Chapter 48
Alessandro
O ne week. It’s been seven fucking days since Luci left with my baby. I can’t stop thinking about how Luci left. Did she reach out to him or did he find a way in by himself?
I can’t figure out what to do with my days except for the monotonous bullshit I do daily. Geno said I can’t help Marco find Luci anymore. He said something about how since I killed one of our new guys and kept knocking people out, I can’t be trusted with that anymore. It’s not my fucking fault they’re not working fast enough. If I was in charge, I would have found her already and she would be Luciana Leone, my wife.
Marco comes into my office quietly and sits in his usual spot. I told him not to bother me unless he had something important to tell me.
“You better have something useful.”
“I do. I’ve been able to hack into Aldo’s email. There are a few different things I’ve found.” He must understand the stare I give him because he continues cautiously. “Do you want the shit news or the extra shit news?”
“Does it matter what order I receive it in?”
“I guess not. You’ll want to punch me either way.” Likely. “I’ve found a few different emails. One is between him and someone I haven’t been able to decipher yet. Most of it talks about having a phone call and finding an address. This person lives in some northern state and they’re staying with this person for the unseeable future. This person lives in an area that’s pretty isolated and has some sort of history with Luci or at least her family. There’s that and something else.”
“My patience is running insanely thin, Marco. Why are you pausing?”
“This is the extra shit news.” It’s all shit news at this point. “There’s this email sitting in his trash. I’m guessing Aldo didn’t know he needed to delete it there too. The address is from Luci’s law school email. Honestly, I’m surprised they’ve kept her email open.” He flips his tablet around, hesitantly holding it out for me. “Promise you won’t break it?” By the stare I send him he knows I can’t promise anything. The words on the screen make every sort of hesitation break in my head.
Sono io. Voglio tornare a casa.
“That traitorous bitch. We’re still finding her. She’s pregnant with my baby and if she thinks she can keep my child away from me she’s mistaken.”
“Alessandro, a lot was going on when she sent that. Do you think she might have been emotional and didn’t think it through?” Fucking Marco and his logic.
“It doesn’t fucking matter! If she truly loved me, she wouldn’t have sent that email. Find her and don’t make me repeat it.”
I let Marco have his tablet back and waited until he left the room to trash it. Again. Fuck all the things in here, they can be replaced. Luci can’t. I look up and see El in the doorway. In typical El stance, her arms are crossed and she is leaning into one hip.
“Are you done throwing a fit yet, little boy?”
I settle my anger enough to prevent myself from snapping at her. “What do you want?”
“I’m here to talk to you, with you, whatever, which brings me back to my original question. Are you done throwing a fit yet?”
I walk back over to my chair and sit while El walks into my office, her heels breaking the glass into smaller pieces. “She left.”
“I know. I’ve seen the email and heard everything. I’m extremely nosey. You should know this by now.” Ironically her nosiness is part of the reason she’s good at her job. Something about her makes every girl comfortable, giving them a safe space to open up to her without judgment.
I sigh, trying to figure out what I should think. Has Luci fooled me into thinking she loved me and ran off because of it? Or did she have a moment and regret sending that email before Aldo broke in and convinced her to run off? “Okay, El. Give me your wisdom.”
She goes over to the sofa and sits down, swinging her legs up and crossing her ankles before speaking. “Welllllll, if there’s anything I know it’s that Luci does love you.”
“What makes you say that?”
“First of all, when I met her she was very defensive and obviously didn’t want to be here. Over time, I could see the difference in her. She didn’t want to love you at first. Then you two started having these cute little moments in between the times you were a total ass. Gradually, she fell in love with you. Your fucking attitude is almost as bad as Marco’s though and we both know my opinion about that. Shit, even Andrea came home one night bitching about the two of you. I had to suck his dick just to shut him up, even though we both loved that part so whatever but—”
Does she ever get to the fucking point?
“El! Get to your point!” she scoffs as she rolls her eyes before continuing.
“Okay, grumpy. This next part you know, but it’s part of the story. I knew you two had that fight about a week ago a.k.a the night she sent that email, which by the way the fight was your fault. Buuuuuut when I saw her a few days later, I knew she didn’t want to talk to you but still wanted to marry you. That was the day of her dress fitting and the day she confided in me that she thought her period was late.”
“That’s another thing! You knew Luci thought she was pregnant and didn’t tell me.”
“Do you want me to finish or not? Because I can start rambling again or walk out instead.” Sometimes I wish she was afraid of me. I lean back in my chair letting her take the floor. “I’ll take that silence as your answer. Back to my story. I went and got a pregnancy test for her just in case. As I was leaving, Marco was an idiot per usual and tried to get me to stay. Yeah, unlikely. I mean, do I ever listen to him? No. I got the tests and we decided to wait a few days to see if her period came. I guess the night before the wedding was the time to do it. To bring this speech to a conclusion, I know she loves you. I also think when Aldo broke in she panicked and went with him because she’s a people pleaser and doesn’t want to disappoint him. I think she sent that email in a panic. I’d bet my favorite treasures that she didn’t mean it. Happy?”
“Happy isn’t the word I’d use.”
“Fine then, I’ll leave. If you need to talk and don’t want to be grumpy reach out anytime. Ta-ta for now!” She stands, adjusting her skirt before clacking out of my office, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I’d prefer to say this conversation eased my doubts. While it was surprisingly nice to talk with El, waking up with Luci gone makes me wonder what’s going on in her head. At the end of the day, she is mine, and she is carrying my baby. I will do anything to hunt her down and bring her back here, kicking and screaming if needed.