“I…I don’t kn-know.She should be in here, I swear!She has not left her room,” Francesco stammers.
I am dimly aware of a roar, then something crashing, and when the haze starts to lift the room is a mess—a bedside lamp lies broken on the floor, and the mirror hanging askew on the wall is splintered into a thousand pieces.
The women have disappeared.Only Francesco remains rooted to the spot, looking pale.I take a step closer, forcing him to move back.His eyes widen in fear.
“Find her,” I order in a clipped tone and he scrambles away.I return to the living room to wait, pacing holes into the carpet, wondering if I should have my men tear this place apart.I can hear hurried footsteps rushing through the hallways, doors slamming, hushed voices speaking urgently.Not hers, though.Every passing second brings me closer to snapping.I’m barely restraining myself from rushing up there and searching every room myself, but I shove the impulse down.I never lose control in front of my men.I can’t afford to show more cracks in the façade than I already have.After what feels like fucking forever, Lily’s father steps into the room.I can tell right away from the pallor of his face and the panic in his eyes what he is going to tell me.
“Sh-she’s n-not here,” he stammers.
I advance on him until I am crowding him, forcing him to take a step back.
“Don’t lie to me,” I spit, my words dripping with venom.“Where is she?You have five seconds before I rip this house apart and make you talk.”Francesco swallows hard, his lips trembling as he fumbles for words, clearly struggling to form a coherent thought.For the first time, I see real fear in his eyes, and it only fuels my rage.
“Where.Is.She.”The words leave my mouth like a growl, each one punctuated with the promise of violence.
He whimpers, the sound pathetic.“I…I swear on all that’s holy, I don’t know.She was supposed to be here, waiting for you.She even said she didn’t want to be disturbed because she wanted to look her best to greet you.”He keeps rambling.“But…we have another daughter, and maybe—”
Before he can finish, I’m on him, grabbing him by the throat, lifting him off the floor so his feet dangle uselessly in the air.His face is so close to mine I can see the terror in his soul, the panic in his eyes, and it sends a rush of heat through my veins.
“Does it look like I want anyone else?”I roar, my voice shaking the walls.
He gasps for air, trying to shake his head in desperate denial.I throw him down onto the floor with a force that rattles the room.
“Find her,” I snarl, my voice low and menacing, “and bring her back.Unharmed.Or I’ll burn this fucking place to the ground.With you in it.”
And just like that, I’m gone.
In my car I call Luc.“Luc, where is the fucking guard you set on Lily?Ask him where she is.Now.”
I hang up and not thirty seconds later my phone rings.“He says he’s been watching the house all day.Apart from your car and theirs, no one came in or out.She should be inside.”
“Bullshit,” I snap, my grip tightening on the wheel.“The fucker’s been sleeping on the job.I’ll slit his fucking throat myself.I’ll be at Teo’s in fifteen.”
I end the call, my mind spinning with nothing but fire and fury.
She’s out there, somewhere.I need to find her.And I will burn this entire fucking city down if I have to.
Thirteen minutes later I pull into my designated spot in the underground parking garage of Teo’s building—part office, part club, part residence.The place isn’t exactly discreet, but it serves its purpose.I step out of the elevator onto the third floor, the real heart of Teo’s operation.Unlike the club downstairs, this is where the business actually happens.He is already waiting for me when I step off the elevator.
We make our way into his office and I collapse onto the couch, elbows on my knees, rubbing my hands over my face, trying to ground myself.
“What happened, D?”Teo asks, his voice cautious but curious.
I let out a frustrated breath.“I went to the Bianchis to claim Lily.And she was fucking gone.Francesco didn’t know a thing.No one’s that good of an actor.My guess?She was either abducted or she left on her own.”
Teo’s eyes widen, his jaw dropping slightly.“Shit, your life is a fucking soap opera.”
At that point, Luc bursts in.Without a word, he heads straight to the wet bar, pours himself a drink, then flops down on the other end of the couch like he owns the place.He looks me up and down, his eyebrow quirked.“You look like shit, man.What the hell happened?”
I clench my jaw, trying to rein in my anger.“Lily’s gone.And I have no idea where she is.”
For once he is at a loss of words.
“What does your gut say?”
“That she ran.”That admission fucking stings.My chest is constricting, my breath is choking and my vision is tunneling.
Tonight, my sweet little flower has brought me to my knees.
