Chapter 46
Alessandro
The Next Day
B lood runs hot in my veins as I pace around my basement. Enzo and other security members are tied to chairs, some bloodier than others as I let my anger out on the men who failed me. Marco straddles a chair behind me, his only job making sure I don’t kill any of his staff.
“Now Enzo, remind me. How did you let my pregnant fiancé escape through a window and down old vines from the third floor?” His swollen cheek and busted lip stay strong while his eyes express the fear his face doesn’t share.
“I-I-I.” I’ve never seen the man flustered, but he understands the severity of the situation.
“You what? Spit it the fuck out already!”
“I thought she was asleep because I didn’t hear her moving around anymore. I knew you wouldn’t want me opening the bedroom door and checking on her. You had security around the property and me at the door. I assumed no one would be able to get in.” In a flash decision, instead of answering him, I swing around, punching Enzo so hard he tips over along with his chair. I’m sick and tired of people blaming me.
“KO!” Marco lets out a childish laugh as I scowl at him. “What? It’s from the video game we played as a kid. And last week.”
“I know where it’s fucking from, I’m wondering why you’re quoting it.”
“I’m bored, and the opportunity presented itself. Is he alive? I like Enzo.” Enzo’s breath comes out hot as I check if he’s alive. Once I confirm, I nod to Marco before turning to my other staff, seeing who’s brave enough to answer.
“Who’s next to tell me how my team failed me?”
Domenico, a senior member of our staff, someone I brought from Italy who’s worked for Geno since I was a kid speaks up. “We closed the gambling rooms, bringing in all members of our staff for the night before your wedding along with the wedding itself. The only way someone could have gotten by is by studying us. Looking for patterns in what areas are normally missed and at what times while examining the fence for any weaknesses. With extra staff on duty, we should have had a pattern where every part of the property always had eyes on it.”
Our eyes connect, close enough that we can feel each other breathing as my hands are rested on my knees. “Who left their area unattended?”
He catches my eyes, moving his to the left three times, refusing to answer verbally. Eye signals are an old technique Geno used when Domenico was a new recruit almost twenty years ago. The young man he gave up is a fresh recruit, normally at our gambling rooms as a bouncer. We brought him, along with other young recruits in as extra security for the wedding.
I stand straight, walking passed him before turning suddenly, putting a bullet between his eyes as his head bounces back. Marco’s plan be dammed, I’ll do what I want. After tucking the gun back into the waistband of my pants, I bolt out of the quiet room. As the door slams behind me, I leave him dead, Enzo unconscious, Marco straddling the chair, and the rest of my men tied up.
I spend the majority of the afternoon in my office re-watching the video footage of Luci leaving with Aldo. The son of a bitch hasn’t worked for my family since he was barely able to call himself a man. Yet, he still managed to turn off security cameras, sneak past my best men, and climb in and out of a third-story bedroom. If his actions didn’t make me this irate, I’d ask Aldo if he wanted to work for my family again.
My mind flashes back to the last few weeks spent with Luci. She didn’t struggle against Aldo’s hand as he helped her off the property. Did she ever truly love me or was this a rouse to get my guard down? How long has this escape plan been in place? Most importantly, is she carrying my child?
Marco gently knocks on the door, walking in like he’s trying to sneak past a tiger. Instead of sitting in his usual spot, he sits in the chair across from my desk, setting his tablet on the desk, and slides it to me.
“What is this?” My hands go to my temples, trying to massage the headache that’s been in place since I found Luci gone less than forty-eight hours ago.
“This is the footage I’ve been able to locate of Aldo’s car and another one following them. I assume it’s Stella and Caterina. I’ve tracked the cars and plates until Amish country. After that, the plates disappear.”
Of course, they went through Amish country. “What are you getting at Marco? I’m about two seconds away from telling El to finally castrate you like she threatens every other goddamn day.”
“It means they’re either in Amish country or changed plates before crossing the state borders. I’m trying to track their cars and any pictures taken by traffic cams, but I haven’t been able to find any on the major highways leaving Pennsylvania. Which also leads back to the theory they’re in Amish country or they left the state on a back road then connected to a highway. That or maybe . . . no it’s unlikely never mind.”
I’m tired of people tip-toeing around things. “What’s unlikely? Spit it out, Marco.”
“There’s technically a possibility that they went somewhere via airplane. A small one that holds a few passengers. The likelihood that Aldo knows someone or would have the money to pull that off is slim though.”
“So all you’ve managed to do is narrow down Luci’s location to the world? Remind me, why are you head of security?”
“Because I’m your best friend and you secretly love me?”
I ignore his answer, knowing he’s correct even though I hate that he’s right. “Make yourself useful and get the fuck out of my office and find my pregnant fiancé.”
Marco quietly gathers his tablet and leaves, closing the door quietly enough that I don’t hear it behind my anger and other emotions clouding my mind. Before I process what I’m doing I swipe everything off my desk, not caring about what I break and how much shit I lose in the process. She’s gone. Luci is gone and I need to get her back. I’ll murder anyone and do anything I need to do to make that happen. She will not keep my baby from me and I will not let her raise my baby without me next to her.
I drink myself into a stupor and wake up around midnight in the bedroom Luci was last in before she left the house. Left me. I’m drunk enough that I can’t leave the bed without wanting to throw up, but sober enough that I know I came in here to be close to her scent. The orange blossom and jasmine scent I’d know anywhere. Her signature scent. I know eventually it will fade from the sheets so I welcome it in the meantime.