“Yes,” I whisper, hoping that I can manage to get a few bites of pasta down.
“Good.Try not to get too stressed.I know things might get a bit rough, but I promise you that I’m here for you,” Nikki says.
I want to believe her, but I’m not sure I can.The only person I trust is Luca, but I can’t even reach out to him because I don’t have my phone.
Thirteen
Luca
Nova comes barreling into me headfirst and then grabs my arm, dragging me out of the hallway and into the closet.The closet is huge, and while it was made for coats and shoes, there’s a nook in the back with a stained-glass window that reaches the courtyard out back.
Natural light shines in through the window, making it so neither of us are literally in the dark.
“Are you okay?”I ask, sensing her dread.I’m just not sure what she’s so worked up about.
“Where’s Harper?”Nova asks, her voice catching in her throat.“I can’t find her anywhere, and last night a lot of shit went down.Do you know what happened?Rhys stood outside my door and wouldn’t let me leave my room.”She’s panicking, and I don’t blame her.
I feel the panic setting in since last night, and the dread still hasn’t gone away yet.I’ll feel better when she’s back home, well, at the very least, back here in the compound.
“She’s out with Mom,” I say.
“Your mom or mine?”Nova asks, her brow pinched as she’s trying to process the information.“And why is she hanging out with one of our mothers?”
“My mom,” I clarify and wince.I’m not sure how much to tell Nova.“Shit got really bad last night.”
“Fuck.”Nova’s eyes shut, and she pinches the bridge of her nose.“I never should have invited her over; that was stupid of me.”
I want to agree with Nova.It is partially her fault we’re in this mess, but I’m not going to place the blame on her.We’re all responsible.
“What’s done is done,” I say.We can’t change the past, no matter how much I wish it were a week ago, or even a few days ago.
“What the hell happened last night?Do you know?I heard a gunshot.”
I stare at her pointedly.“We all heard it.Pretty sure it was Caden who was shot.”
“A fucking capo?”Nova’s jaw drops.“No way.Your dad wouldn’t have ordered him executed.”
“He admitted to Harper that they’re mafia.”
“Holy Hell,” she gasps and paces the length of the closet.“Where’s Harper now?”
“With my mom,” I reiterate.I thought I told her that already, but she’s freaking out, and I’m doing my best to keep myself calm.“Harper wandered into the prison cellar.”
“No fucking way!”
I’d scold her if I didn’t use the same language.“There’s a bigger problem at hand.”
“Bigger than Harper—oh my gosh, is she being held downstairs?No, wait, you said she’s with your mom.”She’s trying desperately to keep up.“How did she end up going from witnessing the prison to hanging out with your mom?”
“You’re going to need to sit down for this.”I gesture to the bench by the window.It’s wooden, not the most comfortable, but it will do.
Uneasily, she sits and clasps her hands together, but she’s fidgeting.
I can feel the nervousness exuding from her, and I’m wracked with the same amount of guilt that Nova must be feeling.
“Harper heard a crying sound and wandered into the basement last night.Turns out my father is holding a little boy hostage.”
“Your father is unbelievable!”Nova jumps up from her seat.
