Page 145 of Bleed with Me

“Because he’s known for kidnapping people for high sums of money,” Lucas answered. I rounded the desk to see what he found.

“It’s officially labeled as a disappearance. You really think someone actually paid to kidnap a five-year-old?” I raised a doubtful brow, but my best friend had an answer for everything.

“Yes. Children are valuable. Especially the ones no one cares about.” He opened another window on the screen. “But I’ve only heard about the cases when the children were in the system. This is the first time that the kid from a wealthy family disappeared.”

My stomach tightened. Weeks ago, Matilda Santangelo told me about her missing cousin. Her aunt couldn’t have children, so she adopted a little boy ten months earlier. Then one afternoon, he simply vanished.

“You know why Malin is neck-deep in this, right?” Lucas asked, disturbing my thoughts. I looked at him with a scowl. “It’s Amelia Santangelo’s nephew.” He flashed me a pointed look when I didn’t react. “Amelia Santangelo. Her sister adopted that boy.”

“Oh.” I blinked at him in confusion. Then it clicked. “Oooooh.”

Amelia Santangelo was the only woman anyone had ever linked to Malin romantically. But she was married, and if the affair continued, war between the Zhumagulovs and the Five Italian families was inevitable.

My grandpa had told me about this. Malin and Amelia were forced to break up, but eight months later, Matilda was born, leaving the question unanswered. Was Malin Matilda’s father?

“We need that file,” I said, tapping my fingers against the desk.

“I’d ask a different question.” Lucas turned to me in his chair. “Why would Malin give the file to the police?”

I frowned—good point as always.

“And more importantly,” he continued, pointing at the screen, “why give it to the detective who made a career out of putting mafia bosses behind bars?”

“Seriously?” I leaned closer to see better as Lucas scrolled down Detective Mallory’s record: Forty-year-old decorated officer. No husband. No kids. No life outside the police station. She lived for her job, and the arrests proved it. She helped put down the Irish mafia in Boston. Three bosses were in jail, and one more awaited a trial.

“This woman is here to investigate some major shit,” Lucas said, nibbling his pen. “It’s because of Zyon and the deaths of the heads of the Italian Five Families.” I looked at him, horrified. “Think about it. She put four bosses behind bars, and now she’s here? That’s not a coincidence.”

“Malin has a plan,” I deduced, straightening up. “He wouldn’t trust someone like her without a reason.”

Lucas frowned.

“You think he wants her chasing something else?”

“I think,” I smiled, “he wants her looking exactly where he wants her to look. That asshole is a genius.”

Lucas nodded in agreement, checking the email notification, so I took my phone and texted Dorian.

Nina: I’ll help you with the file.

The reply came in an instant.

Handsome husband: Not a chance.

Before I could second-guess myself, I typed a sharp reply.

Nina: You trust a stranger more than your wife?

My eyes narrowed at the words. Not my best moment, but the meaning stayed.

Handsome husband: I care for you more than anyone else.

A huge smile split my face.

Nina: Sweet ❤️. Now, where’s Malin’s office?

He left me on read. My temper rose dangerously high. Fine. If Dorian wouldn’t tell me, I’d ask the only person who could.

“I need to visit Malin,” I announced in a voice that took no objection. “Alone.”