Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Gabriel
I’ll admit, after a few weeks with no news from Liam or Matt regarding Monica’s family, I get lulled into a false sense of security. Blissful ignorance. Denial. Whatever you want to call it, I stupidly relax and think her family has just disappeared. Well, not her family. Her family is still out there. The Angelino family, however, has been quiet. And while I should know better, I allowed the respite time to get me to calm down.
I shouldn’t have.
The one fucking time I let my guard down and don’t have an eye on Monica, all hell breaks loose.
I ran into Colorado Springs to help a new realtor write a rather detailed and informative contract. In our area, we deal with so many VA loans for military veterans with weird loopholes, stumping many realtors. I was unprepared for how long it would take and figured Monica would be fine getting home from the office herself.
Pulling into my garage, I see Monica’s car isn’t there. Fuck. I had hoped she’d beat me home. I shouldn’t stress about her being away from me so much, but right now, the only thing I can do is protect her myself. Right now, seeing her car isn’t here, I have a foreboding feeling deep in my gut that tells me something isn’t right.
And my gut feeling gets confirmed immediately.
Within a five-minute period, I got a text from Liam saying their contacts in Texas had sent multiple mugshots of Angelino family members, and they had been seen in our county. Then a text from Matt telling me to take Monica to Liam’s house because it has better security, and the Angelinos wouldn’t think to look there.
And then I got a phone call from Monica.
“ Querida , I don’t have much time. I need you to go to Liam’s, okay?” I blurt out as soon as I answer the call. “Don’t ask questions; just get to Liam’s.”
“That’s going to be difficult, my man,” a male voice answers.
My blood runs cold.
“Who the fuck is this?” I snarl.
“I’m the guy who’s got your girl. Feisty little thing, ain’t she? Any last words you want me to deliver to her?” the guy taunts.
“Let me speak to Monica.”
“Yeah, no. That’s not gonna happen.”
“I just want to hear her voice and know she’s okay.” I put the phone on speaker, so I can text Liam and Matt while on the phone, letting them know this guy has Monica and her phone.
“She’s fine for now. Won’t be for long, though. We believe ‘an eye for an eye,’ Gabriel,” the guy says .
“How the fuck does that even make sense?” I ask as Liam texts back and tells me to keep the guy talking. He’s trying to track Monica’s phone.
“My father is dead because of this puttana .”
“ Puttana ?”
“Bitch. This bitch is gonna die. An eye for an eye.”
“Who was your father?” I ask.
“Joseph Angelino.”
Oh shit. The pedophile who contracted for Monica when she was only eleven.
“She didn’t pull the trigger. Her dad did. She was only a kid when it happened!”
“Well, her dad is already dead, so this is how we’re dealing with it,” the guy retorts.
“My dad is dead?” I hear Monica pipe up in the background, and I let out a relieved exhale. She’s still alive.
I get a text from Liam that they know her approximate location. I’m running back to my car and hightailing it toward the address Liam sent. I can hear muffled words between the guy and Monica, then I hear him curse. “What the fuck, you stupid bitch!” Another brief scuffle before Monica’s voice comes on the line.
“Gabriel?” she says breathlessly.
“ Querida get out of there!” I shout. “I’m coming. Liam is too. Just go hide somewhere safe!”
“No.”
“What?”
“I need … hold on. I’ll call you back.”
“What the fuck? No! Monica, don’t you dare hang up this phone!”
When she doesn’t respond, I look at the screen to see she’s ended the call. I’m still fifteen minutes away. I call Liam, and he doesn’t answer. I can feel my blood pressure rising with my anxiety as I try Monica’s phone again, and she doesn’t pick up .
“Fuck!” I roar as I pull up to a red light. I don’t have time for this. My querida needs me … but not nearly as much as I need her.
After blowing through three consecutive yellow lights, I blatantly run a red light before entering the interstate. Parts of Colorado interstates are seventy-five miles per hour, which I’m thankful for now. I’m also grateful for the lack of state patrol on the interstate today. I hit over one hundred before getting to the exit I need. They can fucking mail me a ticket. I don’t care. I need to get to Monica.
Pulling up to an abandoned warehouse a few miles south of Colorado Springs, I see Liam’s patrol car in my rearview mirror. He comes to a screeching stop beside me and holds his hand out, motioning for me to stay in my car. Fuck no, man. My girl is in there. I shake my head and get out, running to the door.
“God dammit, will none of you people ever listen to me?” I hear Liam grumble behind me as he grabs his gun and follows me inside.
Neither of us is prepared for what we find.
Three men are tied up in varying positions, and Monica sits atop the largest one while filing her nails. I actually rub my eyes, convinced this is a mirage my mind is making up. I glance at Liam, who stares at Monica with disbelief.
“Fucking awesome, crazy girl. You managed this?” he says as a grin spreads.
Monica looks up and gives us a beaming smile. “I did! You’d be amazing what you can accomplish once you tase someone.”
I cock an eyebrow at Liam, and he shrugs. “I gave her a taser last week. We decided not to tell you.”
Monica jumps off the largest guy, who groans as she accidentally kicks him in the stomach. She has all three guys tied in the same way, with their hands and feet bound in one giant bundle, but one of the guys is bowed backward. It looks painful, and I’m so fucking proud of her.
“Are you okay?” I ask softly as she stands before me. My hand cups her cheek as I stare into her eyes.
“I’m okay, tesoro . I knew you were coming,” she whispers before standing on her tiptoes to place her lips against mine. She lets out a blissful sigh as my arms wrap around her, picking her up so I can deepen the kiss.
“You’re never leaving my side again,” I mutter as I bury my head in her neck.
“I know,” Monica whispers.
Liam motions for me to come to stand by one of the guys. “He’s muttering something about your dad, Monica.”
Monica’s head whips in the direction of the guy.
“He’s not dead. Not yet, at least,” the guy murmurs.
“Why did you tell me he was?” Monica asks.
“Figured I could use it against you. Get you to do what I needed.”
“Why the fuck would you think that? I haven’t talked to the man in fifteen years. If he’s dead, so be it,” Monica says.
“You may not have talked to him, but he’s always known where you are and what you’ve been doing,” the guy says.
“Hold up. My father has kept tabs on me?” she bellows.
“Yes, Monica Rose. I have kept tabs on you,” a deep voice says from behind. I turn to find five Italian men lined up behind us.
“Holy shit,” Monica breathes.
“Who are they?” I whisper against her ear.
“My dad and brothers,” she responds. “Put me down, tesoro .”
I immediately set her on her feet, and she stands in front of me. It takes me a moment to realize my little spitfire, my five-foot-nothing Italian princess, is protecting me from her family. I chuckle as I gently move her to the side so that we are equally in the line of fire. If I attempt to stand in front of her, she will be totally pissed off, so this is my way of compromising.
“Monica, please introduce us to your beau,” one of the brothers says. “Is he Italian? Doesn’t look Italian.”
Monica growls next to me.
“Well, the last Italian man beat the shit out of me and was apparently hired to kill me, so pardon me for not worrying about his heritage,” she seethes.
“Do not speak to me that way, Monica Rose,” her dad booms. “Introduce us, now.”
Liam has stepped to the side as more police infiltrate the warehouse and nods his head to the side. “Let’s move aside, querida , let the police do their job.”
“ Querida ? What the fuck? You’re with a Portuguese guy?” a brother teases.
“Watch your fucking mouth, Giovanni. I have no problem laying you out like I just did to those three losers back there,” Monica growls. God, I’m so fucking proud of her. She may have acted nonchalant about her dad disowning her, but I know it ate away at her. Having an opportunity to let the animosity out must be incredibly cathartic.
“You did this to those guys? You did this?” another brother asks incredulously. Monica nods.
“I’m not a damsel in distress. So while I knew Gabriel would come for me, I was prepared to handle it myself. Liam gave me a taser, and then I found the rope. Figured I’d just wait until they got here and hand the bad guys over,” Monica shrugs.
“Who’s Liam?” her father asks as he glares at me.
“I’m her brother,” Liam answers as he stands on the other side of her. “Her chosen brother. Sometimes we choose our own family. Monica chose me.”
“And you are?” her father asks me. Before I can answer, Monica speaks up .
“This is Gabriel. My beloved. Meu cora??o . Love of my life,” she says softly as she wraps her arms around me. Meu cora??o. My heart.
“I love you too, anjinho ,” I whisper before looking at her father. “My name is Gabriel Campos. My parents emigrated from Brazil when I was two years old. I spent twenty-five years in the Army before retiring here. From the first moment I saw Monica, I knew she was different. I felt a pull toward her like I’d never felt before. So while it’s nice to meet you, sir, I’m not giving her back to you.”
Monica’s father smirks as he looks between the two of us.
“As if she’d ever come back willingly,” he finally says as he approaches me. “Paul Russo. Those are my sons Alessio, Marco, Dante, and Giovanni.” All four brothers give me a head nod.
“Have you really been keeping an eye on me, Dad?” Monica asks. “You’ve known where I was the entire time? When I was struggling, barely making ends meet, you just watched and let it happen? What the fuck?”
Paul sighs.
“I have a lot of explaining to do, Monica. I’d like to take you and Gabriel to dinner and explain everything. There’s a lot you don’t know. A lot you missed. A lot you, thankfully, didn’t have to experience.” I notice one of the brother’s wince, and I’m immediately alert for what’s coming.
“We need Monica and Gabriel to file police reports with the city before anyone can leave. In fact, I’m sure they’ll want to speak to you and your sons as well, Mr. Russo. Dinner will have to wait. Monica, I’ll send Gabriel the substation address, and I’ll meet you both there,” Liam says as he pushes us toward the door.
We walk quietly to my car. I round the car to open the passenger door for Monica. I’m in a daze. Monica is shell- shocked. The drive to the police station is a blur that I don’t remember.
We’re at the police station for three hours. Question after question. I refuse to leave Monica’s side, angry that they want to separate the two of us to ask us questions apart. I know we have nothing to worry about, but it still seems fishy to separate us when we can answer together. Hearing Monica tell her side of things makes my heart break for her.
She was leaving the office when two men abducted her and threw her into a blacked-out van. She said she knew immediately they were from the Angelino family. The biggest guy bragged about strangling Nicolas before cutting off his dick and shoving it in his mouth. They threatened all the different ways they could kill Monica. They became so invested in their imaginative murders they didn’t realize she had rummaged in her bag and grabbed her taser. That would ultimately save her life.
Monica assumed she’d just continuously tase them once they were in the warehouse, but then saw the rope and decided to improvise. She said she didn’t know how to tie anyone up but did her best. She broke two nails, which is why she was sitting on the one guy filing her nails when Liam and I walked in.
“I’m so fucking proud of you. Puta merda, querida . So fucking proud,” I whisper as I press a kiss against her temple. Monica gives me a shaky smile. I know she’s struggling to hold it together. “I’ve got you, anjinho . I’ve always got you.”
“I know,” she whispers.
As we wait for the police to finish processing the information we’ve given them, my phone buzzes with a text.
Liam: I gave her dad your phone number.
Me: Mine?
Liam: I didn’t feel comfortable giving hers out. I don’t know what he wants, and I didn’t want to have her number given to other family members.
Me: I know a sister has it. Monica had to ask for money when her grandmother was going through cancer treatments when they were still in Oklahoma.
Liam: Jesus. She KNEW I had money, and she still wouldn’t take it.
Liam: Expect a call from the dad. I don’t think he’s much of a texter. When I suggested a text, he grimaced like he smelled something foul.
Me: This should be fun.
Liam: If you want me there, as family AND police, let me know. My shift is over in an hour. I’m supposed to have dinner with Liv, Nate, and their families, but I can absolutely cancel.
Me: I’ll let you know.
I’ve barely ended the text before another text comes in.
Unknown: This is Dante, Monica’s brother. Can we meet for dinner?
I turn to Monica. “Your brothers want to meet for dinner tonight. Are you okay with that?”
“You’ll be there?” she asks, her eyes tentative.
“Of course, querida . I’ll be wherever you need me,” I say quietly. Monica sighs .
“Then I guess dinner is fine. Better to get this over with so they can leave.”
Me: Yes, that’s fine. Where would you like to meet?
Dante: Your house is fine. We already have the address.
What the fuck.
Me: No. We’ll only meet you in a public location.
Dante: My SISTER is safe with us.
Me: MY WOMAN has been through enough. I will not stress her out with you all invading our space. We will meet at Como Pancho at seven o’clock. It’s in downtown Colorado Springs.
I picked one of Monica’s favorite restaurants, hoping it’ll give her some confidence as she listens to what her family has to say. She and Emily are weirdly obsessed with queso, and I know Como Pancho exceeds her queso expectations.
Dante: We’ll be there.
Dante: Is she okay?
Dante: I mean, I know she’s not okay. She was kidnapped. But how is she handling it? Did they hurt her?
My opinion of at least one brother has risen after him asking about her mental health.
Me: She’s okay. They didn’t hurt her. Monica is one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. She’ll bounce back, just like she has every other time.
Dante: Nicolas is lucky the Angelinos got to him before we did. After hearing what he did to my sister, I was ready to tear him limb from limb.
Me: Me too.
Dante: You found her, right? You’re the one that rescued her?
Me: Yes.
Dante: What was she even doing with him?
Me: Not my story to tell. If Monica wishes for you to learn more about her relationship with Marcus, she’ll let you know.
Dante: Okay, man. I get it. We’ll see you tonight.
I turn my screen off and put my phone in my pocket.