Page 78 of Bobby

I feel sick. I close my eyes and try to calm my stomach long enough for me to keep him talking and not start vomiting at the sickness of all this.

“But I don’t have that kind of money.” My face feels wet. Tears I didn’t know I was shedding are running down my face. Somehow, my voice continues to be steady when I’m anything but.

“You sure about that?” There’s a pause on his end, and I fear what he might be thinking. Where does he think I can get that kind of money? “What about Leone Holdings?”

I’m shaking my head, not that he can see. “I might get a full-time paycheck, but I don’t get that much.” Does he really think I make that much?

“Who said I wanted your money?” The chill in his voice has my heart stopping for a second.

My body stills once more. “What are you saying?”

“You’re a financial analyst, right? Working on some project that looks into the company’s investments?”

“How did you know that?” I say it with more fear and shock than amazement. He never cared about what I did before. Or so I thought.

“Doesn’t matter. I know you can get me the money. So do it. Or don’t expect to see the girls unless you move this way and quit your job.”

“Trevor….” I can’t think of anything else to say but his name, in total disbelief that he’s asking this of me.

“You have until tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. to tell me what you plan to do. Oh, and Willow?”

“Yes?” My voice shakes as I swallow the sob about to break from me. What else could he possibly want?

“Don’t go thinking you can bring someone into this. Anything goes in a way I don’t want, I’ll make sure you never see the girls again.”

I’m on my knees, crawling to what, I don’t know. I grab the couch, begging him over the phone. “Please, no. You can’t. They’re your girls. Don’t do this, Trevor. Please.” True fear racks my soul. I never thought he could do something like this, but I obviously don’t know this man at all.

“And soon they will just be the offspring I had with you. My family, with Jessica, is what means something to me now. If you want your children back, do the right thing.”

Then he hangs up, and the full panic finally sets in. Tears run freely down my face as my heart breaks into a thousand pieces, sinking me back to the ground as I hold my phone close to my heart and pray I just imagined that all.

But no one laughs. I don’t wake up from the nightmare. Just the steady ticking of the clock on the wall and the reminder that I’m running out of time to get my girls.

And despite what Trevor said, I know I need to call someone. I can’t do this on my own. I can’t even get to Texas on my own. Forget the money to get a one-way ticket. My fear of flying leaves me almost paralyzed at the thought of getting on a plane.

I don’t think, I dial. When no one answers, I redial. Again and again, but Bobby doesn’t pick up. I try Marco, but it’s the same. No answer.

I look at my phone and call the only person I can think of who might answer.

And when they do, I barely hold back my sobs.

“Cynthia? He took them. He took my girls.”

Chapter 28—Bobby

“You’re really going to take a call? Now?” Tommy asks with annoyance.

“It’s Mama. You think I shouldn’t?” I ask with a tilt of my head and see the horror sweep across his face. Across each of my brothers’ faces.

“Take the call before we all get into trouble.” Danny mutters.

I chuckle as I walk away from my three brothers who are sitting around the famiglia’s penthouse. The one we use for business, to discuss things like we were talking about.

I note a few missed calls from my girl as well as the time a moment before I answer, realizing I’ve been here far longer than I intended. I need to reach out to Willow after this call so she doesn’t think I’ve fallen back on my promise. A family tradition has been implemented for years, no calls, except for Mama, should be taken when the four of us are talking business. Not that my girl would be upset if I apologized for it, based on how well my last apology went. I half think maybe I shouldn’t call her and just show up, begging forgiveness and taking her to the bedroom. I might not spend as much time with her as I had initially intended because of this change in today’s events, but I still plan to have her in my bed tonight.

And other things as well.

“Yes, Mama?” It’s always a good bet to assume she needs something. It might just be a ploy to say hello, but more times than not, it comes with a request from her.