61. Bianca
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
BIANCA
A n ominous dream wrenched me from a deep sleep, only to find myself cocooned by a warm, strong body.
I stared up at my husband’s sleeping face and my heartbeat slowly returned to normal. Nico had always had that effect on me. He made me feel safe and protected. I reached out and stroked his stubble, and my heart rate eased the more I touched him.
Two decades with this man and everything about him still caused a flutter in my chest. When I thought about how our marriage started, I couldn’t help but smile. Yes, he forced marriage on me, but it was the best thing that had ever happened to me. He had given me a beautiful life, beautiful children, and adopted my babies as his own.
I wouldn’t have changed a moment of our life together for the world.
His big hand came to cover mine and I met his gaze.
“What’s the matter, cara mia?”
“Bad dream.”
“Tell me about it,” he urged.
“I don’t want them to go through what my mom did,” I murmured my admission. My mother had been a victim of the Belles and Mobsters auctions. I had never thought those auctions would return to haunt us.
Yet here we were.
“Arianna is safe with Matteo,” he said begrudgingly.
He still hadn’t forgiven Matteo for forcing Arianna into marriage, although I didn’t think my daughter minded. Once everything had come to light and Matteo tried over and over again to correct the mistake his father and Nico had made, I could finally see it.
Arianna was in love with him. Her eyes shone and her cheeks flushed whenever she was around Matteo. She was always happier around him, even as a child. And more importantly, our children were old enough to make their own decisions.
“I’m worried about Hannah,” I admitted. “I have a bad feeling about it all. She might be upset, but she would never cut us all off.”
Yes, my daughter liked to wreak havoc while Arianna always wanted peace, but Hannah wasn’t cruel. She wouldn’t disappear without letting us know she was okay.
I could see on Nico’s face that he thought the same, but he was always so protective. He’d rather solve it all himself to spare me the stress. But we were in this together.
“She’ll turn up,” he assured me. “We’ll find her, safe and sound.” I considered what to say, but our morning was interrupted when his phone lit up with a video call from Matteo. He instantly sat up and answered with an alarmed expression. “What’s happened, Matteo?”
“They have Hannah,” was his answer.
“Oh my God, how… what…” I couldn’t form a sentence, leaning closer to the phone so I could see him. “Where is Arianna?”
“She’s safe here with me.” Her face appeared in the frame and relief slammed into me despite her tear-rimmed eyes. “Somehow they found us. We managed to question one.”
“Did he say where?” Nico demanded while I struggled to get myself together.
“No, but I went through their equipment?—”
“ Their ?” Nico questioned. “How many men attacked you?”
Matteo hesitated for a moment. “There were several, but we—Arianna and I—managed to eliminate them.”
“Arianna, baby, please tell me you’re okay?”
“I’m fine, Mom,” she murmured, chewing on her bottom lip. “I’m just worried sick about Hannah. Matteo thinks he knows where they have her.”
My husband and I answered at the same time. “Where?”
“Their location history shows all of them at Benito King’s old place in New York,” Matteo answered. Tears gathered in my eyes as memories assaulted me, but I quickly wiped them clean. I needed to be strong now. For Hannah’s sake.
“We’ll need Cassio’s help.” Nico was already typing a message to my brother.
“I also messaged my pa. He’s standing by and ready to help,” Matteo offered.
“Thank you, Matteo,” I accepted quickly before Nico could refuse.
“Mom, Dad, please—” Arianna’s voice faltered, sobs swallowing her words.
“She’ll be okay,” I said firmly. “Right now, I need you to be okay.”
“You’re not mad?”
My little baby was always worried about everyone’s feelings. She and Hannah were identical but so different, and Matteo could see that.
“I could never be mad at you. I love you all, and I just want you to be happy. You and Matteo found love together and now you deserve to enjoy it. Hannah will find it too. Trust me, okay?”
My little angel hated causing any pain to anyone, even if it hurt her in retrospect. Until now.
“I love you, Mom. You too, Dad.”
“We love you too,” Nico assured her, already out of bed and heading to the walk-in closet with me following next to him. “We’ll bring Hannah home. And you, Matteo, bring our daughter home. Safe and sound, or else.”
“That’s the plan. Keeping my wife safe and in my home.”
The jab didn’t escape Nico, but before the two could waste precious time, I chimed in, “Matteo, keep my baby safe. We’ll see you when you’re back.”
The line went dead and I turned to Nico who was in full mobster mode, getting dressed. I watched in silence as he loaded his weapons and secured them in his holster. In times like this, I wanted to go with him and fight, but I’d only be a distraction. Nico would be worried about my safety, and at this moment, the most important thing was Hannah.
I could hear the roaring of the helicopter engine in the distance and my husband stopped in front of me, cupping my cheeks.
“She’s strong,” he murmured. “Before the day is over, she’ll be out of their clutches.”
He pressed his firm lips to mine and kissed me before striding out of the bedroom while I prayed to anyone who was listening to keep my family safe.