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Even though I should tell Jameson that I’ve been made and pull myself from the case, I don’t. Instead, I head to Aria’s room after making a quick detour to my own.
The room is dark and smells like her perfume. I keep the lights off in the main bedroom, locking the door behind me as soon as I enter. I don’t want anyone to know I’m in here.
I have the weekend off. While I normally stay at the Russo estate, I made a point of telling some of the other men that I would be getting out more on my days off. The lie is designed to give me a way out when I need it.
Tonight, I need it.
Even though Aria won’t leave the estate with me, I need to be prepared to get her out fast, if necessary And it will happen sooner rather than later. I head into her closet with my duffel bag under my arm. After the door is closed behind me, I turn on the light, pull on a pair of gloves, and start rifling through her drawers.
I grab everything I think she needs, tossing it into my bag. Once the bag is full, I head back into her bedroom. I take the gloves off and toss them in the bag with her clothes before zipping it shut.
When I leave her room, I still don’t know how I’m going to get her out.
I’ll be back for you,I think as I get in my car and head to the guardhouse at the edge of the property.
As I sign out, I joke around with the other men, talking about a few local bars and my plans for the evening.
When I get back in my car, I know that they don’t suspect a thing.
My leaving will put Antonio on high alert, especially after the conversation we had.
I want him reckless. I want him to be looking for me. If he’s looking for me, he won’t notice when I come and take his daughter from the prison-palace he built.
13
ARIA
Iwalk into my father’s office bright and early Wednesday morning with a cup of coffee in one hand and his newspaper in the other. Tyson hasn’t been at the estate since Damien’s birthday party nearly a week ago. I didn’t think that I would miss him this much but not having someone to bother every day is starting to bore me.
That, and each time I think of what he said to me before he disappeared, the guilt starts to eat away at me.
“Morning,” I say as I put Dad’s cup of coffee in front of him before dropping the newspaper on the desk. “Rosalita said that you didn’t want breakfast this morning.”
Dad looks up from the paperwork he’s studying and shrugs. “I have a lot that needs to be done today. It is easier to get more work done if I start earlier in the day.”
“Do you want me to go?” I ask, inclining my head toward the door.
“Thank you for the coffee,” he says, ignoring my question. “Why are you up so early? Usually, I do not see you until ten a.m. has come and gone.”
“I was wondering where Tyson is. It’s not like him to be away for so long, and out of all the guards you’ve hired to unnecessarily babysit me, he’s the only one I can tolerate for long periods of time.”
The corner of Dad’s mouth lifts as he shrugs. “I think he might be taking some time off.”
The guilt I feel rears its ugly head as I stare at my father, trying to figure out what he is doing. Is he playing a game with me or does he really not know where Tyson is?
Dad looks at the men standing on either side of the door to his office and nods. The men step out of the room and the doors lock behind them, the sound hanging heavy in the air. My heart is hammering in my chest as Dad gets up and walks to the window across the room. He stands in front of it, his hands clasped behind his back.
“Do you think that I’m a fool?” he asks, his voice low and dangerous. “Because it is starting to feel like you take me for a fool, child, and I will not have that.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I say, trying to keep my voice light.
Dad chuckles and, at that moment, I start to think that maybe Tyson is right. If he is exposed, there is nothing that will save either of us. Dad is ruthless and he won’t hesitate to protect his empire.
Not even if it means getting rid of his own family.
“Dad, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Is there something I’ve done to upset you?” I ask.
I keep my distance from him, knowing that he is volatile. If he gets angry enough and puts his hands on me, I won’t be able to escape.
