Brady pulled up another feed. “I tracked the van with one of the surveillance drones I’m testing. They took a right at this T-intersection.”
“That’s a fucking business park,” Luca growled.
“It is,” Brady agreed, using a laser to point at the buildings. “But there are only two suitable buildings. This one used to be a porn studio, and this one is a hay storage facility. The only two with working electricity and water.”
I heard Luca on the phone in the corner, using hisdo as I saytone with whoever was on the other end of that call.
“The studio is my best guess because it has lots of room, still has furniture in it, and has working bathrooms. Plus, lots of places to hide.”
Looking at those images and listening to Brady lay it all out while Luca prepared for war, I couldn’t escape the truth I hadn’t wanted to believe for weeks now. I knew who this traitor was because he was my own fucking flesh and blood. This was the part of the job my own father hadn’t lived long enough to prepare me for: what to do when the enemy was one of your own.
I knew what the code said needed to be done in circumstances such as this. I knew what was expected, but knowing it didn’t make this shit any easier. “Thanks,” I grunted to Brady and pulled out my phone, exiting the conference room before I sought refuge in Ren’s office.
It smelled like her. It looked the same as it had last time I was here, except there was no Ren. I pulled out my phone and dialed the one person in the world who could guide me over this hurdle.
“Lorenzo.” Aunt Valentina’s voice was calm and full of warmth as it always was, still slightly accented as though she hadn’t lived in California for all but ten of her sixty-three years. “You have a traitor among your ranks.”
I froze. How did she know? “I do,” I answered slowly, hesitantly.
“Lena is here with me,” she said as if that answered everything. “I guess that means my son is the one who created this mess?”
I nodded even though she couldn’t see me. “It seems so.”
Silence stretched between us, a lifetime of familial love, professional guidance, and traditions.
“You know what you have to do,” she said finally. “We cannot tolerate betrayal.”
I knew that. I didn’t need her to tell me that, yet the sense of relief I felt was palpable. “He is your son.”
“He stopped being my son when he chose to work against this family,” she replied. “I have given up much in my life for this organization, Lorenzo. I set aside my own hopes and dreams, I married a man my father chose, and I built a different life than I had imagined. I will not allow those sacrifices to be for nothing.”
I swallowed hard, unsure what to say in the face of such brutal honesty.
Valentina sighed heavily, the only sign this wasn’t as easy for her as it sounded. “Are you calling me for absolution, Lorenzo,” she asked, “or permission?”
I didn’t answer right away. “I don’t know,” I said at last. But that was a lie, or maybe the truth just scared me too much to admit. “He took someone who matters to me,” I answeredinstead. “She put herself between Matteo and danger.” The words hurt as they left my mouth.
Valentina was quiet for so long I thought maybe she’d ended the call. “The girl you gave up for your family?”
“Yes,” I nodded. “I have to get her back.”
“Then do what needs to be done, Lorenzo. You are the head of this family. Your word is the law.” The call ended abruptly, my aunt’s words echoing in my head on a loop.
Aunt Valentina was right. I was the head of this organization. My word was the final one, and doubt or hesitation would only cause more pain.
David had taken the woman I love.
He would have to pay for that, whatever the cost. And I was the one who got to decide the cost.
Chapter 25
Serenity
Icame to slowly, blinking quickly against the fluorescent lamps aggressively aimed my way. The first thing I noticed—other than the lights—was my throbbing head. A dull ache pulsed behind my eyes and my mouth tasted disgusting, like I’d been licking pipes. I tried to move and immediately became aware of the pull at my shoulders—my hands bound behind my back, my wrists aching where the plastic ties bit into my skin.
Plastic ties?I didn’t remember being bound. The last thing I remembered was being tossed in the back of the van.I was kidnapped. It all came crashing back and my pulse raced, my body temperature spiked. Panic tried to set in.
I forced myself to breathe.
