Chapter 8
Eight
Luca
I barge into Ashton’s room. His bed is untouched, but I haven’t seen him at all this morning. Weird.
I grab my phone and text Halsey.
Me: Is Ashton with you?
It only takes a few seconds for him to respond to my text message.
Halsey: No, I gave him the car around 4am. Did he not make it home?
Me: I’m checking.
I move from one room to the next and then open Nova’s door without so much as a knock. If she came in after four with Ashton, I don’t necessarily need to wake her up. I do, however, need to find Ashton.
Ashton’s arms are curled around Nova, her back to him, eyes closed. Both are sound asleep. Too bad I’m the one who has to wake his ass up after a couple of measly hours of sleep. He got more than I did.
I’m running on fumes.
And lots of coffee.
“Wake up, asshole. We’ve got a flight to catch.”
Ashton groans and rubs the sleep from his eyes. “What about the bodyguard detail?” he grumbles and rolls onto his back.
Nova pulls the covers up over her head, clearly not ready to wake up yet.
“Rhys got in twenty minutes ago. He’s taking over your duties.” Ashton should be relieved, given their recent breakup.
Although I know he’s still pining over Nova.
And after catching them in bed together this morning, I don’t know what’s going on, and I don’t need to know.
“Fuck,” he mumbles and pushes himself out of bed. “I’m awake.”
He looks more like a dead man walking, or maybe a zombie, but I leave the bedroom door open and walk away.
Ashton clears his throat and heads out of Nova’s bedroom, heading for his room to get dressed.
I make my way down the stairs, hurrying to the kitchen. My phone buzzes and I glance at the text from Halsey.
Halsey: Did you find them? Or do we have two more missing persons?
Me: They were in bed … together.
Halsey: Knew he couldn’t last ten minutes without her.
I roll my eyes and shove my phone back into my pocket. Ashton and Nova’s love life isn’t my concern. I rub the back of my neck. Funny, considering last year I nearly killed him for hooking up with her.
“Morning.” Rhys nods at me as he pours himself a cup of coffee.
“Surprised to see you back here.” I never thought I’d see him again, especially from what I’d heard about him looking after the boy Dante had abducted.
“Yeah, me too.” Rhys laughs nervously. “I was really enjoying those margaritas on the beach.”
“Retirement too boring?” I joke, and Dante breezes around the corner.
“On the contrary, I know without a doubt Rhys is loyal. I can’t say that about all of my men.”
Exhaling a heavy breath, I nod. “Did any of them crack?” I ask, needing to know if Nico was the only leak inside Dante’s organization.
Dante shakes his head, his brow pinching with frustration. “None of them so much as knew Nico was a traitor to the family or where they were taking Harper.”
“Are you sure she’s en route to Vegas?” I ask, still uncertain about the location on her phone. It could have been intentionally misleading us.
“Livia DeLuca has a residence in Las Vegas; she’s the current head of the DeLuca operations, from what intel I’ve gathered. And this morning, I discovered my mole was found dead. Bullet wound to the head. I shouldn’t be surprised that they’re coming after my family.”
“You think that’s what this is, retribution for having someone on the inside?” I’m not entirely convinced; it could just as easily be revenge. Harper shot and killed Livia’s husband, Santino. “Livia and Santino were married.”
“I’m not denying that, but it’s why I put a bodyguard detail on Nova. I wouldn’t put it past Livia to come after my girls.”
“Your girls?” I repeat, surprised by his remark. Harper is mafia, but Nova, she’s never wanted anything to do with her father, same as me. She shouldn’t be tied up in this mess.
“My family,” Dante says, and waves a hand dismissively. “If Livia wants to get to me, she’ll go after Harper, Nova, Paige, and Nikki.” He stares at me. “I know you can handle your own and you’ll have Ashton and Liam accompanying you to Vegas.”
“Liam is coming with us?” I rub my eyes, exhausted, and know that I’ll need to focus. I can’t let Harper down. “Are you sure he’s ready for that?”
“I need a full team I can count on, and Liam, as well as Sophia, aren’t familiar faces to the DeLucas.”
“Liam’s been living with us the entire time,” I remind Dante. “It’s possible they already have a dossier on him and would know he has a twin.”
“Well the fuck aware,” Dante growls. “But our options are limited, and I need you to infiltrate their organization, not just waltz in and shoot up the place to get Harper back.”
I huff under my breath. “We’re not going undercover.”
We don’t have time to fuck around and find Harper.
“You’ll do exactly as I say, because I’ve been in this situation before, with your mother.”
Has he lost his mind? “When?”
“Before you were born. It’s not something your mother or I ever discuss, but I know how the DeLucas operate. I’m sure some things have changed, but the fact they’ve taken Harper all the way to Vegas tells me that some things are exactly the same.”
Rhys finishes his coffee. “Are you sure I can’t be of help?” he asks Dante. “If Nova remains inside the compound, she’ll be safe.”
“You don’t know Moreno’s daughter as well as I thought if you believe she’ll listen to a word of my demands.”
I force the smile away.
Rhys nods and laughs. “Yeah, she’s got the willpower of Moreno all right. Speaking of Moreno—how is he doing?”
Ashton hurries down the stairs, and I hear his footsteps approaching the kitchen.
“Still no word yet,” Dante says. “But I’ll keep everyone updated as soon as we have news.”
“Do I have time to grab coffee before we head out?” Ashton fights back a yawn, failing miserably.
“There will be coffee on the plane,” Dante says. “Get to the car. We’re only a few minutes from the airfield.”
Dread weighs heavily on me. It only gets worse when my phone rings and it’s Harper’s parents calling. I’m slipping on my shoes, and I really want to chuck my phone across the room.
But I try to maintain some semblance of sanity, or I worry that I’ll be forced to stay behind with Nova.
“Are you going to answer that?” Ashton asks, glancing at my phone in my hand.
“It would be best if you don’t,” Dante grumbles at me.
“Right.” I send the call to voicemail and grab my coat.
They call again.
Apparently, me not answering doesn’t mean anything to them.
By the third time, I grumpily answer the call. “What?” I bite out, unable to stop myself. Blame it on my lack of sleep, but talking to her parents who despise me, isn’t at the top of my agenda this morning. Rescuing Harper, however, is.
“That’s no way to greet your mother-in-law,” Catrina says.
I would apologize if I cared about her feelings, but my thoughts are entirely on Harper. “I’m busy.”
“Clearly,” Catrina says, miffed. “Some strange man answered Harper’s phone.”
“What man?” I pause and feel the breath stolen right out of me.
“I don’t know. I was assuming it was one of your friends.” She huffs. “He sounded angry and hung up on me. Harper now won’t answer her phone, and I wanted to find out about holiday plans.”
Ashton takes the keys from me and gestures for me to get into the vehicle while he drives us to the airfield. “Now isn’t a good time, Catrina.”
My stomach sinks. If Catrina called and Nico answered the phone, then he must have found her phone. Her location is as good as useless now.
Even if they don’t know without a doubt that there’s a tracker in her phone, they’ll suspect it. Nico may be a traitor, but he isn’t an idiot.
I climb into the backseat, letting Liam ride shotgun with Ashton.
Sophia sits in the backseat with me, and I glance at the door as Nova comes barreling outside, pulling her coat on and carrying her shoes. “Wait for me!”
Rhys is cursing under his breath. “I swear she never listens.”
“I’m not staying behind. If they’re going to rescue Harper, I’m coming with them.”
“What was that about rescuing my daughter?” Catrina balks, overhearing some part of Nova’s outburst. I’m really hoping it was the last bit about coming with and nothing else.
“I have to go.” I abruptly end the call, hanging up on Catrina.
I can’t tell her the truth, and I hope she doesn’t keep calling and pestering me for answers.
Rhys grabs a set of keys from the house. “Nova, you’re riding with me.”
“I swear if you take me someplace else—”
“Relax. Anyone else want to ride with us?” Rhys offers and Sophia climbs out of the backseat. “I’ll join you.”
While they’re playing games picking who rides in what vehicle, I’m grumbling and growing more irritated with every passing second. “Can we go already?”
Ashton waits until Rhys is out of the way and then hits the gas, using GPS to take us to the small airstrip nearby.
I’ve never had the luxury of riding on a private plane, and to be honest, I really hope I don’t have to do this ever again. One abduction is far too many.
I board the airplane, and as if on cue, Jack, Harper’s father, calls me.
I send the call straight to voicemail and shut off my phone.
It’s not like I can do much with it on during the flight.
Dante has assured me that he’ll let me know if Harper reaches out during the short flight—he has my phone being transferred directly to him.
That will be boatloads of fun if Jack and Catrina keep pestering Dante.
Let him deal with Harper’s parents. I don’t have it in me to pretend that everything is all right.
I can barely sit still, my knee bouncing with anxiety as the plane takes off. I’m not a nervous flyer.
It has nothing to do with the plane and everything to do with my concern for my wife.
Dante has given us weapons, ammunition, and we have Rhys accompanying us.
Of the entire group, he’s the one with the most experience, but his expertise has been playing bodyguard to Nova for all those years growing up.
It doesn’t exactly scream confidence when we’re running into a gunfight.
Ashton is seated across from me, glaring at Rhys across the aisle. “What’s your problem?” Rhys asks.
Ashton’s eyes flicker and he doesn’t say a word.
His hands grip the armrests and his nostrils flare.
Is he—jealous?
Ashton doesn’t have to worry; nothing is going to happen between Rhys and Nova.
Once we’ve reached cruising altitude, Ashton stands and stalks across the aisle, hovering over Rhys, who is seated next to Nova. “You’re in my seat.”
Rhys straightens his shoulders and takes a long, slow look at Ashton. “And. Your point?”
Nova unclasps her seatbelt and pushes past both of them. “Take my seat.”
Ashton reaches for Nova’s arm, but she pulls away before he can touch her, stalking toward the back of the plane. The private jet isn’t that large, and she sits next to Sophia in the aisle seat.
Ashton follows Nova, not taking a hint, and I glance over my shoulder as he sits behind me, directly across from her.
Ashton keeps his voice low, and I lean back, trying not to overhear their conversation. “Can we talk?”
So much for any ounce of privacy.
“No!” she shouts at him.