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I don’t open it yet. “How the fuck did someone get to the gate?” I pull the gun from the waistband of my slacks and pull the hammer, placing the barrel under his chin. “This shouldn’t have happened, so you need to tell me how it did.”
“Nothing seemed amiss,” he explains steadily. “Rosie must have had the codes to everything. It’s why nothing was questioned.”
“Then how did the alarms get tripped?” I ask.
“I sounded them when I found she was missing,” Matias explains. “I wanted the entire compound to know.”
I press the barrel into Gianni’s chin. “I want a complete rework of the security systems. I want an explanation as to why this was so fucking easy. I’ve been keeping her safe all this time and for what? I want every single man who works for me called to the conference room. Now. I want fucking answers and I don’t care who I have to kill to get them. Do you understand me?”
“I understand.”
“And when we find her, you’re going to be her fucking bodyguard. If I can’t be by her side, you will be.” I drop the gun and slide the hammer in place, throwing the safety on to be sure before tucking it back in my waistband.
I rip open the envelope and the simple gold wedding band slides out, clanking on the counter. The note is short and to the point.
“If you want her back, give me the gem.”
I crinkle the note and throw it.
“Fuck the plan we made. We’re going to Amor.”
And I’m shooting every man who tries to get in my way.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Rosie
I should haven’t left the safe haven I had with Ari. I knew I fucked up when I grabbed the gem. I slipped through the garage, using one of the gate openers from the car, typing in the code that opens the gate, and then I typed it in again outside of the gate as I left.
But not before I buried the gem next to the fountain. I didn’t want to hold onto it anymore, but I didn’t want to let it go. So out of sight, out of mind.
I wanted air. I needed an escape. I needed to be away from Ari, and I knew I was risking my life, but it didn’t seem like I was truly needed anymore. I needed time to work through my feelings.
And the only one that I kept coming back to was how much I loved him. I didn’t want to leave. I was being proud and stubborn, thinking if he didn’t want me, then I wouldn’t give him the option to have me.
I was walking down the road when I was grabbed.
Now I’m in a van, gagged, and my hands and feet are tied.
I’m staring down Bianchi who has a smug look on his face.
“You know,” he begins, leaning back in his seat. One arm is draped over the back of the seat, his legs spread out to get comfortable. “This was really easy. I’m disappointed,” he frowns. “I expected more. I knew he’d keep you locked away like a little princess. I never expected to follow my three-day rule. I wanted to make him sweat. I wanted him to worry. And then I wanted him to let his guard down. Milazzo seems like a nice guy, too nice for this business. His brother would have never allowed this to happen. To make it in this world, you have to be more like me.” He leans forward, his long boney fingers wrapping around my ankle. “Kindness isn’t what makes the world go round.” He jerks me toward him, and his fingers slide up my leg causing me to shiver in disgust. “It’s power that makes the world spin. Ari wants peace but peace doesn’t come easy when there is another king playing the game.” He drifts his hand up my leg and I flinch, turning away from him.
“Look at me!” he roars, forcing me to look at him by jerking my chin into his direction.
I try to rip myself from his grasp, but his fingers clutch onto me so tight, I can feel them biting into my teeth under my cheeks.
His other hand comes up and his knuckles drift across my flesh. I jerk away from his touch, bile clawing its way up my throat from the feel of his cold fingers.
“I can see his obsession with you,” he says, marveling at me. “You are beautiful.”
“Fuck you,” I try to yell through the gag shoved in my mouth, but it comes out muffled.
He can still understand me though because he backhands me. The force has the momentums carrying my body to the right and I smash the side of my head against the van.
“I’ll do that and more if you aren’t careful,” he warns, snagging me by the throat.
He crushes my windpipe until I’m struggling to breathe, then lets me go. I fall down onto my back with a hard thud. I’m staring up at the ceiling and my vision blurs from how hard I smacked my head and I close my eyes, succumbing to the darkness.
