Chapter 22
LEO
Seeing the anxious look on Haven’s face, I say, “I’m just going to talk to her.”
She nods. “Okay.”
I walk to the side table and pour myself a drink, which I down in one gulp. I feel the welcome burn of the whiskey in my throat, but it does nothing to ease my thirst for blood.
It’s the only thing that will calm me down.
Gallons and gallons of fucking Romano blood.
My top lip curls up, and I roll my shoulders as I fight the urge to kill. I need to get all my questions answered before I end Nicolo.
When I hear a car pull up to the house, I glance at the front door.
“Can I talk to her first?” Haven asks.
Gesù Cristo, she’s asking a lot of me.
“I’ll try to give you a few minutes,” I mutter, not able to make any promises.
When the front door opens and my gaze lands on Dakota Romano, my fingers grip the tumbler so hard the glass cracks.
The sound has Haven’s head snapping in my direction. She rushes to my side and takes the tumbler out of my hand, setting it on the side table. I watch as she inspects my palm, and seemingly pleased I haven’t injured myself, she links her fingers with mine.
She came to me instead of running to her mom.
Her voice is strained when she says, “Hi, Mom.”
Dakota glances around the foyer before looking at us. “Hi. What’s going on?”
“Come sit.” Haven gestures at the couches. “We have to talk about something serious.”
Massimo comes in and makes a beeline for me. “You okay?”
I shake my head, then have no choice but to move when Haven tugs on my hand, pulling me to the couch across from the one Dakota is taking a seat on.
“We found out something today,” Haven begins to explain after we sit down. “Leo knows me from before you adopted me. He was best friends with my older brother.”
Confusion and shock shudder over Dakota’s face. “You didn’t have an older brother. You were an only child.”
“Like fucking hell she was,” I growl.
Haven squeezes my hand, then continues, “Leo is the boy in the nightmares, Mom. I was taken during an attack where they tried to kill him.”
“No. Your parents were killed in a robbery gone wrong,” Dakota argues.
“She was kidnapped right in front of me.” I snap angrily, drawing Dakota’s stunned gaze to me.
She shakes her head. “I saw the police report. It was a robbery gone wrong.”
“Carina Messina,” I bite her name out. “Was that the name on the police report?”
Dakota nods. “Yes. She was given a new identity because she saw the robbers.”
I let out a chuckle, my control slipping fast.
Massimo comes to sit on the armrest and places his hand on my shoulder. I know he’s doing it so he can restrain me fast if I lose my shit.
“Mom, I remember Leo. He has my stuffed unicorn. He has a photo of me with him and my brother.”
Shock tightens Dakota’s features again, and she looks truly confounded. “I…but your dad…but how?”
I’ve dealt with so many people who’ve lied to try to get out of shit, and my gut’s telling me Dakota is just as in the dark as we are.
My tone is a little calmer when I ask, “How did Haven end up with you?”
“Santo came home with her and said we needed to protect her. He had all her legal documents.” She shakes her head again.
“We couldn’t have children of our own, and we were so happy to finally have one.
We threw ourselves into helping Haven work through her trauma. I didn’t think to ask more questions.”
I give her an incredulous look. “Your husband comes home with a six-year-old girl that doesn’t speak a word of English and is traumatized out of her fucking mind, and you don’t think to ask questions?”
Dakota’s chin begins to quiver. “I chose to believe what my husband told me. He arranged the adoption. Why would I question something that’s approved by a court?”
I stare at her long and hard, and it has her chin starting to quiver.
When Haven pulls her hand out of mine, I let her go to her Mom.
“I’m sorry, Mom.” She wraps an arm around her mother’s shoulders. “We just want to get to the bottom of things.”
“Nicolo must’ve arranged all the documents and paid off the judge who authorized the adoption,” Massimo says. “This is all the proof we need to tie him to your father’s assassination and the Messinas' deaths.”
“Oh my God,” Dakota exclaims. “Would Nicolo really kill people?”
“He has, and he will again,” I reply. “I always had a gut feeling he was behind it all, but I could never get solid proof.”
“That man is vile.” Dakota locks eyes with me. “I’m sorry for the loss you suffered, but I swear on my life, I had nothing to do with it. I just wanted to be a mother, and Haven needed a mother. She became my priority the instant I saw her.”
My gaze drifts between the two women before I focus on Haven. “Was she a good mother?”
My wife doesn’t hesitate to answer, “The best. I grew up in a loving and happy home.”
For years, it haunted me that Carina was sold into sex trafficking or killed, but instead of suffering horrors, she had a happy life.
I look at Dakota again, and I don’t know what she sees on my face, but compassion fills her eyes.
“There’s no one I love more than Haven. I would die for her in a heartbeat.”
I remember how she fought when I took Haven, and her words erase the last of the suspicion I have regarding her.
Massimo’s phone rings, and I glance up at him as he answers the call. “Yes…Fine, keep the women there. We’ll come over in the next half an hour.” He hangs up and says, “Dante says Nicolo left right after you moved Dakota to your mother’s house, and he hasn’t been heard from since.”
I rise to my feet. “Giada hasn’t heard from her husband in two weeks?”
Massimo shrugs. “Either that or she’s lying.”
I walk around the coffee table and lean down to press a kiss to Haven’s mouth. “I’ll see you later. Visit with your mom.”
Standing up, she shakes her head. “No. I’m coming with you. I don’t want you killing Aunt Giada and Liliana for something Uncle Nicolo did.”
“Stop calling him uncle! He’s not your family,” I snap before I can censor my tone. Haven stares at me until I murmur, “I’m sorry, principessa .”
“I’m on your side, Leo. I also want answers.” She places her hand on my arm.
“I know.” I pull her to me and give her another kiss. “You can come.”
Dakota gets up and sticks to Haven’s side as we head to the garage, while Massimo leaves through the front door to inform Edoardo.
After the women and I get into the Porsche, I reverse out and wait for Massimo to take the lead in his SUV.
Haven reaches across the center console and places her hand on my thigh. I remove a hand from the steering wheel and rest it on top of hers.
I finally have Carina back.
Gesù Cristo, I found her, Diego.
I grip her hand tighter and clench my jaw as the wave of emotions hits me for the hundredth time since I realized Haven is Carina.
When we pull up to the Romanos’ mansion, my men are scattered over the front yard.
“I won’t kill them unless they were involved,” I tell Haven, my voice a rumble of warning. “Don’t get in my way.” After I stop the Porsche, I glance at her. “I need you to trust me.”
With a nervous expression on her beautiful face, she nods. “I trust you.”
Her words flow into my heart and settle deep in my soul, easing some of the heartache and guilt ripping me to shreds.
I lift her hand and press a kiss to the back of it before I let go and climb out of the car.
Knowing my guards have the area secured, I walk ahead of Haven and Dakota and pull my gun out from behind my back. Taking the safety off, I enter the mansion and head straight for where Giada and Liliana are on their knees.
I stalk right up to Liliana and fire a shot into the floor that has Giada letting out a blood-curdling scream.
Crouching in front of Liliana, I press the barrel of my gun to her head and level her mother with a merciless look. “Where is Nicolo?”
“ Per favore ,” she begs, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t know. He just left and didn’t tell me anything.”
I keep staring at her and tighten my finger around the trigger.
“Nooo!” she cries, grabbing a terrified Liliana to her while squeezing her eyes shut. She begins to recite a prayer, which has me straightening to my full length.
“Get up, Giada,” I order.
She scrambles to carry out the command and moves in front of her daughter to shield her from me.
“What do you know of Carina Messina’s family being killed and her kidnapping?”
Confusion tightens her features. “Carina who?”
“The night my father was assassinated and I was shot, my best friend’s family was murdered. They took his six-year-old sister. Carina Messina.”
“I’ve never heard of her.”
I turn and point at where Haven is holding her mom, who looks terrified out of her mind.
“Haven is Carina. Nicolo killed my father. He murdered the Messinas in cold blood because I was at their house.”
“I know nothing about any of that. You know wives have nothing to do with mafia business.” Her tongue darts out to wet her lips, and she looks even more nervous as she says, “But I have other information that’s of importance to you.”
“What?”
“I’ll tell you, but first you have to allow Luciano to come home. My son doesn’t want anything to do with the business. He’s not built for your world.”
Liliana steps out from behind her mom and gives me a pleading look. “Luciano is a sweet soul who just wants to create perfumes. My father forced him into the business by threatening to kill his boyfriend if Luciano didn’t do as he was told.”
I stare at the two women as more guilt piles onto the shitload I’m already buried under.
I nod. “If your information is good, Luciano can return.”
“Nicolo is working with Vito Santoro. I think they’re hiding at Vito’s house in Rijeka.” She pulls a piece of paper from her pocket. “This address is my payment to get out of the mafia.”
I take the address from her and glance at it before I pass it to Massimo. “Have men go to Croatia. I want eyes on that house at all times.”
He nods and pulls his phone out of his pocket to start making calls.
I put the safety back on my gun and look at Giada again. “I’m leaving some of my men here in case Nicolo returns.”
“Liliana and I will go to a hotel,” she replies. “I don’t want to be here if he comes back.”
I keep her gaze prisoner as I order, “Don’t leave Italy until I’ve killed Nicolo.”
She nods, placing her arm around her daughter.
I glance at Dante. “Have men keep an eye on Giada and Liliana and leave a team here at the mansion.”
“Yes, boss.”
As I turn around and walk toward Haven, I say, “Massimo, please take Dakota back to my mother’s place.” Stopping in front of my wife, I tell her mother, “I need to spend some time with Haven for a few days, so she won’t be visiting. I hope you understand.”
Dakota nods. “Of course. I’m sure you have a lot to talk about.” She gives Haven a hug. “I’ll call you.”
“Okay. I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too, Sweetheart.”
When they pull apart, I take Haven’s hand and lead her out of the mansion.
Once we’re alone in the Porsche and I steer the vehicle out of the gates, she says, “Thank you for hearing Aunt Giadia and Liliana out.” She places her hand on my thigh again, which is something I could get addicted to. “And for allowing Luciano to return.”
I only nod, the need to be alone with Haven at our home overwhelming.
There’s so much I want to tell her about Diego and Mr. and Mrs. Messina.
My thoughts turn to Nicolo and Vito, and anger swirls in my chest.
Honestly, Vito isn’t a priority anymore.
I just want Nicolo.
I dig my phone out of my pocket and connect it to the Porsche. Dialing Massmimo’s number, I don’t have to wait long for him to answer.
“What’s up?”
“Once you’ve dropped Dakota off at home, get the private jet ready. I want a team of our best men, especially Dante, Ricco, and Mattia. We’re going to Croatia the day after tomorrow.”
“Okay. How are you holding up?”
My hands grip the steering wheel tighter, and avoiding the truth, I answer, “I just need time to process everything.”
“Do you want me to come over?”
“No, it’s okay,” Haven replies on my behalf. “I’ll take care of Leo.”
He pauses for a moment, then says, “Call me if you need anything else.”
“Thanks, Massimo.”
I tap on the screen, ending the call, then glance at Haven. “You want to take care of me?”
“Yes.” There’s a possessive tone to her voice that I like a hell of a lot. “You’re my husband.”