“Yes. You sure you’re gonna be okay?” I asked.
He brushed another tear from my cheek. “I’m always okay, Ari. I’ve got this, babe. You just stay safe. You have to sing Tuesday night, so we can celebrate your success again.” Kissing my forehead, he released me and climbed into the van.
Doors closed, and the van pulled out while I watched them go, wondering if I’d ever see him again. Belatedly, I realized I should have told Bones I loved him.
While I stood there trying to clear the remaining fuzz from my brain, figure out my feelings toward Bones, and stop the tears that kept leaking from my eyes, a motorcade of sleek black SUVs pulled in to the parking area. Expecting Nonna, I waited as they surrounded me. One of the doors opened, and Angel’s great uncle, Carlo, emerged, his face bright red, his expression pinched in anger.
“Where the fuck are they?” he shouted, advancing on me.
Bones had voiced his concerns about Carlo, and now I saw why. Angel’s great uncle looked like he was about to go nuclear. Taking a big step back, I replied, “I don’t know. They took Bones and left.”
“Fuck!” He raked a hand through his hair. “What were they driving?”
“A v-v-van. A black van.”
“Did you get the license plate?”
I shook my head, wondering why I hadn’t thought of that. “No. I’m s-s-sorry.”
He looked me over, his lip curling in disgust, before snapping, “Grab her.”
As Carlo headed back to the SUV he’d come from, another door opened and a man wearing a suit emerged. He stalked toward me with a determined look on his scarred face. He did not look like someone I wanted to get into a car with. Suddenly terrified, I took another step back.
“W-w-wait. N-n-nonna is—”
Before I could fully form my objection to going with these angry-looking men, another motorcade pulled into the lot, surrounding the SUVs. One of the back doors opened, and Nonna stepped out looking regal and classy as ever, despite the late hour.
“Ari, there you are,” she said with a warm smile. “Come with me, dear.”
Relieved, I headed for her, but was intercepted by Carlo’s man. He grabbed my arm and tugged. Surprised by the sudden jolt, I cried out.
“Carlo,” Nonna said, her voice dipping lower than I’d ever heard it go as she looked pointedly at the asshole trying to tug my arm off. “Do call off your man.”
Carlo’s anger only seemed to intensify as he looked from me to Nonna. “The girl might have information that will help me find Bones. I need to question her.”
Nonna gave me another sweet smile. “Ariana, do you know where they took Bones?” she asked.
I shook my head. “No, ma’am. They wouldn’t tell me anything.”
Nonna turned her smile to Carlo. “There you have it.”
“I should still question her,” Carlo replied. “Get all the details I can.”
“Look at her. She’s been kidnapped and held against her will. I need to have her checked out and make sure she’s not physically injured.”
Carlo started to object again, but Nonna cut him off.
“I insist,” she said, steel creeping into her voice. “Besides, it seems like your time would be better spent searching for Bones than questioning someone who clearly doesn’t know where he is.”
Carlo’s jaw twitched. Fire burned in his eyes as he glared at me. “Release her,” he barked, climbing back into his SUV.
The asshole squeezed my arm one more time before letting go. As he walked away, I released the breath I didn’t know I’d been holding and tried to compose myself. Carlo’s SUVs peeled out of the parking area and disappeared around the corner, leaving me alone with Nonna and her guards.
Nonna also let out a deep breath, her smile slipping as she gestured me forward. I ran to her, and after we embraced, we both climbed into the back of her car.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“Yes. Thank you. You showed up just in time. Carlo was a little cold at Christmas dinner, but I’ve never seen him that angry before. It was terrifying.”
