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“She isn’t that kind of woman.”
“Even if she doesn’t lay a single hand on his head, she’s damaging him enough by dragging him away from me.”
The man pauses as if contemplating that. “She’s desperate. She loves her father and has been losing her mind since he’s gone missing.”
I almost comment on not understanding how she loves a monster, but I guess I kind of do. No matter how I look at it, Enzo isn’t the good guy. That doesn’t stop me from needing him as fiercely as my next breath.
It’s the reason I recognize the tone in his voice. “It’s not a good look to be in love with a woman who will willingly throw herself at someone else’s fiance. Bet she doesn’t look at you twice.”
“She only threw herself at him because her father thought they would be a good match. She isn’t interested in him.”
There’s a lack of denial in his sentence. I laugh. Either this man is as terrible as she is, or it’s the opposite of love being blind. Her appearance is her only redeeming quality.
There’s a black sedan waiting outside the supermarket. Mammoth-man shoves me into the back seat and I wonder how nobody has contacted the police about what’s happening. It’s disturbing that a child can get kidnapped in public and no one will do anything about it.
Another guard is sitting in the front seat, ready to take us. They are too well prepared for this to be an opportunity of chance. They knew where we were, and they had guards waiting to ambush us.
Did Derek betray me? Or did they catch Derek?
Both possibilities leave rocks in my stomach. The man sitting next to me lets out a sigh. “I’m not in love with her.”
“You are. And I hope that your love for her burns you inside until it leaves you as nothing but a pile of ashes. I hope you have to watch her fuck whatever man her father thinks will be good for business to ensure her safety because you can’t be sure whether that man will leave her alive in the end. Your love for her is going to be your downfall, and I hope it’s a damn painful one.”
Chapter Forty-Four- Enzo
The black sedan pulls up to the front of the house to be greeted by several armed guards. My rage is on a thin leash when the door opens and Emma comes stumbling out like she’s been shoved. One of Oleg’s men comes out after her. I recognize him as the man who is normally entrusted with watching Nina.
I’d bet anything he’s the brains behind this operation.
Emma flings herself at me. I catch her without ever taking my eyes off the man. When this is all over, I’ll make sure his death is painful. Maybe I should end it now. I doubt Nina cares much for his life, not as much as she cares for her father’s.
He’s just a bodyguard, even if he wants to be more. I’ve seen the longing in his eyes, as has everyone else. Oleg would never allow for his daughter to marry someone so lowly no matter if she returned his affections.
“Meet us at the warehouses at nine, and bring Oleg or else you won’t be getting your boy back.”
I don’t have to ask him what warehouses he means. That’s where the final negotiations were supposed to happen. They are a completely neutral ground, owned by a supplier we both have business with. It’s oddly diplomatic to arrange the meeting on neutral ground, especially when they have the upper hand. And Nina knows she has the upper hand right now. She might be trying to maintain a semblance of a relationship between our families. Maybe hoping we’ll be able to go back to our deal after this. She doesn’t want to do anything that will sacrifice her father’s goals.
I’ll give her father back, but if he ever shows his face around me again, I’ll kill him before he gets the chance to say hi.
The guard gets back into the car and peels away. Everyone waits for me to make a call, to tell them to stop the car or to shoot at it. I don’t.
Patience. I’ll get my revenge once I get my son back.
“Emma,” I mutter. Once the car is out of sight, I pull her into my arms. She sobs into my shoulders, her fingers clinging onto the fabric of my shirt. I bring her inside of the house, closing the door behind us to give us a bit of privacy for the reunion. It’s not a joyous one, and it won’t truly be a reunion until our son is back in our arms.
“What happened?”
“I went to the store to pick up some clothes for Matteo and I, and she was there. There were guards and she grabbed him. Enzo, what are they going to do to him?”
“If they have any sense, they’re going to let him watch TV until it’s time for the exchange tonight. Anything else would be a supremely stupid move on their part.”
“I thought it would be safer if we left. Thought there wouldn’t be any more kidnapping attempts if we were away from you.”
The confession comes out through broken sobs and I pull her in closer to me. It soothes me a bit to know she wasn’t running away from me but trying to run toward safety. Unfortunately, she misjudged the dangers of existing away from me. I made a mistake in not ensuring her safety. It will never happen again.
“You belong here with me. Matteo too. I’m sorry I failed you, but I’m going to keep you safe from now on. The safest place for you to be will always be at my side. If that means you never leave my line of sight, so be it.”
Through her broken sobs, she’s able to let out a bit of laughter. “I don’t think that’s possible.”
