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Logan nodded. “I know, but this guy’s ancient. Police don’t think he had anything to do with it. They’ll look into the people close to him, but…”
“Tell me they’re going to find him, Logan.” It was the only thing she could think to say, the only thing she wanted to hear, because she knew if Logan said they’d find Leo, it was true.
She knew it because it was her fault that Logan hadn’t kept Leo safe. If she’d listened to Logan, if she’d changed her mind even that morning in the kitchen when he’d said it wasn’t too late, Leo would still be safe.
He’d be disappointed, but he’d be safe.
Logan knelt in front of her at the edge of the bed and looked into her eyes. “They’re going to find him,” he said firmly. “Baranov wouldn’t sanction the harming of a prosecutor’s child, especially this close to trial.”
“But they’re not releasing it to the news…” Even in the state she was in, she knew that would be a terrible move. It would make the bratva desperate to dump Leo, and that didn’t mean they’d bring him home.
“No,” Logan said quickly. “The police are keeping it quiet for now, and they’re keeping it quiet because they assume this is another warning, like the parking garage. They want you to know they can get to you, that they can get to your family.”
Her lawyer’s brain told her he was right. The mother in her still wanted to scream.
“Ella…” Logan started. He looked down at his hands. “I’m so goddamn sorry.”
She touched his head. “This isn’t your fault. It’s mine.”
He looked up at her. “No. Don’t do that to yourself. It was our job — my job — to protect Leo. I didn’t do that. None of the other details matter.”
“They matter to me,” she said. “I was the one who insisted Leo go today. You tried to tell me. Even this morning in the kitchen, you tried to — ”
He rose to his feet and sat next to her, pulling her into his arms. “You’re his mother. You wanted him to be happy. I should have told you no, even if it pissed you off.”
She shook her head against his chest as a fresh wave of tears began to flow. “It wouldn’t have mattered. I thought I knew best, like always. I wouldn’t have listened.”
He kissed her head and she sank against him, sobs wracking her body.
A knock sounded from the door and they separated just in time for Nathan to open the door.
He looked from Gabriella to Logan and back again, then hurried toward her.
She rose from the bed and walked into his arms, the tears starting up all over again.
“Shhh… it’s okay,” Nathan said, rubbing her back. “We’re going to find him. He’s going to come home.”
She didn’t see Logan leave the room.
27
Logan closed the bedroom door, leaned against the wall, and forced himself to pull air into his lungs. He hadn’t been prepared for the sight of Nathan holding Gabriella, for the sight of her walking into his arms.
He had no right to be upset by the image. Leo was Nathan’s son too. Nathan was undoubtedly as upset as Ella, and Logan was half-surprised Nathan hadn’t come at him.
He deserved it, and if he lost Ella because of this, if he drove her back into the arms of her ex-husband, well, that was the very least he deserved.
He straightened and made his way down the hall. The house was quiet, the police officers gone. They’d asked the guy in the Expedition if he wanted to press charges after Logan beat him to a pulp, but the other man had declined.
Logan had wanted to go back for more when the man had driven away, grinning through his shattered face.
Fucking bratva had sent him on purpose, probably to make sure they didn’t deviate from the pattern they’d established of following Ella, which would only add to the suspicion — no, the certainty — that they had Leo.
Sick bastards.
He dragged himself to the kitchen where Bea was making tea. She looked like she’d aged ten years since that morning when she’d packed Leo’s lunch box.
He dropped into one of the chairs at the island. “Where’s Mauz?”
