Shetsks. “You know you can trust us. I’ll inform my husband of what’s going on. Don’t you dare let anything happen to that girl. I like her, and so does your mother.”
“I won’t. Just text me any vital information. I have to go.” Ending the call, I put Niall back on.
He immediately jumps in with, “Make a U-turn, then take your second left.”
My tires squeal, the scent of burning rubber in the air as I turn around, heading back the way I came. My thoughts race with the fact that Lazaro not only escaped, but is with Elena right now. How the fuck did he get out of there?
As if summoning the devil, my phone rings, this time Lazaro Achilli flashes on the caller ID.
Immediately, I answer it. “Where ismy wife?”
He laughs, cool and casual, back to his usual self. “That’s not the question you should be asking right now. But you can say hello to her.”
“Elena!” I pull over, since there’s no use chasing them without Niall to guide me. Right now, getting answers from Lazaro’s takes priority. I need to hear the sound of my wife’s voice.
“Maximo! I’m here. Don’t—” She screams and my heart cracks open. “It’s a tra—” She doesn’t finish that sentence.
“Elena?” I wish I could reach through the speakers and take her into my arms. “Elena! Lazaro, if you lay one finger on her I’ll?—”
Lazaro’s voice comes on the line. “You know she’s alive, that’s all you need to hear. If you want her back, you’ll meet me in one hour. I’ll text you the address. Come alone. Anyone else shows up with you and your wife dies.”
My grip tightens on the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white. “What do you want in exchange for Elena?”
A pregnant pause. “You.”
The call cuts off, bringing Niall back on the line. “Damn it, Pontrelli, I can’t give you directions if you keep putting me on hold.”
Closing my eyes, I lean my head back. Fear and rage like I’ve never experienced before mingle beneath my skin, threatening to explode. But fucking losing it right now won’t solve a damn thing. I punch the wheel.Fuck, fuck, fuck!
Okay, that’s enough.
Inhaling deep, calming breaths, I evaluate the situation. Lazaro’s bringing Elena with him, but what about my sister? He has Julianna too. I’m caught in a quandary. If I insist he brings her too, then he’ll want to know why she’s important to me. Itwill be a cold day in hell when I admit to him that he not only has my wife as leverage, but also my sister.
But I can’t just leave her behind. What the fuck am I going to do? How do I save them both?
“Are you there?” Niall’s irritated growl draws me out of my spiraling thoughts.
This is fucked. I sigh. “I’m here. Keep tracking them through the cameras and text me the address once you find it. I just got a call from Lazaro. I’m going to meet him and get Elena back.”
“Will do. Give me fifteen minutes to hack the rest of these camera systems. I’ll find them.”
A text pings. It’s a location pin on my maps app from Lazaro. Pulling into traffic, I head straight to the meeting location with Elena’s warning ringing in my ears.
“It’s a trap.”
CHAPTER 54
Elena
Lazaro hauled me out of the freezer before he called Maximo. I’m so cold, I can’t feel my fingers or toes. Even my lips are numb. Though my cheek pulses with hot pain from where Lazaro smacked me for trying to warn my husband away.
It’s no use. None of it is.
My attempt to convince Lazaro that Maximo doesn’t care about me failed. My warning over the phone was cut short. Now a terrible sense of futility overwhelms me as Lazaro leaves to meet with Maximo—without me. He never intended to hand me over. There’s no exchanging my life for my husband’s.
We’re both going to die. All of us. Unless I do something.
Lazaro steps out, leaving me alone in the office. His words continue to ring in my head.Filthy Irish bastard.
