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I push through the drums hammering down on my skull to recall the last thing I remember.
CC had just stormed out of Drago’s house pissed off and upset. I remember offering to go after her and then—
* * *
It didn’t takeme long to catch up to Caprice when she gassed it out of Drago’s driveway. I wasn’t too worried. I know D has her Mercedes tagged with a tracking device. I won’t need it though. She turned right out of Drago’s driveway, heading north. Other than two intersections, it’s a straight shot to the Pacific Coast Highway.
I just have to catch up with her before she hits the PCH, so I accelerate coming out of D’s, pressing the gas down and speeding up. One of the perks of being in law enforcement is I can easily get out of a speeding ticket if it comes to that. It’s not like I do it often. I am more law-abiding than not, but on the rare occasion—once when I was stopped—the officer laughed when I showed him my badge.
I finally have her in my sights after two miles and slow my speed. She’s coming up on the last intersection, so it’s good timing.
Her brake lights flash in my line of sight as she stops at the stop sign. I’ll have to pass her once I’m through the intersection to try and get her to pull over. Luckily, there is a gas station before the exit onto the highway. Hopefully, she agrees to stop there and talk to me.
I brake lightly, not planning on stopping fully when CC slams on her brakes in the middle of the intersection. That’s when I look to her left and then to her right.
Gut instinct has me leaning to my right to open my glove box. I know I’m not supposed to keep my weapon there, but it’s often too convenient not to. With Mia over at Drago’s often, I didn’t want to keep it in his house. I’m sure he has his own weapons hidden throughout, but I felt more comfortable leaving mine safely in my car.
Wrapping my hand around my police-issued Glock 17, I come to a complete stop and throw the gear shift into park.
“Gas it,” I order, even though she can’t hear me.
Two men exit the black SUVs, one from each vehicle. They both have their own weapons drawn, which is my queue to take action. I can’t let them hurt her. I’m sure they’re Vincent Acerbi’s men. This has orchestrated written all over it. That must mean Vincent knows or is at least planning something and needs Drago’s sister.
I jump out of my car, leaving my door open to use it as a shield, and without hesitation, raise and fire a shot at the target in front of me but thirty degrees to my left. It’s clean and accurate, nailing him in the shoulder. His weapon falls to the ground.
I got this. I’m not giving them a chance to hurt her. She’s probably scared shitless. No offense to D, but he should have gotten her self-defense classes at some point in her young life. A woman always needs to be prepared to handle things herself if attacked. It’s fine not to want to hurt people, but in today’s world, we all have to be adept at ass-kicking. At least that’s my motto.
My eyes snap to the right, the other assailant whipping his head in my direction. I have seconds to reposition, only I don’t get the chance to fire another shot. Pain assaults the back of my skull, and I lose my balance.
It never crossed my mind to look in my rearview mirror. That was a rookie mistake that I shouldn’t have made.
* * *
Shouting draws my attention,and I look around, taking in my surroundings. I’ve already realized my hands and feet are bound to the chair I’m sitting in. There’s duct tape or some kind of thick tape covering my mouth. I pull on my binds anyway, but they’re secure. I’m not going anywhere, anytime soon.
Caprice is to my right, tied and bound the same as me. Her long dark hair is halfway covering her face, but I see the wet streaks down her cheeks and the top of her blouse is soaked. She’s been crying for a while.How long was I out?There’s a burning sensation at the back of my head. Whatever object I was hit with left a gash, I’m sure of it.
My head rolls, and I see Mona.Shit.This is bad. So very bad.
There is concern in her mature brown eyes, but the same fear I saw a couple of weeks ago isn’t there, which surprises me. I’m not going to lie, in this moment, I’m afraid, but I also know I can’t cower to that fear. It won’t help me, it won’t help any of us.
“You gave up your right to my leniency the day you fucked some worthless cop, son.”
My gaze snaps to the center of the room. The air is cold, no heat. It’s also tinged with dust that’s tickling my nose. We’re in a warehouse of sorts, similar to D’s import business, only this one is mostly empty.
Vincent is standing in front of all of us, his back to us with a gun in his right hand. Drago is on the other side, both hands wrapped tightly around a handgun that’s aimed at his father.
Take the shot, I silently scream.
A cry or a whine snaps my eyes into focus. It’s Gabriel, but I don’t see him. I hear him. He’s close. It’s then Vincent’s body moves, and I see he’s holding my little boy, his left arm wrapped around him.
Drago can’t pull the trigger. If he does, Gabriel will go to the ground, hitting hard concrete. We’re fucked. This whole situation is fucked.
“You’re no better than your mother,” Vincent continues. “That cunt tried to betray me.” His gaze travels to where Caprice is tied up and her eyes grow wide. “I’m not talking about you, Topolina, although, I have known for quite some time that you aren’t mine. It’s one of the reasons I left.” He lifts his right shoulder, his gun waving with his movement.
Drago told me when I asked thatTopolinameansMousein Italian and that his father has always referred to his sister with that nickname. I instantly didn’t like it. Is Caprice quiet? Sure. But the way the word rolls off his tongue isn’t endearing, not even slightly. It’s cruel and mean more than anything else.
“Not the whole reason, but a part of it. I could no longer look at you without the need to strangle you knowing that your whore of a mother fucked some stupid fucking badge. I gave her everything, and she opened her legs for another man. Not only that, but the fucking bitch was going to turn over evidence on me.”
