I would have gladly gone to them in exchange for Gigi. Gladly and effortlessly. But Victor probably knew that.
Right now, as hard as anyone had tried, no one knew where he was, and we were just supposed to wait.
Luc had been sitting in the little chair over by the window watching me. He didn’t say anything; he just watched over me. When Dad came in, I rolled onto my side and cried even more. I was barely able to ask them both to leave. To leave me alone.
I knew Luc felt terrible. Dad did too, but right now, I didn’t want to be around any mobsters.
I didn’t want to be around anyone like that who could hurt me, and my friends.
Gigi…
I remembered the day when I’d met her. Back at college.
I was so scared to take the leap of going somewhere I’d never planned to go. I was basically alone in the world, and it had felt like she was this angel who was sent to watch over me. She’d helped me adjust to the shock of being alone and at college. A place where so many changes happened in your life.
She was there for me, and we were such great friends that we’d continued living together. Our stupid rule was, we’d move out when we found the right guys to take care of us.
Neither of us had until now.
Me… at one point, I thought I’d move on with my ex, but being with Luc had taught me that I didn’t know what the hell love was until I met him.
But this… this way of life was going to kill me. The poison would start in my soul and kill me slowly once it consumed me.
That’s what tonight felt like. Like toxic poison, killing me slowly, and the longer I waited, the worse it got, the more it worked its way into me.
The door opened, and I lifted my head. I didn’t want to see anyone. Not unless they had something good to tell me.
The person I saw though was the exception. Millicent. She wasn’t a part of this whole fiasco.
I sat up and looked to her. As always, whenever I was sad, she brought me a tray of her signature cookies. Cookies and milk.
It didn’t matter how old I got, she did that for me, just like she was doing it now.
“Miss Amelia…” She attempted a smile, but it weltered. She moved to my side, set the tray on the nightstand, and sat on the bed next to me.
“Millicent, I can’t bear it. I can’t bear it.”
“I know, sweet girl. I know. You have endured so much.”
“I don’t know if it’s right to say that I endured it. I feel so week and weary, and I can’t believe what’s happening.”
She reached out and touched my hand. “I know. I don’t know what to say. All I can say is, maybe we can hope. Maybe we can hope that she’s still okay and we’ll save her.” She nodded and looked so sad.
Concern and sympathy flickered in her eyes, and she picked up the plate of cookies. She held it out to me with that soft smile again.
“You have to eat. Keep up your strength. It looks like it might be one of those long nights again. Luc and his brother are gone out looking. They took The Four. I don’t really know much, but it looked like they were ready for war.”
“Where’s Dad?”
“In his room.” She held my gaze. “Luc got some guys to stay with us. Eat and drink, Miss Amelia, please. Don’t let me have to worry about you starving.”
I took a cookie and nibbled on it. I wasn’t hungry, but I thought I’d eat it for her.
Since I was thirsty, I took the milk and downed it. The soothing coolness of it was refreshing. I finished the cookie and was about to reach for another cookie when the plate moved.
The plate…
It shifted in Millicent’s hands. Shifting from side to side, then it became a blur.
