Chapter Two
I make my way down to the basement. Arianna has been down there for a few hours, and while I wanted to give her space with the Mancinis.
It’s getting late. As I push in through the door, my heart drops.
The chairs are empty; restraints slumped on the floor.
The room is dark and lifeless. A lump forms in my throat, and I stand there frozen, unable to move.
My heart pounds, and fuck, I will kill them all when I get my hands on them.
How the fuck did the three of them get away? They wouldn’t get the drop on her. It wouldn’t be possible. She’s too aware. Too observant. I storm back through the house.
“Marianne, Luca, Matteo!” I bellow as I run up the stairs. I fling the doors open into the kitchen. Luca and Marianne startle as I burst into the room. “Arianna, the Mancinis… they’re all gone.”
Luca stands abruptly, snatching his phone from his pocket and dialling Matteo. The call drops off. He tries again. “The phone’s disconnected.” Luca frowns at it.
“We need security footage, now!” I bark.
Luca takes off, and I follow after him. We push into Arianna’s office, and it smells like her.
A pang of something hits me in the chest. I can’t breathe.
I squeeze my eyes closed, and he fires up the computer on her desk against the wall.
Scrolling back, it’s gone; there’s nothing from when the Mancinis walked into the house.
I punch the screen, shattering it as it ricochets, exploding off the wall.
I try to breathe, screwing my eyes together. I feel his hand on my shoulders.
“Mr Bianchi, we will find her. I promise.” His voice is stoic, unwavering.
But his eyes tell me differently. His eyes tell me he’s as worried as I am.
I close my eyes and crack my neck. The red haze washes over me.
This has my father and brother written all over it.
I swear to everything unholy if they’ve hurt her, I will end this cunt, and I will destroy my father and his precious fucking Syndicate.
I will take everything from him and burn his world to the ground, leaving nothing but ash.