Francesca hadn't known what I was talking about.Obviously.
Explaining how I was still pissed that my brother stole my woman away wasn't exactly something I'd wanted to discuss with her.
But what she said—hit me.And had stuck.
Because—
No.
Maybe Giselle hadn't been mine to begin with.Maybe she was always meant to be with Carlo.Have his babies.
Not mine.
And maybe I was okay with that.
Being with Francesca had changed things.
Being with Francesca was unlike being with—anyone.
Carlo let Giselle back up again and slapped her gently on the ass.“Love you,” he whispered to her.But I heard.
And surprisingly—it didn't cut me.
Giselle wandered off down the hall, and Carlo turned.He jerked his head toward the patio doors.“Outside.”
With a sigh, I stood and followed him out.I shut the door behind me and then grabbed a seat at the long patio table.“I'm guessing you have news?”I asked after a minute of silence from him.If it was something else, he would have spoken freely in front of Giselle.
“What do you want first?”he asked, gazing out at the pool.“Francesca?Or Raul?”
My stomach roiled at those options.
“Who the fuck do you think?”I shot back instantly.
“They found her phone,” he said so nonchalantly, I was back to wanting to bash his head in again.
“And?”My voice rose as my fists clenched.
He glanced at me and said, “It was in a ditch.Near her apartment.So far, they haven't been able to get anything off it.But they’re still trying.No other news on that front.”
I felt my heart rate go up exponentially.“Get Asher on it.He'll find her.”
The sound of the patio door sliding open interrupted us.“He's in Italy.Working on another job,” Nick said, then walked to the table.He pulled out a chair and sat down.
I shook my head and huffed.“No, Asher's in Italy fucking a load of Italian pussy,” I stated the obvious.Because that was absolutely what Eve's brother was doing at the moment.I could guarantee it.
“Well, likely that, too.”Nick smirked and lifted his brows.“As we all did at one point.”
I wasn't in the mood to talk about the old days.Or how much Italian pussy we'd all had.
“My point is, Asher should be here.”I stabbed my finger onto the table.“Finding Francesca.Not off in fucking Italy having a good time.Fly the asshole home.He's the only one who will be able to track her down.”And he was.Asher had talents that none of us had ever seen before.Especially not at such a young age.The guy was barely into his twenties.Which was pretty fuckin' scary.Just thinking about how he'd develop and sharpen his skills as he got older.
Christ.
In twenty years, the guy would be unstoppable.
Carlo and Nick shared a look.A look that I didn't like.
Nick turned to me.“It's been two weeks, Stefan.”His voice sounded partly condescending—and partly full of pity.“Her trail's gone cold.Asher can pick it up when he gets back.He's doing some—work for us.Regarding Raul.”
