He turns his face up to mine. “This feed is streaming in real-time,Fratello…”
As he trails off, I realize what he means, and I look back to the screen to find he’s flicked over to Elodie’s suite. I inhale sharply when I observe the wreckage. Furniture and clothes are strewn everywhere, and the door is hanging off its hinges.
“Can we rewind the footage? That is possible,si?”
Enzo nods, blowing out a heavy breath. “Do you really want to watch? You may not like what you see?—”
“Just play the damn footage, Enzo.”
Several taps later, and I can see a flurry of movement as Emiliano appears to be barricading the door into the suite. My brow creases in a deep frown when I see Elodie sitting on the bedside chair with a vacant expression, until Emiliano shakes her into awareness.
She spurs to life, both of them disappearing onto the balcony.
“Change the camera, dammit.”
Another flick of a button, and when I see them go over the edge of the balcony, I watch on in horror. “Is there another camera facing that balcony?”
I ask the question knowing there’s not, and Enzo confirms, “The next time they’ll come into view is when they reach the lawn.”
He flicks to that feed, speeding the time-lapse slightly, and it’s not long until Elodie runs into view. Emiliano follows, and they both run in the direction of the dock.
Hope fills my chest at the knowledge that the Sea Ray would have still been docked since this morning. But that hope dies a swift death when Enzo flips the feed forward and we watch the lawn to spot Conti race after them.
He returns several minutes later, laughing with his men as he carries an unconscious Elodie over his shoulder.
“Motherfucker.” I spit the word, watching helplessly as Conti quickly tosses her into the backseat of his waiting car, climbs in after her, and peels out of my driveway, taking myStellinawith him.
My blood is thundering in my ears as I search my mind, wondering how thefucksomething like this could have happened, and how the hell I’m going to get her back.
Because I will. I’ll move Heaven and Earth to find her. I’ll make a deal with the motherfucking devil himself if it means I can keep her safe.
“Thank you, Enzo.” He nods his assent as I slip back into my seat. “Please watch through the rest of the footage and try to get an idea of what awaits us.”
Feeling like I might be sick, I pinch the bridge of my nose between my thumb and index finger, focusing on keeping myself together. My breathing is coming more smoothly, when Enzo swears loudly.
“Minchia!”
I shoot to my feet, and look over Enzo’s shoulder, my blood running cold as I watch the scene unfold on the screen.
My mind races frantically as I try to fathom what I’m actually seeing play out before me, even though it’s as clear as day.
Domenico Conti strides straight through my goddamn front door and clasps the hand of my smilingZio, the man I’m supposed to trust implicitly.
And at his side stands my worthless stepmother, welcoming the man I’ve sworn vengeance on with open arms. Intomyfucking house.
“I’ve seen enough.” I turn my back on the screen, disgust mingling with the sting of betrayal in the pit of my stomach, and I clench my jaw as tightly as I can before I calmly face Enzo again. “Arrange a video call withCesareDeMarco. I have a feeling that I might require some outside assistance cleaning up this mess. He’s the lesser of two evils, and fuck knows, I can’t trust Salvatore anymore.”
The SUV grindsto a halt on the driveway before Enzo jumps out, holding the door open for me to follow. My eyes rake across the property, rage curdling in my stomach as I take in the sight of more than a dozen loyalSoldatiwho were massacred as a result of Antonio’s betrayal.
With Gianni and Romeo on either side of us, we climb the front steps of the house and go inside.
As I reach the top step, threeSoldatiexit the house, straining to carry another casualty of this insanity, but it isn’t until I step aside to let them past that my stomach lurches. Blood pounds in my ears, and the floor beneath me suddenly feels uneven.
“Fratello.” My most trusted friend’s name comes out as a whisper, and theSoldaticarrying him stop in their tracks. I step closer, placing my palm on Emiliano’s broad chest, looking down on his peaceful face.
A wave of furious agony tears through me so forcefully that I struggle to breathe, and I lean closer to my fallen brother, whispering in his ear.
“La vendetta sarà mia,Emiliano. I swear to you, Iwillhave vengeance.”
