Chapter 72
LUCA
A few days later, everything was falling into place. I told Alex I loved her. The world didn’t burn down. She didn’t run away or spit in my face. Alex was more affectionate toward me than ever. And I knew what I had to do before she changed her mind about me.
I left Alex in my mother’s studio so she could work on the paintings for her exhibition at Tate Modern. She had one month until the show, so I had little time to handle my enemies. And with my mother’s upcoming twentieth-anniversary showcase, Alex needed to spend more time on her art.
The Albanians would be coming any day, along with anyone interested in claiming the bounty on her head.
It was only a matter of time before they tried to penetrate my fortress on the sea.
Since the last kidnapping, I have tripled the guards around the perimeter.
I even had Drake set up an alert system to monitor unusual land, air, and sea activity.
My father had put up more gates with guards to prevent people from entering Devil’s Creek.
It was impossible to reach Founders Way by car or on foot without special authorization from my father or me.
But the type of men we did business with had their ways.
They would find a loophole to draw us out of hiding, so I had to be on my toes.
No one would take Alex again.
I entered the vault hidden beneath my estate and stood in the center of the room, admiring all the precious gems and collectibles my family had either bought, stolen, or won over the years.
We had everything from “unrecovered” works of art to jewelry worn by royals. But I was here for one specific piece.
My mother’s engagement ring.
Alex Wellington was mine.
My cell phone buzzed with a new message: a group chat from Drake that included all of The Devil’s Knights who lived in the area.
Drake
Our queen is on the Il Circo auction page.
He included a link and the images the assholes had posted of Alex naked.
Flames burned beneath my skin like I was a fucking dragon about to spit fire.
Rage bubbled up inside my chest, squeezing my heart.
I knew they would eventually succeed, despite our best attempts to keep her off that fucking site.
Even with intervention from our Sicilian friends who were expected any day, we couldn’t stop it.
Luca
Then get her the fuck off it, Battle!
Drake
Easier said than done. I’m working on it.
Sonny
Our queen looks fuck-hot. Bet all those sleazy motherfuckers will pay up just to get a look at her.
Luca
Call my girl fuck-hot again, and I’ll slit your throat.
Sonny
Calm down, psycho.
Marcello
This isn’t the time for jokes, Son.
Finn
Idiot.
Callum
She does look hot, tho. Just sayin.
Luca
I’m glad all of you are taking this seriously. Go fuck yourselves. I’ll find another way to get her off that site.
I tapped the three dots in the corner of the screen, clenching my jaw so hard it felt like it would crack in half.
Luca Salvatore has left the chat, which flashed on the screen.
My cell phone rang. I expected to hear from Marcello or Drake, but it was my father.
I raised the phone to my ear. “I assume you’ve heard about Alex.”
“Yes. We need to move the wedding forward.”
I stuffed the jewelry box into my pocket. “I have Mom’s ring.”
“Good,” he breathed into the receiver. “The Basiles just arrived. I’ve arranged for Domenica to come for a dress fitting tonight.”
“Alex will hate that.”
“Alexandrea doesn’t have a choice. She chose you. Now, we need to move forward with our plans.”
“Dad, she’s for sale at Il Circo . Can’t the dress fitting wait until we get the site taken down?”
“No,” he said, and the line went dead.