brief pause before Luca speaks again, his voice now devoid of any humour. “Angelica... Yeah, I think I can help you with that. But you know the rules, Lycus. This won’t come cheap – even for family.”
Funny how I’mfamilyagain all of a sudden.
”I don’t care about the cost,” I snap back. “Just find her.”
I bite my tongue just in time to keep from telling my brother that she means everything to me. That would be a dangerous, foolish move, even though he can probably sense Angelica’s importance from the anguish in my voice.
“Okay, okay,” Luca replies, his tone softening slightly. “I’ll start digging around and see what I can find. But as you’re over there, I’ll probably have to call The Holy Trinity to get this information. So you’ll owe me big for this one, bambino. Big.”
The call ends abruptly, leaving me with a sliver of hope that maybe, just maybe, Luca will be able to track down Angelica. As I stand on the bustling street corner, surrounded by indifferent strangers rushing past me, I cling to that hope like a lifeline.
Angelica may have left without a word, but I refuse to let her slip away into the shadows without a fight. Whatever it takes, I’ll find her and make things right between us. Because losing her is not an option – not now, not ever.
ChapterTwenty-Five
Angelica
Fucking rat bastard.
It doesn’t matter that it’s been nearly two weeks since I was humiliated in my place of work, thoughts of Lycus still cling to my mind like stubborn cobwebs.
Every night, I toss and turn, haunted by the memories of ‘Wicked Temptation’ replaying in vivid technicolor, each scene etched with painful clarity now that I know Sir’s face.
I’m a wreck. Each morning brings with it a heavy sense of dread, a knot of anger coiling in my stomach, replacing the initial hurt. After a week, a fierce fire ignited within me, driving me to take action.
Resigning was just the first step; I refuse to let Lycus wield power over me any longer. I resolved to reclaim control of my life and career, spending a day meticulously updating my CV and relentlessly applying for marketing agency positions.
Sitting at my aunt’s kitchen table, the phone pressed to my ear, I battle a surge of frustration as yet another call ends in disappointment. The fourth cancellation this week—a nauseating routine that threatens to suffocate me.
Why can’t I secure an interview? Despite being invited to several, actually attending seems to be an elusive dream.
