Chapter Nineteen
I felt almost sick with nerves when an unfamiliar black limousine pulled up in the driveway of the mansion.
The hole in the front window from a bullet only increased my anxiety.
My imagination had run wild in the past few hours.
I would have never forgiven myself if Luciano had died because I couldn’t convince Nestore to exchange my father.
And what if something happened to Nestore?
Maybe his soldiers considered him invincible, almost inhuman, but I knew he wasn’t, and the thought of losing him forever…
I didn’t allow myself to finish that thought.
I rushed outside but froze on the staircase when the door opened. Nestore emerged bare-chested, the disturbing bone knife tucked into his belt, and his bone crown atop his head. Relief washed over me. He was back.
I could only imagine what Corvin and the others felt when they saw Nestore. He was an unsettling sight. I hoped he’d made them suffer, but knowing him, I didn’t have a doubt. The blood covering the blade only affirmed my hopes.
Nestore briefly gazed up to me, his expression hard and focused, before he turned to the back and opened the door. He bent down and straightened with his fur coat pressed to his chest.
I stumbled down the stairs. “Where’s Luciano?” What if Nestore had lied? What if my brother had died and he wanted to tell me the bad news in person?
My vision turned black at the edges as my heart pounded in my chest, an erratic rhythm that almost made me pass out.
“Here,” Nestore said calmly as he moved toward me. That was when I noticed a small nose peeking out between the fur.
“Is he okay?” I rushed toward him, then hesitated. What if he were seriously injured?
“I covered him in my coat so he wouldn’t see what was going on.”
I reached for the soft fur, then peeled it away until Luciano’s pale, tear-streaked face came into view.
His eyes were squeezed shut, and he had a bruise on his cheek that was turning a dark purple.
My heart clenched when I saw the leather collar around his neck and the leash attached to it. “I hope they suffered,” I whispered.
“The chimps had fun.”
My eyes grew wide with realization, then I gave a small appreciative nod. I touched Luciano’s unblemished cheek. “Luciano, it’s me, Amelia. You’re safe now. I’ll take care of you.”
His eyelids peeled up, and he looked up at me with bloodshot, glassy blue eyes. His face scrunched up, and he reached for me. I picked him up, careful not to tug on the leash or collar.
He pressed against me, his tiny arms practically crushing my neck as he sobbed against my shoulder.
Tears sprang into my eyes as I held him tightly. “Can you?” I nodded toward the leash. Nestore reached for the collar, and Luciano stiffened.
“It’s okay. Nestore will free you of that thing around your throat.”
When the collar finally came off, his bruised neck became visible. His skin was red and scraped. I kissed the top of his head. “Where’s Mommy?”
I sent Nestore a helpless look.
“She’s on a private jet on her way here. She’ll arrive in about two hours.”
“Did you hear? Your mommy will be here soon. Until then, let’s get you inside and clean you up.” The stench of urine and feces told me nobody had bothered to help Luciano when he needed to relieve himself. He still needed diapers, so of course, he’d sullied himself.
I carried Luciano inside, followed closely by Nestore, who only stopped when another car pulled up, and Niccolo got out.
“Go ahead,” Nestore murmured. “I’ll check on you later.”
When I arrived in one of the guest bedrooms, I ran a warm bath and helped Luciano out of his clothes, spotting more bruises on his upper arms and his back.
My rage burned through me, and I half wished Nestore had captured the men who’d hurt Luciano and locked them in his basement.
Even if death by chimps probably was horrific, a slow end by Nestore’s hands would have been even more deserved.
These vengeful thoughts stunned me, so I focused on Luciano and lifted him into the bathtub. He clung to my hand as if he feared I’d leave him alone. “I’ll stay, okay?”
He gave a small nod and sank into the bubbles with a shaky sob.
I grabbed a washcloth from the small rack next to the tub and began to wipe Luciano’s back and face with it.
Ten minutes later, he was clean and a little less tense.
I dried him off and carried him back into the bedroom from where I heard steps.
I froze when I spotted the young maid, Milly.
She held a package with diapers, wipes, and fresh clothes.
She put everything down on the sideboard beside the door. “Master ordered us to get this for the boy before he left.”
I smiled. Nestore had been sure he’d return with Luciano, and he’d thought of everything. Maybe my Nestore was in there after all. “Thank you. Can you bring us some food?”
“What does he like?”
Luciano clung to me, his face pressed into the towel as if he feared Milly would hurt him. “He loves spaghetti carbonara.”
Milly nodded. “It’ll be up in fifteen minutes.”
She hurried out and closed the door. I put Luciano on the bed. He let out a wide yawn. I stepped back to grab clothes and a diaper from the sideboard, but again his tiny hand stopped me. Fear filled his face as he peered up at me. “I’m just going to walk right over there to grab some stuff, okay?”
He released me, but he kept his eyes on me as I crossed the room to grab everything I needed to get him ready for bed.
The staff had bought two sets of pajamas with fire trucks and helicopters, cozy socks, several shirts, pants, and onesies.
I picked the fire truck pj’s because Luciano was obsessed with the fire brigade.
When I returned to him, his face slackened with relief.
“Can you lie down so I can put a diaper on?”
He lay back immediately. Last time I’d seen him, he’d been in his “no” phase and always thrown a tantrum when we’d tried to change his diaper.
I really hoped the kidnapping hadn’t broken his spirit.
I’d rather bear his terrible twos than this silent obedience.
He was sore from being in his soiled clothes, so I put some rash cream on his skin before I slipped the diaper on.
“Look what I have for you.” When I showed him the pj’s, his face lit up, giving me some hope.
Once he was dressed, I snuggled up against him in the bed and stroked his brown hair.
A knock sounded. Luciano stiffened and pressed himself against me with a small whimper. My chest clenched.
“It’s the food,” I said softly, then louder, “Come in!”
The door swung open, and Milly entered with a tray.
She put it down on the nightstand beside me.
Spaghetti carbonara piled high on two plates, and next to it, two chocolate muffins waited to be devoured.
“There’s warm milk with honey in the cup for a good night’s sleep,” she said, then backed away and left.
“Look at that,” I said. Luciano scanned the food and gave a small smile.
“When was the last time you’ve eaten?”
He shrugged.
“Do you want me to feed you?”
He nodded.
“Please sit up.”
He struggled into a sitting position, and I pushed a cozy cushion into his back for support.
After pressing a kiss to the top of his head, I grabbed a plate and blew on the pasta for a while.
It was too hot. Luciano watched the food with big, greedy eyes.
I carefully tested a bite against my lower lip, then began to feed him the spaghetti.
He ate the entire portion, then looked hungrily at the muffin.
“A sweet treat?”
He bobbed his head, his eyes fixed on the muffin.
I handed it to him. He ate it eagerly, leaving crumbs all over himself and the bed, something I would have admonished under normal circumstances, but I was just happy to see him hungry and well.
Keeping my eyes on him, I devoured my spaghetti.
I hadn’t eaten anything since I’d found out he’d been kidnapped and was starving.
Soon, Luciano’s lips and his cheeks were covered in chocolate, but he looked so content that it warmed my heart.
I put away my plate and nodded toward my muffin. “You can have mine too, if you like?”
He gnawed on his lower lip, considering it, then he shook his head. “Milk?”
I smiled and handed him the cup with warm milk. He sipped it while I took a wipe and carefully cleaned his fingers, then his face. When he had downed the entire cup, he lay down. I stretched out beside him and wrapped my arms around him.
“Your mommy will be here soon.” I glanced at the clock. If she landed in an hour, she could be here in ninety minutes if things went really well. Not that Luciano had a concept of time yet.
Luciano nodded, but his breathing slowed, and his tiny fingers dug into my shirt.
When I peered down, his eyes were closed and his mouth slack.
He had fallen asleep. I pressed a kiss to his forehead but stayed where I was.
If he woke from a nightmare, I wanted to be there to console him.
I’d lost count of the times I’d woken from a bad dream without someone to assure me I was safe.
My own eyes began to droop when a soft knock sounded.
The door opened without a word from me, so I knew it could only be Nestore.
I peered toward the door. He stood in the doorway and regarded me with a pensive expression.
He had gotten rid of the bone crown and bone knife and wore clean black pants and combat boots.
“I’m leaving for the airport now,” he said quietly.
“Flavia will be upset. Don’t be too hard on her.”
Nestore’s brows snatched together. “I saved her son, and I’ll let her live in a splendid townhouse near you. She’ll be safe, and money won’t be an issue. I don’t see how that constitutes being hard on someone.”
I smiled at him. “I just mean…” I sighed. “Try to be… kind.”