Chapter 12 #2
“Which door is the bathroom again?” The last thing I want is to stumble into another nightmare.
Luca lies on the mattress on his back, one arm behind his head, watching me. “Third door, or you could just change in here.” He grins at me suggestively.
I toss my clean bra at him. “I have to use the bathroom, and I don’t want to wander into the wrong room. Can you walk me down the hallway?”
He fingers the bra and then folds it in half. “I’m going to keep this.”
“Why? We’re getting married. I’m sure you’ll see all my clothes.”
He presses his lips together, perhaps realizing I’m right. Or maybe he thinks I’m acting for whatever cameras or microphones are hiding in the house.
My breath catches in my throat.
“What?” Luca asks. He sits up in bed.
“Your family, they heard us last night.” I stare at him, horrified.
“We didn’t say anything—” His eyes widen at the realization of what I’m referring to. Not our discussion after the arrangement that’s been made but our bedroom activities.
Luca climbs out of bed and grabs his clothes while I’m standing waiting for him to lead me to the bathroom. “We did tell them we’re a couple,” Luca says. “I’m sure they didn’t think anything of the fact that we had sex.”
“But they heard us!”
Luca smiles. “Could have heard us. And who cares? They’ll all just be jealous that I can make you come multiple times.”
I smack his arm, unlock the bedroom door and yank it open. “Show me to the bathroom.”
He waits for me in the hallway until I’m done. After I finish, we switch places, and I wait for him to use the bathroom. He didn’t bother to bring his clothes into the bathroom with him to get dressed.
“Harper,” Luca’s mother comes barreling down the hallway.
I inhale sharply and glance at the bathroom door, waiting for Luca to reappear. He'd better hurry the hell up.
“Dante told me the exciting news, but I have to ask, are you pregnant?”
My breath catches in my throat.
Dante is hurrying down the corridor of the hallway, coming up behind his wife. He’s glaring at me and throws an arm around his wife’s side. “Let’s leave the two lovebirds alone, shall we?”
“I’m just trying to get to know Harper a little more. If she’s going to be our daughter-in-law, I’d like to have a relationship with her. How about us girls grab lunch and a spa day this afternoon while the boys do whatever it is they do to celebrate the engagement?” Nikki asks.
My mouth is hanging agape as I glance from Nikki to Dante.
Is this a trap? Maybe she has no idea what her husband is involved in. I have so many questions for Luca.
I hear him shuffling around in the bathroom, and finally, he swings the bathroom door open.
“What do you say?” Nikki asks. “We can invite Nova, if you’d like as well.”
My breath catches in my throat. Nova. Does she know about the horror of what’s happening under this roof? Does she know that her father works for the mafia?
I can’t exactly ask her if Nikki is going to be around. I glance at Luca, hoping he has some bright idea to save the day.
“I think a girls' day would be a good idea,” Luca says, staring at me and then glancing at his mother.
Is he out of his mind?
Or maybe he realizes I’m safer with Nikki than with Dante? At least I’ll be out of the prison that they call a home. Perhaps I can disappear long enough to get help for the little boy, unless I can trust Nikki.
Dante’s eyes tighten, and he forces a smile. It doesn’t look the least bit natural. “How about you hand me your phone, and I can make sure you have my number, in case you need anything.”
“It’s in the bedroom,” I say and gesture toward Luca’s room.
“Of course, it is. Would you get that for me, son?” he says to Luca.
“I know your phone number. I’ll put it in her phone,” Luca says, challenging him.
Does Dante intend to use my phone to spy on me? I can’t fathom any other reason he would want me to have his number.
Nikki reaches for my arm and leads me down the hallway toward the stairwell. “Dante was telling me how you’ll both be staying with us for a while, which I think is great, but you both do have classes to attend. Your education is important to us.”
“Of course,” I say, glad that at least Nikki seems to be reasonable. “I was hoping we might be able to just visit on weekends.”
A strange look crosses her features. “Of course, Harper. Whatever you both want. I hope my husband didn’t scare you into an invitation to stay here.” Nikki glares at him over her shoulder. “Sometimes he can be a bit of a brute.”
Understatement of the century.
I walk down the staircase beside Nikki.
Dante and Luca are right on my heels.
“Perhaps we should all go out to lunch to celebrate the engagement,” Dante insists.
“We’re going shopping and maybe even the spa. Do you really want to come with us to get our nails done?” Nikki glares at her husband, and he nods.
“Take Moreno with you.”
“And that will guarantee Nova won’t come along,” Nikki says more to herself than to me. “Fine.” She doesn’t seem to argue with him.
We head downstairs, and I realize I only have my heels that I brought. I forgot to bring a second pair of shoes. I’m wearing blue jeans and a sweater. The shoes are a little awkward, but at least I don’t have to run through the forest. Luca saved my ass with his big-ass tennis shoes.
His shoes are strewn by the back door, mine are placed nicely beside them.
I grab my shoes and coat while she shows me to another exit of the house, apparently where the garage is attached.
Luca is practically my shadow while I put my heels on. “If you need anything, call me.”
I nod slowly. If he’s sending me with his mother, then I’m to assume he trusts her. I reach for him, giving him a hug, hoping this won’t be the last time I see him.
Nikki will keep me safe, right?
Moreno comes waltzing down the hallway, wearing his famous suit and shiny black shoes. He stops near the garage door, grabs a set of car keys hanging on the rack.
Luca’s lips brush mine. I know it’s for show. His mother is watching. She must think we’re madly in love if we’re engaged.
His breath is warm, his fingers pull me closer against him and my body instantly relaxes, momentarily forgetting the worry and pain that is torturing me from the inside.
I feel him moan, and I break apart the kiss before it goes any further.
Luca grazes his lips against my ear. “Moreno is there to keep you safe.”
I’m not sure I agree with his assessment, considering the man wanted me dead less than twelve hours ago. All of those men had orders to kill me.
I’m guessing he’s tagging along to make sure I don’t bring up the abducted child in the basement. Or maybe he thinks I’ll flee and rat out the fact he’s mafia and murdered someone last night.
There has to be evidence of a body, blood, a crime scene.
While I could try to call or text the police, what exactly am I going to say? What evidence do I have? Is the child even still downstairs, or did they move him to another location?
I don’t even know the boy’s name. In such a rush last night, I didn’t ask it. I just fled with him on foot and managed to get us both caught. I could try to look up missing persons on Google News and see if there are any local news articles.
But I have a sneaking suspicion that this boy hasn’t been reported missing. I haven’t seen any Amber Alerts pop up on my phone. I watch the news, listen to the radio, and there weren’t any stories about kidnapped children recently.
“Be safe,” he whispers and then kisses my lips. “Love you, babe.” The words roll off Luca’s tongue; they sound natural and not the least bit rehearsed.
“Love you, too.” I force out a smile. “I’ll see you later.
” I squeeze his hand before following Nikki and Moreno out into the garage.
There are several vehicles, and he hits the button to unlock the dark sedan with tinted windows.
The lights flash when he hits the button on his key fob, and I head toward the backseat.
Nikki does the same, walking around to the opposite side.
I’m surprised she’s not sitting in the front seat next to Nova’s father.
“You don’t want to sit up front?” I ask, climbing into the backseat. I was hoping for some privacy so I could glance through my phone on the drive over.
Nikki smiles and shakes her head. “I see this guy all the time. I want to get to know my soon-to-be daughter-in-law,” she says and fastens her seatbelt. “By the way, I hope you’ll call me Mom.”
The air rushes out of my lungs, and I force a smile.
Moreno glances in the rearview mirror, watching me as he drives. If I say something wrong, I get the feeling he’ll have no regrets pulling the trigger.
“I must say, I’m surprised by the engagement,” Nikki admits. She’s turned slightly in her seat beside me, her attention entirely on me. “Are you sure you’re not pregnant?”
“We’ve been careful,” I say. “I promise that’s not the reason we’re rushing into this marriage.”
She raises an eyebrow, as if I’ve said exactly what she wants to hear.
“Then why are you rushing this marriage?” Nikki asks, waiting for an explanation.
I don’t know whether I can trust her. She seems genuine, but with Moreno seated up front, I can’t exactly spill the truth to her or ask about the child being held in their basement.
Does she not know what her husband does for a living?
She must know. There are men living under her roof with them. It’s not a typical marriage or family home.
Nikki tilts her head slightly, still waiting for my answer.
“I love your son,” I say, hoping that’s reason enough.
Nikki pushes a strand of her raven hair behind her ear. She’s studying me, but I’m not sure why. Does she think I’m lying to her?
“You hardly know him. How long have you two been together?” Nikki asks. “Why rush the wedding?”
“Because when you’re in love, you know it’s right. Neither of us wants to wait. I know it seems rash, this decision to wed, but we’re both adults.”
Nikki laughs. “Hardly. You’re what—eighteen, nineteen?” she guesses.
“Eighteen,” I say.