Chapter Twenty-Three
Mia
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Franco commented once the boys left. I tried to paste on a smile, but the fear was coursing through me, making it difficult to breathe. “Can I help?”
“No,” I said. All of the worrying from the day paled in comparison to now. Grabbing the bottle of wine from the counter, I shakily poured two glasses and walked back over to Franco. The mess from the shattered bowl remained on the floor. I’d clean up later. “Luc and Dante have it all in hand.”
There hadn’t been a problem yet that they’d failed to resolve. Not while I’d been in their lives. As terrified as I was of what Angelo might have done, I trusted that they’d sort it. If Angelo had been in touch with Xavier, it meant we were a step closer to having a way to contact him and find out where he was.
“Sorry, dinner’s been disrupted,” I apologised, handing over a glass to him.
Franco gave a nonchalant shrug. “It’s business, Mia. It rarely waits. Dinner, on the other hand...”
“We can eat,” I said. “I can keep plates aside for the pair. You’re stuck here with me anyway.”
“If you’re sure.”
I plated up and served dinner for myself and Franco, grateful to keep myself busy. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep food down, but I’d make an attempt to keep the evening running smoothly. “Thank you. Again,” I said, slipping into my seat.
“When do you plan to stop thanking me for doing my job?”
“When I stop feeling guilty.”
Franco huffed some breath from his nose in the form of a laugh. “That conscience will be your downfall, Mia.”
“Nothing bad ever came from having a conscience.”
“Nothing good ever came from it either.”
The crackling sound of a cry came from the baby monitor, ceasing the argument before it had a chance to start.
I took a quick sip of wine before standing up. “I won’t be long.”
“Take all the time you need,” Franco said, waving a hand dismissively. I was sure he was as glad for the breather as I was. Things were easier to navigate when we didn’t talk. At least then we didn’t worry about sparking a fight, but I maintained that Franco and I could move out of our icy business relationship and towards cordial with a little effort on both our halves.
Upstairs, in relative privacy, I let the fear grip me properly as I fed my son. Link was the reminder I needed that we were doing all of this for a reason. He’d have a better life, a safer life, when we found Xavier. Even if Angelo had betrayed us, he’d been caught quickly before any lasting damage could be done.
“We’re almost there,” I told Link quietly, running a hand over his head gently. “Almost have everything we want, cub.”
Link didn’t respond. He was content having been changed and fed and resumed his slumber. I placed him back down into his basket after placing a kiss on his head. As he grew up, I hoped he’d appreciate all we went through to give him the life Luc and I had always wanted for ourselves. Link would have a space and a family where he was loved and wanted for nothing. That was why we’d done this. That was why it would be worth it.
“Sweet dreams, cub,” I whispered, leaving him to his peace. It wouldn’t be long before I was back to check on him again.
I walked back down the stairs, pausing halfway when my phone went off. “Dante?” I answered the phone. “Are you and Luc okay?” The fact it was Dante and not Luc who had called made my fingertips numb with anxiety.
“We’re fine,” Dante told me. “Don’t wait for us. We’ll be home late. Keep Franco with you until we get back.”
“Okay,” I responded. “Dante, come home with Luc. I’ll keep a plate warm for you.” Dante had taken so much onto his shoulders and regardless of what he said or how he came across, I knew this would hit him hard. Angelo was his family or contact, however he wanted to refer to him, and Dante would blame himself for this mess. I wanted him to know that I didn’t blame him. That there were no hard feelings between us for the way his cousin had acted.
“Thanks, boss. We’ll see you later.”
I pocketed the phone again and went to join Franco in the kitchen but when I entered the room, he wasn’t at the table. The doors to the backyard were still closed and I couldn’t see him in the darkness of the evening. Maybe he’d gone to the bathroom. I jumped as Cerb’s figure bounded across the lawn and something inside me felt unsettled. I reached for my phone again to call for Dom. He’d come back to the house in a heartbeat.
Something hit the back of my skull so hard that I swore I saw stars. My phone tumbled from my hands and I fell to my knees, tears rushing to my eyes. “Fuck!” I cursed. I went to turn my head but another blow knocked me off my balance and I slid across the floor from the impact. When my vision cleared, ears still ringing, Franco stood above me with his gun aimed right between my eyes.
Slowly and carefully, I pushed myself to my feet and Franco moved the gun along with my movements. My balance was skewed from the attack and I swayed.
“I suggest you do what I ask you to, Mia.” There was a length of rope around his shoulder. While I had been busy taking care of Link, Franco had obviously attended to business of his own, raiding the rooms of our home until he found what he was after. It wouldn’t be difficult. He’d known the basic layout of the ground floor from working for us.
