Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
The phone rings for a while before our housekeeper’s voice comes onto the line. Emily rambles off the number, followed by, “How may I help you?”
“Emily.” I almost cry with relief. “It’s Tatiana.”
A second ticks past. She repeats my name as if she hasn’t heard right. “Tiana?”
“Emily, listen to me. Put my mom on the line.”
An even longer silence stretches.
“Emily, please. You have to call my mom to the phone. Now.”
She replies in a high-pitched tone. “Your, um, mom is not available right now. Why don’t you tell me where you are, and I’ll get Dante to fetch you?”
“Tell him to hurry.” I’m close to tears, looking over my shoulder without knowing what I expect to see. “Please, Emily.”
“Where are you? Is there someone with you?”
“I—A saleslady. I’m using her phone.”
Emily speaks slowly like when addressing a child. “Give the phone back to her, honey.”
I hand the lady her phone.
She listens to something Emily says before reciting a number and an address. “Yes, sure. I’ll keep her here. Do you want me to call an ambulance?” She glances at me. “Fine. Sure. I get that.”
When she hangs up, she gives me a compassionate look. “Don’t worry. Your husband is on his way to get you.” She grips my shoulders and leads me to a chair. “Come. Sit down. Can I get you something to drink?”
Thirsty. I’m thirsty.
My answer is so greedy, my tongue trips over the word. “Water.”
Patting my shoulder, she goes to the counter and fetches a reusable water bottle that she carries back to me.
I’m shaking too much to unscrew the cap, so she does it for me.
I drink until my stomach aches and the water pushes up in my throat, until there’s nothing left in the bottle.
“Sorry.” I return her bottle. “I finished it.”
“That’s all right,” she says with an uncertain smile.
Then it hits me.
Wait.
When did Dante and I get married?
Chapter
Nine
Dante
* * *
Reino walks into my study with two mugs in his hands as I round up my morning video call. He’s wearing his favorite leather jacket over a roll-neck T-shirt. Ripped jeans are tucked into his Mexican boots.
I shut the laptop and push my chair back from the desk. The despondency bearing down on me is like a ten-ton weight plate that crushes my chest.
Reino places one of the steaming mugs at my elbow. “Was that Sav?”
“Yes.”
“Nothing?”
I take the mug and sip the coffee without tasting it. At this point, I’m only drinking the strong brew because I need the caffeine to stay awake.
I grit my teeth. “Sav’s informants came up as empty-handed as ours.”
Reino blows out a long breath. “What about his men? How much progress have they made?”
Rubbing a hand over my burning eyes, I shake my head. “They’re combing through the east side of the city while our men are handling the rest. No one knows a fucking thing.”
Reino grips my shoulder and squeezes. “We’ll find her.”
I open the laptop again. “I’ll check the hospitals.”
“Boss.”
Hating the pity in his voice, I snap at him. “What?”
“You’ve called every hospital in the state two hours ago.”
“Something might’ve come up in the meantime.”
“Why don’t you have some breakfast? Jazz made pancakes.” He adds with humor, “Or I should say, she tried to.”
My phone vibrates where it lies on the desk. Emily’s name pops up on the screen.
I swipe the button and activate the speaker. “If it’s not an emergency, I don’t want to hear it right now.”
“Dante.”
Her tone gives me pause. “What happened?”
Reino tenses. He puts down his mug, poised for action.
“It’s Tatiana.”
I’m on my feet in a flash, gripping the phone hard in my hand. I brought Emily up to speed with the situation in the rare event that Tatiana shows up at her childhood home.
My hope ignites. “Is she there?”
“No, but I know where she is.”
I leave the phone on the desk and make it to the built-in safe in two long strides. With Noah in the house, I keep the weapons locked away.
“Tell me,” I order as I punch in the code and open the safe.
Emily recites an address.
I grab one of the Glocks and throw it at Reino. He catches the gun by the shaft, checks the magazine, and clips it into his body holster.
I take a Glock for myself, making sure the magazine is loaded before slipping the gun into the back of my waistband. “Tell me exactly what she said.”
Reino already has his phone out and his maps app open. He shows me a location in Manhattan as both of us rush to the door.
“She’s in trouble, Dante. She sounded scared.”
Every muscle in my body goes rigid at the sound of that. “What did she say?”
Reino motions for the guards at the door to open it, his phone pressed against his ear as he gives orders for men to meet us out front.