Chapter 39
Elena
Enzo is aware of our meetings and Tony said he hasn’t objected to it. In fact, he says that Enzo encourages it although he keeps asking if he can tag along next time, every single time. Tony of course asks me every single time and yes, I’ve said no every, single, time.
I feel like I’m finally finding myself again and seeing him might just put me back where I was a few weeks ago.
It still hurts, some days its unbearable but I soldier through. Neither Tony, Evie nor Cece has let Enzo know where I live. They all agree he has issues he needs to work on before he can even face me again. Doesn’t stop him from trying though as Tony has mentioned.
We stop by the coffee shop for a sweet treat, I get Angelo a jelly doughnut and a danish slice for myself, God, I love them so much. They seem to be making them better these days. After having a coffee together Tony announces that it’s time to get Angel home so I hug them both goodbye reluctantly.
It’s good to be home in my own space. I forgot how much I missed my own company.
I barely make it into my bedroom when the intercom chimes.
I guess it’s probably Tony. He must have forgotten something.
I’m staring at the door, expecting Tony to barge in as he always does when instead there’s a knock on the door.
I open the door to find a delivery guy smiling politely at me.
“Hello, can I help you?”
“Delivery for Elena Reeves.” He says in a cheery voice.
“That’s me.”
“Great. If you could please sign here for me.” He points at the dotted line on the sheet of paper while handing me the little envelope.
“Have a good day mam.” Then he’s gone.
I rip the envelope open to see a folded piece of paper inside. I pull it out and something falls out and rolls on the floor before coming to a stop near my feet.
I open the letter.
Elena
We need to talk. Please just give me a chance to explain myself. Just five minutes.
I’m begging you. I need to make this right. We can still have something together.
I know you love me.
Meet me at the coffee shop that you love at 5pm.
Iset the letter down and bend to pick up the item that fell out. My blood runs cold, my heart beating fast I drop the object as fast as it fell and scramble backward against the back of the couch. I whisper a horrified,
“No!”
Anger courses through my veins, how fucking dare he. Angry as I am I decide to meet him. We both need closure, I suppose. Maybe we could talk, put our feelings on the table, all the hurt, all the bad things that were said and just move on. That would be the mature thing to do.
.
Enzo
I’m in a meeting and the constant buzzing of my phone is annoying to say the least. Just a few more minutes before we wrap up. If it’s an emergency, they’ll call the office and Nicole would notify me immediately. That being said I know it’s not my mother calling about Angelo.
Yes, she’s still taking care of him after I sent almost every candidate home in tears.
I’m still an ass… but I’m a much better ass now.
The presentation is finally over and I make my way to my office having forgotten about the earlier incessant ringing.
I’m busy scrolling through data reports on my laptop when Tony bursts into my office. The look on his face tells me something isn’t right.
I stand abruptly pushing my chair back hard enough to crash against the wall.
“Angelo?”
“No, brother, Angelo is fine.” He swallows. “It’s Elena.”
“What happened?” I’m immediately on high alert.
“Evie phoned me, she said she tried to get a hold of you.” Instant regret sears into my chest.
“Is she okay?” The words are choked out… shaky.
“I don’t know. She’s missing.”
“What? How do you know that?” All types of scenarios play out in my head. An accident, maybe she wondered into an unfamiliar place and she got lost, perhaps a work trip.
“Her car is still in her parking bay. She hasn’t been to work in three days. I checked her apartment and everything is still there. She didn’t pack anything to take with her if she were leaving town. Her cell phone is off and Evie hasn’t been able to get in touch with her.”
Cold fear creeps over my body. What could have happened to her?
“Take me to her apartment.”
Tony doesn’t argue, instead he turns and heads out of the building.
We reach Elena’s building in less than ten minutes. All this time, she’s been right here. So, fucking close to me.
We take the stairs two at a time. The door is broken, looks like it was kicked in. Unbearable fear surges through me.
“I kicked it in. I only have the code to the building but I don’t have a key to the apartment.”
I nod; relief floods my chest, knowing it wasn’t the action of a burglar.
We walk inside. No sign of a struggle. Everything is pristine.
I look to Tony in question; he’s been here before so he would know if anything were out of order.
He merely shakes his head reaffirming what he said before.
All seems to be in order apart from the fact that she’s not here and hasn’t taken anything with her.
We both startle when the intercom chimes, repeatedly. Tony pushes the speak button.
“Yes?”
“Tony? Is that you? Oh my God did you find her?’
“Evie. No, come up.”
He buzzes her in.
She’s in the doorway in a flash, her eyes instantly taking in the kicked in door.
“Tony didn’t have a key.” She visibly relaxes, before flying into panic again.
“I knew something was off when she didn’t respond to my messages. Then this morning when the messages stopped going through and her phone was off; I got on a flight here.”
“Everything here seems to be in order. Do you have any idea where she might have gone?”
“No. I can’t think of anywhere. I phoned the bookstore and they said she hasn’t been in to work for three days.”
“Okay, look around. There must be something here, a clue. Anything.”
I’m panicking, rummaging through her stuff, searching the living room. My eye catches the picture frame on the side table and my heart breaks all over again.
I keep searching, keep looking. Something shiny catches my eye, just under the couch. I reach for it.
“I’ve never seen this before.” Evie approaches me and snatches it from my fingers.
I watch as cold dread ripples through her body and she visibly shivers. I can tell she knows something and that trinket in her hand is the clue to finding Elena. She shakes her head as the words leave her mouth.
“No! no… no… no.” She starts to cry.
“Evie.” I say but she’s beyond listening. I try again.
“Evelyn!” She looks up at me then.
“What does this mean?’
“I- I would recognise that ugly thing anywhere. That w-was her engagement ring. She gave it back to him Enzo.”
She’s crying now and Tony is holding her tight, wrapping her up in his arms. There’s something about my brother that makes these two women feel safe and damn if I don’t envy him for that.
“So that means if the ring is here, then…”
“He found her.” Evie completes the sentence.
It’s Tony who speaks now. “You think Matt came back for her?”
“I do. I don’t know how he found her but I do know that he did not want her to leave him. He was willing to lock her up in that house to keep her. He said as much just before I knocked him out with that bottle.”
“We need to leave now.” I say to Evelyn. She nods, wiping the tears away.
“Tony, tell mama I have something urgent to attend to. You stay with her and Angelo until you hear from me. Tell mama nothing of what’s happening. Evelyn and I will go back to find her.”
“The hell you will. I’m not letting Evelyn confront that maniac without me.”
I look at my brother for a long moment. The way he held Evelyn was different from the way he held Elena. He was always protective of Elena, almost… brotherly. I see it now.
“It’s been her all along, hasn’t it brother?”
He simply dips his chin.
Of course he would fall in love with Evelyn. They complement each other perfectly. But we both have our demons, and while I’m finally facing mine, I doubt Tony has had much luck facing his.
“Alright then, let’s go.”