CHAPTER 20
CARA
“I should come with you. It might be better if she needs to be dragged from a party, for me to do it,” I suggested as I stood near the front door of the house with Rafe and Dio.
We didn’t know much about where Gia was.
She had snuck out that afternoon and someone in a dark hatchback had picked her up further down the street.
Dante had been able to see that from one of the neighbours doorbell cameras, but the image was too poor quality for him to zoom in and get a license plate.
Gia had not only turned off her cell phone, but left it in her room so she couldn’t be tracked.
The only thing we did know was what Cal and I gleaned from her messages sent via social media. There were three parties happening that night, all hosted by people from the fancy school Gia attended, and she had discussed going to each and every one of them with her friends.
So now Rafe, Dante, Arran, and Dio were splitting up to go to each party in search of her, along with some of their men to back each of them up should trouble arise.
“No. I know you’re worried, Cara. But please just stay here with Cal, for me. I need to know at least one of my sister’s is home and safe. I’ll find Gia,” Rafe promised me, and he looked so stressed out, I couldn’t help but give in.
“Okay,” I nodded. “But do not go easy on her when you find her, Rafe. This is serious and she needs to understand how badly she fucked up by sneaking out. She’s putting all of you in danger right now with her selfishness.”
“I won’t. We can talk together about how she should be punished when I get her back home, alright?
” He leaned in and kissed the top of my head, and I sighed and nodded.
I didn’t want to be the hard-ass who walked back into Gia’s life from nowhere and started laying down the law, but it seemed like she needed some firmer guidance, and I wanted to give her that before she took a turn in life she couldn’t undo so easily.
“Stay with Cal, and ring us right away if you need anything,” Dio told me, and again I just nodded as I stepped back from Rafe, and instantly found Cal at my back.
He didn’t move to hold me, but it felt good to have him close.
I knew I was getting attached to him, but I didn’t want to stop.
I liked him, a lot, and I felt calmer when he was near me.
Not to mention he made me smile more than anyone else ever had.
“I’m leaving men around the perimeter of the house, Cal, and Don is outside the front door if you have any concerns at all. Don’t hesitate to ring us if you need to,” Rafe added.
“We’ll be fine,” Cal assured them both.
Dante and Arran both appeared from the kitchen, now wearing jackets that I was guessing concealed some kind of weapons.
I doubted it would be guns, since none of the guys really seemed to have them on their person unless they were walking into danger.
They were illegal, after all. But I guessed they had knifes, and who knew what else attached to them and hidden away.
Dressed as they were, their faces set for battle, they looked lethal.
While I knew that shouldn’t turn me on, it did.
“Behave,” Dante demanded as he pointed a finger right at me.
I just barked at him like I was a dog, then laughed out loud when he looked to me with utter confusion.
“Let’s go, lad, afore you get yerself in to any deeper shit wi’ the lassie,” Arran chuckled. He slapped Dante on the shoulder, then led the way from the house. Rafe and Dio followed them, then the door closed and the house was silent.
“Dante does know he can’t just bark orders at me all of the time, right?” I questioned as I leaned my head right back until I could see Cal.
“I doubt it but I’m sure he can be trained to,” he chuckled. “I do love the way you always do the unexpected and completely baffle him though.”
“Just keeping him on his toes.” I sighed deeply, my stomach churning with worry for Gia. “They’ll find her, won’t they?” I asked anxiously.
“Yes. It’s not the first time this has happened, and they always track her down in the end. She’ll be fine,” Cal assured me.
“And the guys? They have other men watching their backs, don’t they? Because those people who shot at us could be watching the house. They could follow the cars they went in.”
“The men who shot at us are all dead, and who ever sent them will be too busy trying to regroup after a pretty major loss. But regardless, Rafe made sure they had plenty of men following behind each car. Everyone will be safe. Try to stop worrying so much. They’ll contact us as soon as they have news. ”
“You’re right,” I nodded, but the churning in my stomach didn’t ease. Gia was just a kid, a very naive kid from what I had seen of her, and she was out in the middle of a bustling city filled with enough danger as it was, without the criminals who were specifically targeting our family.
“We need to take your mind off of things. What do you want to do? We could reheat some of the food. Terza wrapped it all up and put it in the fridge for us.”
“Food sounds good, but I might go and take a shower first. Change into some comfortable pyjamas. You know you don’t have to stay with me if you have university work you need to do though?
” I reminded him. He’d been pretty much glued to my hip since I met him, which I was all for, but I didn’t want to take him from other important things he needed to do.
“I got it all done the day you arrived, so I’m wide open. I have the whole weekend free,” he assured me. “Why don’t you go and do what you want to do, and I’ll make us up some plates and get them warmed up? Meet me in the living room and we can continue with our boxset?”
“Sounds good. I won’t be long,” I told him, then I left him, running off up the stairs.
Living in that place was definitely a workout, but I hadn’t even tried the lift yet.
I just didn’t trust it. It was all fancy glass and a digital screen.
I wasn’t even sure I would know how to use it if I tried.
At least taking the stairs was forcing me to do some much needed cardio.