by Fiona Murphy
His chuckle has no humor. “Then very soon you’ll understand why I can’t stay with her when you’re the one in danger. Dominic and Valdez’s men will protect her. She’s safe here as it is.”
I open my mouth to argue but he’s already hung up. Damn it. Bella stirs in my arms. I don’t hesitate to put her out again. We’re only fifteen minutes out of the airport; hopefully she’ll stay out until she’s in the air. I’ll ask forgiveness later.
The airport is in sight when the SUV filled with my men behind us explodes. Son of a bitch. Through the flames I see another SUV bearing down us. I don’t even have to say it, Johnny stomps on the gas and blows past my men in front of us. My men in the car fall back behind us and lay down fire. Tomas climbs into the back, rolls down the window, hangs out of it and starts firing.
Fuck, the explosive sound of the AR-15 has my ears ringing. Thank fuck he’s a good shot and sends an SUV into flames. There’s three others, though, and they’re too fucking close. Then another one catches fire before swerving into one beside it. Johnny guns it into the airport.
“Right on the jet, right fucking on it,” I yell to Johnny.
Johnny nods, he gets so close to the stairs I flinch. The jet is already on—the pilot must have seen and heard the shooting and explosions.
Bella is crying, clinging to me. “Get on the plane with me,” she begs.
As I look one SUV is bearing down on us, trading fire with my men with another SUV right behind them. The only option I have is to get on the plane.
“Okay, I’m right behind you. I open the door, you hit the stairs, they are right there. Keep your head down and move fast. Our clothes are bulletproof but if you get hit it will still hurt like hell, especially with what they are firing at us. Shirt over your head.” I yank the shirt up over her head as she fumbles with it.
Tomas doesn’t hear me when I try yelling at him. I reach back and hit him on the thigh. He turns, I motion me and Bella are running for the jet, he nods and moves to our side and jumps out then starts firing. I push Bella and she goes. She’s up the stairs but as she reaches the top, a shot hits her, sending her into the open door of the jet. Like a fucking trooper, seconds after she hits the floor she crawls inside to safety.
I’m almost up the stairs when I’m hit in the back. The force of the impact sends me over the railing of the stairs. Tomas reaches for me but misses, then the world goes black.
***
Bella
I watch Luca go over the stairs and scream. I try to run but the pilot grabs me.
Tomas holds out a phone to me. “Text the last number and confirm package secure. Then once they respond follow up with Luca on board. I’m going to go get Luca. Don’t move.” Then he looks to the pilot. “If I don’t make it back within ninety seconds, do not wait. Sabatini’s first and only command is she’s safe.”
The pilot nods as the man runs down the stairs. I text like he told me too but then I also start typing out what happened. But then the plane is moving. No!
“What are you doing?” I scream at the pilot.
“Lady, do you not hear the bullets hitting the fucking plane? The guy who went out after Mr. Sabatini is dead. If we don’t leave we will be too.”
The plane moves in a way that can’t be right and then we’re in the air. I grab for a chair but miss it to fall. My head slams into a table and I slip into the darkness.
***
Mundo Reyes
“Son of a bitch! She’s getting away, shoot the fucking plane down!” Augusto screams at his men as we screech to a stop.
I get out but don’t bother firing. I’m only carrying a Sig Sauer 9 mm. We were traveling far behind the four truckfuls of men we had. No guns were fired in our truck, the noise would have been too much for Augusto’s ears. His hand is on his chest again, where it’s been for most of the day. As the plane climbs higher into the air, I bite my lip to keep from smiling. Isa is in the air and wherever she’s going, I have no doubt Augusto isn’t going to get close to her again. Good.
Luca Sabatini looks surprisingly peaceful. I would have thought there’d be more blood. Too fucking bad. I liked the guy.
Still pissed Sabatini outmaneuvered him, Augusto kicks the body in the ribs hard, and holy shit, Sabatini moans. Fuck. For his sake I wish to fuck Sabatini hadn’t done that.
Augusto laughs, a sickening sound full of evil. “Get him in the truck. I’ll have my revenge after all. He’s going to pay for stealing Isa and making me look a fool in front of Manuel Rodriguez and his father, as well as the two fingers he stole from me all those years ago.”
The flight from Las Vegas back to Guadalajara is filled with Augusto ranting and raving about all the ways he’s going to torture Luca Sabatini. By the end of the two hours I’m fighting the urge to throw the old man out of the fucking plane.
Closing my eyes, for what is probably the millionth time I fantasize about killing Augusto. The first time I did it I was seven years old. My mother had just killed herself after finding out she was pregnant again with Augusto’s child—for the fifth time since I was born. She kissed me, told me she loved me then shot herself in the stomach. It was the closest she could get to killing Augusto. When Augusto came into the room he laughed and told his men to throw her in the garbage where she belonged.
Over the last decade my desire to kill the man has grown more and more. While I sat at his bedside in the hospital—as he demanded—I prayed he would die. I’m pretty sure he knew it too. He taunted me when he woke up from his surgery. His suspicion I’ve been undermining him is becoming stronger, causing him to keep me at his side for almost every waking hour. I’m positive if he’d suspected me this strongly even five years ago, I would already be dead. Yet as much as he suspects me, I’m also one of the only people he trusts. The fool has backed himself into a corner, worried if he does kill me there will be no one at his back at all.
Why couldn’t he have just died from the fucking heart attack?
Once we land at Augusto’s compound, the airstrip only five hundred feet from the house, he has exhausted himself so much he needs help off the plane.
“Put the pendejo in the basement. I’m going for a rest,” he orders his men. “Mundo, come.” I walk beside him. “I want you to find out where the plane your sister was on landed.”
“Yes, Father.” It’s the only acceptable answer.
“Good, good. Have Theresa bring me some water, ice, lots of ice,” he says as he goes into his room.
I find Theresa, the housekeeper, and give her his demand. Then I go back outside and pull out my phone and call Valdez.
21
Bella
I’m shaken awake by Pop.
“Where’s Luca?” he demands.
I tell him everything, fighting back tears as I do.
Pop tells the pilot to have the plane refueled and wait for him, he’ll be back. Then he picks me up and carries me off the plane.
Dominic opens the door of the car waiting on the tarmac. “Where’s Luca?”
As Pop tells him, I give in to the tears, terrified Luca is dead already. Pop sets me down in the backseat and secures my seat belt, ordering Dominic to get us home fast. He pulls out his phone, sets it on speaker and relays everything to a man named Valdez.
“How did you not know this?” Pop demands.
“My man texted me package secure. I believed it meant everything was fine. Luca didn’t ask for security for himself. I have his location. He’s at Augusto’s compound in Guadalajara.”
“Oh god, he’s dead,” I mumble as I think of my father making Luca suffer.
“No, ma’am, he’s not.”
“How can you know that?” I demand.
“Because I’m looking at his tracker right now and it indicates heat. I’m looking at my man’s tracker—no body heat. Luca is alive and I will get him back to you alive.” The man’s voice is firm, and I want to believe him so badly.
“We’re on our way to drop off Bella at my home where your me
n are. Then I’m going back to the plane to get my son. I need you to get me the necessary support so that I make it back to my wife and kids. You have until the plane lands in Guadalajara.”
“Sir, I urge you to give me more time.”
Pop hangs up.
“Take me with you. I can get you into the compound. There’s a miles-long tunnel from there to the main airport in Guadalajara,” I plead.
Pop shakes his head. “Luca would kill me. I’m going to get him back. I can’t do that if I’m worried about you too.” He looks to Dominic. “I’m going to leave you here with them and take the car back. I need you to tell Christy and make it so she doesn’t spend the time I’m gone stressed the fuck out. I do not need her going into labor—it’s too damn early for her and the babies.”
“I can’t do that. I’m going with you.” Dominic shakes his head.
Closing his eyes, he sighs. “No, you aren’t, Dominic. I’m not going in alone. I will have Valdez as backup.”
“If you won’t let Dominic go with you, how can you say it’s safe?”
“God damn it,” Pop mutters.
“Exactly. I’m going.” Dominic stops the car in front of Pop’s house.
“Please, for the love of god, do not let Christy wind herself up. You too. We will be back with Luca, alive. I promise you that.” Pop kisses my forehead then opens the door and pushes me out.
Standing on the sidewalk, I watch as they drive away, praying they all come back alive.
***
Luca
As Augusto continues walking around me, slicing at my chest and my back with glee, I focus on picturing Bella safe with Pop and Dominic. Allowing scenes of our future together to play out in my mind’s eye. I’m strung up in the basement, my hands tied together over my head, my feet almost a foot off the floor which is good because the floor is covered in blood—some of it mine, most of it here before me. I laugh when Augusto follows one cut of the knife with a punch. “My three-year-old niece hits harder than that.”
Augusto doesn’t like that, and in response he slashes at my face with the knife. I don’t feel it this time, maybe because my right eye is gone, dead. His payback for taking his fingers, he screamed at me. Pissed at a lack of reaction, he pulls back to stab at me again, only to be stopped by Mundo behind him. Where the hell has he been for the last two fucking hours?
Mundo calls out to his father. “What the fuck are you doing? I thought you were resting.” With a glance at me, Mundo speaks Spanish. I fake a look of confusion.
Frowning at him, Augusto turns and answers him in Spanish. “I couldn’t sleep. Where have you been?”
“Checking on Isa’s location like you said. You cannot kill him. His father is Tony Sabatini—the mafia out of Chicago will rain down on us. Don’t you remember what the man with the blue eyes did to you the last time you met him? Tony Sabatini is on his way now,” Mundo hisses at his father.
I keep my head down, pretending like I’m feeling the pain and even though I’m pissed at Pop for coming, I’m not really surprised. I have to bite hard on my lip to keep from laughing at the look of astonishment and fear on Augusto’s face.
Shaking his head, “I’ll kill them all.” It’s pure bluster. Augusto looks over at me and then down at the blood on his knife.
“They have an army behind them. You kill him and we’re dead. We have to give him back to them.”
“Let them try.” Augusto nods. “His father owes me blood too.”
Mundo shakes his head. “You may be on the verge of death, old man, but I am not. We—”
Augusto backhands Mundo. “Don’t you tell me what to do. I run this. Me, not you.” Then Augusto turns to me, intent in his eyes. “I’ll kill them all, starting with this one.”
Raising his gun at me, Augusto takes aim. I’m not proud of the way I shut my eyes in preparation for the shot. A gun explodes, I brace, but nothing. I open my eyes to see Augusto on the floor in front of me. Dead.
The three men who had tied me up and stood around while Augusto tortured me look down at Augusto, then to Mundo. Mundo uses his gun to point at his father. “Take him out and throw him in the garbage like the trash he is.”
They don’t hesitate: two of the men drag Augusto out by his feet. He nods at me and the remaining man. “Cut him down.”
I’m cut down and fall in a heap, my legs unable to support me. The cuts sting as I roll over, trying to get up. I hear a phone ringing. “Valdez? Yeah, Augusto is dead. Luca is still alive but he’s going to need a doctor. They can land at the airstrip of the compound. Augusto’s men are mine now.”
Mundo looks down at me then shrugs. “I planned on killing him before he got to you, thought I had more time. Good job on making Isa your wife. She deserves you.”
“It’s Bella,” I grit out as I finally make it to my feet, then fight not to fall back on my ass. “Isa died on the back of that truck. You’ll be an uncle soon. You’re invited to see her anytime.”
His chuckle is dark as he shakes his head. “No, she doesn’t need me around reminding me of the dead Isa. Her peace should not be disturbed. Come on, your father and brother should be arriving within the hour. Although I do have a final parting gift for her.”
What gift? I wonder as I follow him out of the dank, bloody basement.
***
Bella
Rosie is playing with Santino, their giggles the only sound in the room as I stare out the window. I catch Christy wiping her eyes; she sees me and shakes her head.
“I trust Tony. He will come back with Luca. I’m also going to make him sleep on the couch until the babies get here, but I trust him.” Her hand is on mine. “I still think you should allow the family doctor to take a look at you. Luca would want it too.”
Shaking my head. I don’t dare open my mouth, afraid I’ll start crying again. Chloe comes into the kitchen from the living room where she made Regina lie down after Christy called her to come over and told her what was going on, and Regina fainted.
“I’m going to make some tea,” Chloe announces.
Christy’s phone starts ringing, and she grabs it. “Tony?” Then presses the button for speaker.
“We have him. A few injuries but he’ll be fine. We’re on our way home now. Only another hour or so in the air.”
“Oh thank god,” I mutter, then the world goes black again.
I come to in the back of an ambulance, Chloe beside me. “You wouldn’t wake up. Don’t look at me like that, the family’s doctors weren’t available. After everything you needed to be checked out.”
The back doors of the ambulance open and even as I’m shaking my head, I give up.
***
Bella
“This is amazing. Luca is going to be so freaking happy.” Chloe laughs as Enzo helps me into the back of his car.
“You think?” I wonder as I stare down at the black and white grainy ultrasound pictures. Even though I nodded when the technician pointed at the screen, I can’t see what the hell the lady was talking about.
Getting into the back with me, Chloe takes the pictures. “Okay, I recognized the look because I had it too. See this teeny tiny thing, right here? Then this one right over here?” Her fingertip is bigger than what she’s pointing out, but I finally see each one. “Those are the babies. And yes, Luca will be absolutely ecstatic. We need to get you to him though. He’s cranky you weren’t at the house when he landed, but I think it’s a good thing...”
I look up as she and Enzo share a look. “What? What’s the matter? I thought Luca was okay.”
Chloe grips my hand tight. “He...” She sighs. “He’s going to be fine, but he’s not in the best shape. I don’t think it’s fair not to prepare you. I’m still pissed they wouldn’t take him to the hospital. The stupid family doctor doesn’t have everything.”
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. “As long as he’s alive, I don’t care. I knew Augusto would hurt him. I tried to warn Luca and Pop. All that matters is he’s here. Everyt
hing else can be dealt with.”
“Exactly,” Enzo agrees. “And the news will be good for him. He will be seriously happy and excited. Especially if it’s the girls he wants.”
The drive takes forever, the moment we’re at Pop’s I’m out of the car and into the house. Pop is waiting, I hug him tight. He returns it gently, then he’s helping me up the stairs to our room from last time we were here. He opens the door and then closes it behind me.
Luca is propped up on several pillows, shirtless with his chest covered in gauze. My hand comes up to my mouth as I take in his eye covered by white gauze. I can’t say anything. I refuse to cry. He reaches a hand out to me. I move to take it, pressing my lips to the back of it.
“I need to hold you,” he grits out low. I shake my head, terrified of hurting him. “I promise you I’m on so many painkillers I can’t feel a thing.”
Still I shake my head. He uses my hand to yank me to him. I fall on him, wincing at the idea of adding to his pain. Luca’s mouth comes down on mine. Desperate, hungry, I deny him nothing, giving him all I am, so grateful to have him back.
“I lied. I do feel something. You get to be on top this time,” Luca growls into my mouth.
I pull away then round the bed to climb in beside him. Very carefully I wrap my arms around his left arm and press my lips to his shoulder, then pull out the sonogram pictures and hand them to him.
Tilting his head, he studies them. “Twins?” He looks from them to me, his eyes wide.
“That’s what they said.” I laugh. “Is it okay?” I ask.
“Okay? Hell no, it’s not okay. This is amazing. Thank you, mi amore.” He shakes his head in awe. “Two baby girls.” The words are a whisper as he looks down at the photos.
I decide not to argue about how I’m sure it’s boys and instead kiss his cheek, careful to avoid the gauze there.
“It’s a good thing we’ll be here with family. We’ll definitely need a nanny though. Maybe we can have Marsha work for us on her off days from Pop and Christy.”
I’m confused. “What do you mean, we’ll be here?”