“But it does,” Nestore said as he turned toward me. He cupped my neck and tilted my head up. “You hold so much power, and you don’t even realize it. Remo knows. Niccolo knows. They know.” He let out a harsh laugh. “Even I know, but I’m unable to escape.”
I swallowed hard. “Will you save him?”
“How could I not with you looking at me like that?”
“You’re giving up Achille for her?” Niccolo interjected in a tone of disbelief.
Nestore slanted him a hard look. “Of course not. Achille Lamorgese won’t ever leave these walls alive.”
My eyes widened.
“But I’ll save the boy and kill the men who think they can blackmail me. They’ll find an end worthy of their crimes.”
Anxiety filled my insides and made me feel on the verge of throwing up. What if something went wrong? What if Luciano got hurt? “Is my father really worth risking a child’s life for?”
Niccolo’s eyebrows shot up, then he gave Nestore a look of concern as if he worried he would unleash his wrath on me. For a moment, rage bubbled up in Nestore’s eyes, but then he gave me a hard smile. “Your father is worth less than dirt, which is why I won’t allow him to create a new life for himself. He’ll stay in his hopeless prison until I decide to end his misery.” He cupped my neck again. “But the boy will be safe. These men are followers, not leaders. My plan will succeed, and they’ll die. Trust me.”
I nodded, even as my throat tightened. “What about Flavia? Can I talk to her? She must be devastated. Maybe she doesn’t even know what happened.”
“After I ended the call with Corvin, I contacted her for further information. We need the full picture before we make any decisions. She was alerted by the staff of the day care facility, and was in a panic when I called. She didn’t give up any information. She was overcome by emotion.”
I gave him an incredulous look. “They kidnapped her child!”
“I’m aware of that, but it won’t help anyone if we get emotional now, too,” Niccolo drawled.
“I doubt that’s a risk with you both,” I muttered. Nestore’s fingers against my neck flexed, his eyes locking on mine. “We’ll fly her over. Now that I know she poses a risk to the Camorra’s safety, she has to move back to LA so that I can guarantee her and the boy’s safety.”
“Flavia won’t ever agree to move back into the mansion.”
“And she won’t. This is our home, not hers. She’ll get her own place. One that I determine. She won’t get a choice.”
I nodded because the determination in Nestore’s eyes told me arguing would be stupid. And part of me was happy that Flavia would be back in the city. That way, at least I would get the chance to see her and Luciano. My heart clenched. “Please save him. Please.” I pressed my palms against his chest. Nestore’s expression softened a heartbeat before he gripped my wrists, removing my palms from his chest, and looked at Niccolo. “We should start planning our next move. Tell them we’ll exchange the boy for Achille at the Port of Los Angeles, in the closed Terminal 24. Tonight. I don’t want to waste any time.”
“What if they don’t agree to the place?”
“Tell them Achille can’t spare losing any more parts of his body, and they should count themselves lucky I’m willing to exchange him at all.”
Niccolo gave a terse nod. “I’ll call them right away. When will you share your plan with me?”
Nestore slanted me a careful look. “In my office, in thirty minutes.”
Nestore touched my lower back and nudged me into the house. “Come. You need to get dressed, and so do I. Today will be busy.”
I allowed him to lead me to our bedroom, then moved into the bathroom, needing space to get a grip on my overwhelming emotions. I began to undress. Nestore followed me and leaned in the doorway, then watched me the entire time instead of changing into his clothes himself. When I was naked, I stood still and wrapped my arms around myself, feeling on the verge of a breakdown. “What if your plan fails? What if they figure out you don’t have my father with you?”
Nestore tilted his head with a curious look, then he stalked toward me and gripped my throat loosely, tipping my head back and claiming my mouth for a deep kiss. “They’ll be fighting for their lives the moment they realize I tricked them. Their last worry will be Achille Lamorgese, trust me.” He kissed my throat. “I’m doing this for you, because I can’t bear to see you cry.”
He ran a palm along my side over the curve of my hip before he pressed his palm against my pussy. “This is mine. You are mine, Amelia. Don’t forget it. I’m doing this because I want your happiness despite what you did. You hold power over me.” He released a harsh breath.
“Say it,” he growled.
“Say what?” My lashes fluttered when he pushed a finger into me and curled it deep inside me.
“That you are mine.”
“I’m yours.”
He kissed me hard, his grip on my throat tightening. “When I come home victorious, I’ll remind you, and me.”
