My hands clenched into fists, so tight my nails dug into my palms as I thought of Ren, alone and scared. I wondered, more than once, if she was regretting the day I came back into her life.
“We’ll get her back,” Luca said quietly.
“You don’t know that,” I snapped.
He exhaled, patient even now. “I do.”
I wanted to believe him. Desperately. But belief didn’t come easily when every mile ahead stretched like a lifetime. Without Ren.
“Look, we already know who’s behind this now, so we also know he plans on using her as leverage.” Luca sighed heavily, shaking his head. “Which means she’s alive.”
That helped. A little. She was alive, for now. But would she wish she were dead by the time this was all over?
“I already reached out to Thorn, and he’s tracking him through all possible measures. He’ll reach out, likely soon.” He rubbed his palms together, his gaze locked on mine. “He’ll reach out to you. It’s only a matter of time,” he said, his words filled with certainty.
I stared out the window, watching the landscape blurring as the SUV tore up the highway toward ENS. My thoughts remained on Ren, wondering how she was holding up, but in the background, I thought about the traitor. About what I would have to do.
By the time we arrived at the ENS office, my mind and body were a riot of emotions, but outside, I was calm. Inside the building, however, was chaos.
Security vehicles lined the curb, effectively blocking the path to the front door, which was shut. The blinds were drawn on the windows, and the police were nowhere in sight. That surprised me, but I was relieved for the quiet containment.
I cataloged every detail I took in, from the security guards with wireless earpieces and guns under their jackets to the quiet hum of conversation all around me. My first priority wasn’t strategy, not yet. It was Matteo.
I spotted him immediately, his face red and blotchy and his cheeks streaked with tears. He broke from Toni the second he saw me and slammed into my legs. “They took her, Papa,” he sobbed. “They took her.”
My chest cracked open as I lifted him into my arms, holding him tight while his small body shook against me. “I’ll get her back,” I promised into his hair. “I swear.”
He clung to me like he might never let go.
Toni stepped forward gently. “Mr. DeRossi, this is my husband, Brady. He’ll get you what you need, and I’ll stay with Mattie while you look at the footage.”
I hesitated, my hands holding Matteo a little too tight.
She sighed. “He already lived through it. I don’t think he needs to see it again.” Her words were soft yet firm, and oddly caring for a boy she hardly knew.
She was, of course, right. I kissed Matteo’s temple, reluctant to let him go, but after another minute, I handed him over, watching as he went to her easily.
“Come on, Mattie. No matter how bad things get, ice cream makes them the teensiest bit better, right?”
He nodded but not nearly as enthusiastically as he usually did everything. It was the only sign he was feeling too much.
I followed Brady down the short hall and into the same conference room Ren had put me in the last time I was here with her. The small room was buzzing with activity. In the corner, I spotted Damien with his big leg resting on a chair, the pant leg cut open and a thick bandage wrapped around his thigh. Blood had soaked through already.
“I’m sorry, Boss,” he groaned when he tried to get to his feet. “They took me out with a clean shot through my thigh.” His head hung low, eyes filled with anguish.
“You did your job,” I assured him. I was upset, but they’d taken out the only protection to make their job easier. “I appreciate that.”
Brady cleared his throat and pointed to the projector screen on the wall. “I have the footage queued up.”
I nodded once and turned my gaze to the wall. I held my breath and waited, but watching it was worse than I expected.
Ren froze and looked around, clocking the danger first. I watched with my heart in my throat since I already knew how the video would end, as she dropped down to Matteo’slevel. She spoke in a serious tone to him, and he nodded that he understood. Seconds later, she was ripped from my son, shouting for him to run, which he did.
She fought like hell even though she knew she couldn’t win. The exact moment she saw that Matteo was safe, the fight went out of her.
“She’s brave as fuck,” Luca muttered. “And smart.”
“And missing,” I said flatly.
