She stalks toward the door, spinning on her heel one final time to leave a parting shot. “Aren’t you going to wish me congratulations for my pending nuptials?”
“The next time I see you, you are going to die,” I promise. “Even if I have to sacrifice myself to do it.”
“I’ll tell Ben you wished us well,” she says. “Try not to think of him sliding that big cock of his inside me every night. Bennett Mazzone definitely knows how to please a woman. I’m sure it won’t be long before I’m pregnant with his baby, and this time, I know fate will ensure I carry full-term.”
My heart cracks and splinters down the middle at the thought of Ben fucking Saskia, and I have nothing left to retaliate with. She exits the room, laughing hysterically, and her wicked cackles penetrate my eardrums long after she is gone.
I cry silent tears as I lean against the wall, my arms aching, and my hand throbbing. Saskia is a crazy bitch, and I can’t let her get to me. I don’t know what, if anything, is fact and what is a lie.
There is one truth I know, and I cling to it like a life jacket—Ben loves me, and he is going to come for me. Whatever he is being forced to do, he is doing to save me, and I won’t hold it against him.
I refuse to give up hope.
Not while there is still air in my lungs and blood flowing through my veins.
52
BEN
Standing in the shadows of the library, I watch Mr. Spielberg explain a math problem to Rowan. His little dark head is bent over the desk, his brow furrowed in concentration, as he listens. Purple shadows linger in the curves under his eyes, highlighting his trouble sleeping.
It’s been four days since Sierra was taken, and he’s not the only one finding it difficult to sleep or the only one missing her. I have been working from my home office since Sierra was kidnapped because I need to stay close to my son and it gives me an excuse to avoid physical contact with that bitch Saskia.
I don’t trust DeLuca to keep his word, and I refuse to let Rowan out of my sight. I replaced all the men at the house because I can’t be sure Ian didn’t have a partner or partners. Leo has taken them to the city to interrogate them while Alessandro and Frank are guarding my son around the clock. They even take shifts in my bedroom at night. Not that it’s necessary. I barely grab more than a couple of hours sleep. Sierra’s delicate floral scent still clings to the sheets, and I crawl into bed with a constant tight pain in my chest. Rowan sleeps curled up beside me in our bed, and I need his little body comforting me as much as he needs my comfort.
He misses his mommy, and he cries every night for her. Every anguished sob tears a new strip off my heart, and I want to murder DeLuca and Saskia in cold blood for inflicting this torture on my son. I hate lying to Rowan, but I can’t tell him the truth. He thinks Sierra is on vacation with Pen and Esme, but he struggles to understand why she doesn’t even call him. I said there was no cell service at the spa, but I’m not convinced he bought that lie. For five years old, he’s sharp as a tack.
Natalia is here, playing with him after his daily lessons have ended, because I have work to do. If I’m to rescue Sierra, to bring her home safely, as soon as possible, I need to work every angle, and that takes time. Natalia also wants to be close to Angelo because his days on this Earth are drawing to a close.
He’s been in a coma since the kidnapping, and a machine is breathing for him now. His lungs gave up when the sleeping gas infiltrated his system. It’s a miracle his heart didn’t give out, but he’s a stubborn fucker, and he’ll fight to the bitter end. I don’t even have time to think about the fact he’s on his death bed or how I feel about it because I’m too worried about Firefly.
“Boss.” Ciro approaches from behind, making an effort to lower his tone. I’m glad he wasn’t seriously injured and he’s back on the job because I need every man available for duty. “Call for you in your office.”
Nodding at Alessandro, I slip out of the library. My dress shoes tap against the hardwood floor as I stride to my office with Ciro on my tail.
“Mazzone,” I say, when I pick up my burner cell.
“Everything is in motion,” he replies.
“What percentage are loyal to you?” I inquire because we need the numbers.
“Approximately thirty percent.”
We can make that work. “Good. I’ll be in touch before Saturday.”
The line goes dead as he hangs up.
“Knock, knock,” Leo says, poking his head through the door.
“Come in.” I wasn’t expecting to see him until tomorrow, at the earliest, even if I know him to be a fast worker. “What’s the verdict?” I ask, pouring a scotch for him and a bourbon for me.
“They’re all clean. Ian was working alone. He lured everyone but the guards at the gate to the house with a fake report of men at the rear of the property. Once they were inside, he conveniently disappeared just as the gas was leaked into the system. He gave DeLuca’s men the access code to the gate, and they dispensed with the guards on duty before taking Ian and Sierra with them.”
We have already replaced the entire security system, changed all the codes, doubled the guards, and the new men protecting my property were all inserted with tracking devices. From now on, I’m making that a requirement for all my soldiers. If they don’t like it, they can get the fuck out of my organization.
The one thing I hate is knowing DeLuca is aware of my house now. I have gone to huge extremes over the years to keep the location a secret, and I want to throttle Ian for compromising my safe haven. There is nothing I can do about it now though, and come Saturday night, the secret should be protected again.
“You look like shit,” Leo says as I hand him his scotch.
“Saskia paid Sierra a visit,” I explain. “She thrust the engagement in her face and destroyed Sierra’s ring.” I lost my shit when I got that intel and trashed my office, before I composed myself and called the jeweler to design another ring.
“Sierra is shrewd. She will know you are planning something. She will trust you to come for her,” Leo reassures me.
I slump in my chair, swirling the bourbon in my glass before lifting it to my lips. “I hate imagining Sierra chained up in some disgusting dungeon thinking I’ve fucked her sister.”
Sympathy splashes over his face. “You haven’t touched the bitch. That’s what is most important, and you will get a chance to explain it to Sierra when we get her out.”
“Am I wrong to do this? We know where she is. I could storm in there and rescue her right now.” I lean forward, resting my head in my hands. “I want to storm in there and take her to safety. I don’t know if I can last another two days.” I want to bundle her into my arms and hold her close forever so no one can harm her again.
“I can’t begin to imagine what you are going through,” he says. “But you are doing the right thing. This way we are eliminating the threat permanently. If you ride to the rescue now, you will have shown our hand, and it will mean bloody war. A war where Sierra and Rowan will be the prime targets. You know DeLuca would not let this rest. If you double-cross him, he will go for Sierra first.”