“I love you so much, sweet girl.” My breath hitched and the tears spilled over, trickling down my cheeks.
I exited the room, sorrow and rage vibrating through my body. None of it was fair. I found my family, my happily-ever-after with my girls and it felt like it was being ripped away from me.
I stopped to look at my daughter again through the glass, not sure how I was going to be able to leave her without it tearing my heart in two, but knowing I had to do everything to bring her mother back. She was the other piece of both our hearts. A hand came to rest on my shoulder. It was Bodie, his comforting grip the same as it had been earlier.
“A security guard will be here until I come back. After I get you guys ready to go, I will be right back here to be with your girl, there.” He pointed at Italia. “It's all going to turn out okay.”
“How do you know?” I asked him, needing reassurance.
“Look at every one of us guys and our women. We have all had a hard time, but we all have pulled through and there is no doubt in my mind you, Capri, and that angel in there will too.”
Not able to keep the tears from falling and needing the release, I let a few fall. Then, I steeled my emotions. It was time to kick ass and get my wife back.
“I see you’re ready,” Bodie laid a hand on the back of my shoulders. “Let’s get you on that chopper.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I said with one more glance at my baby girl, before we headed out.
I may have asked Bodie to stay behind in case I couldn’t follow through, but really there was no way I was leaving my baby girl forever. And there was no way I was coming home without her mother.
Italia needs her.
I need her.
ChapterThirty-Seven
CAPRI
My head swamwith confusion and my mouth felt dry as a bone.
A moan tumbled from my lips as I tried to move in the pitch-dark room. My hand went to my cheek and I winced at the tenderness I felt from the slight brush of my fingers, the action only making it hurt worse. I let my hand fall back to my side.
Male voices filtered to my ears and I squeezed my eyes shut trying to focus on what I was hearing. Were all the guys in my hospital room? Was something wrong with me? As I listened, I realized the people talking were not my husband and friends.
Fear slithered up my spine as the cobwebs that had been clouding my mind withered away and I recalled exactly what had happened.
Did they find it?
Panic rose inside me. My arm, which felt like lead, moved up my body once again to my chest. With a shaky hand, I held my breath and reached in my bra. When my fingers touched what I’d been looking for, the air I’d been holding rushed out of me in relief. My necklace I managed to hide was still there.
Paxton, I need you.
After rubbing the necklace with the thumb, I moved my hand, placing my hand over my heart. I swear I could hear Pax answering me and my heart thumped against my palm.
I’m right here waiting for you and will be strong.
The second I had said I’d be strong, my armor slipped, and I crumbled. Italia, my baby, needed her mother and I needed her. Being away from her, with the thought of never making it back to her or Pax had tears streaming down my face.
A shiver rippled through my body when I recalled the words spoken by the evil man in the car. I knew by his voice that he would do anything he had to in order to get his money. He’d already hit me. But I didn’t have it and told him that.
So what good was I without it?
I gasped as a conversation came back to me. When Paxton and the guys researched what had happened to my parents and looked into Thomas, they had found out about the guys my late husband had worked for.
Gyth had said the group was bad fucking news. They were the biggest drug ring in that area of Chicago, but they had also had a hand in weapons, gambling rings, prostitution, and human trafficking.
He’s going to get his money by selling me.
I swiped at the tears that had slowed but still trickled down my face. There was no time to cry, I had to be ready for whatever I could do in order to hold on until Paxton found me. I wasn’t giving up without a fight.
