Pain coiled through my chest as I choked out, “Fine. I’ll do it.”
What other choice did I have?
If I didn’t, it would only be me who suffered. And no matter how cruel my mom could be, no matter how much her barbed words hurt, she was still my mom.
My family.
He cupped my face, dragging his thumb down my cheek, the glint of his gold ring standing out against the darkness surrounding him.
“That’s my good girl. Now get dressed. It’s showtime.”
I bolted upright, sucking in fresh lungfuls of air. My head felt strange, like it might roll off my shoulders at any given moment.
“Caitlin?” a voice called from somewhere in the darkness.
“B-Bella?” Her name was like ash on my tongue. “I… I don’t feel so good.”
“You’ve been sleeping. I thought… I thought—”
“I’m here. I’m right here.”
“Caitlin?”
“Yeah?” I sank back against the wall again, my muscles screaming in protest. I felt stiff, groggy, and sore.
“Who’s firefly?
The icy fingers of fear wrapped around my throat. “What did you just say?”
“I said who’s firefly? You were crying out in your sleep. Murmuring it over and over.”
“I was?” A violent shudder rolled through me. It had been a long time since I had that dream.
“It’s nothing,” I said, refusing to let those thoughts penetrate my mind.
“It didn’t sound like nothing.”
“How long was I out?”
“I don’t know. One, maybe two hours.”
Shit.
“Did anyone come back?”
“No one. Although I heard voices beyond the door. It sounded like they were arguing.”
“Did you hear any names?”
“None, why?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Defeat coated my words.
I’d never felt more powerless than I did in this moment, and I’d experienced some dire circumstances in the past. But Arabella was innocent. She didn’t deserve to know this terror or fear. And I hated myself for ever dragging her into my life.
“I want you to know something,” I said, biting back the tears threatening to fall. “Whatever happens, I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you make it out of this safely, okay?”
“W-what does that mean, Cait? What things? What are you going to do?”
I squeezed my eyes shut, tears dripping down my face. When they opened, a new sense of resolve washed over me.
Zander wanted me.
Bella was just collateral. I would make sure he had no reason to hurt her. I would do whatever it took to see to it that she walked out of here alive and unharmed.
But if I was going to negotiate, I needed to speak to him. I needed to look him in the eye and give him what he wanted.
“Whatever happens,” I said to Bella, as I staggered to my feet, “I need you to keep quiet, okay?”
“What are you going to do?”
“What needs to be done. Just keep quiet and promise me you won’t antagonize them.”
“Cait, I’m not—”
“Promise me, Arabella.”
“Okay, okay. I promise.”
Before I could second guess myself, I grabbed the tray off the floor and smacked it against the door. “Hey, hey,” I yelled, “I need to speak with the boss. I need to talk to him.”
“Caitlin, are you mad?” Bella cried. What are you—”
“Shh,” I hissed. “I need to attract their attention. I can fix this, Bella. I can make it all okay.” I banged the tray against the door again. “Hey, come on, let me out. I need to—”
“What the fuck?” someone grunted from the other side of the door. I stepped back as it flung open.
“Do you have a fucking death wish?” He cocked a thick brow at me.
“I’m ready to talk.”
“Oh, you’re ready to talk, are you?” A sly smile tugged at his mouth. “That’s not how things work around—”
“We both know the boss wants me to cooperate, so tell him. Tell him I’m ready to do whatever he wants. All I ask is that she’s released. She isn’t any part of this.”
He studied me, muttering something about women under his breath. “Come with me.” He grabbed my shoulder and yanked me out of the room.
“Caitlin!” Bella screamed as the guy dragged me down the hall.
“Grayson, grab the other one,” the guy barked at a guy standing at the end of the hall.
“No, no, she’s no part of this. You have to let her go,” I shrieked.
“Not my call, darlin’.”
We reached another door and he banged it once.
“Enter,” a voice boomed, and the guy shouldered it open, dragging me inside. He pushed me hard and I crashed to my knees, pain slicing through me.
Inhaling a couple of breaths, I slowly lifted my head. “You,” I gasped, hardly able to believe my eyes. “But it’s not possible.”
“It’s been a long time, firefly.”
That single word sent a bolt of fear straight into my heart, and in that moment, I knew… I knew I couldn’t protect Arabella. My mom’s boyfriend didn’t care about right or wrong, or morals, or girls with their whole lives ahead of them. He only cared about business and keeping his associates happy.
I glanced over at Bella as she huddled in the corner of the room and my heart broke as I silently begged for forgiveness I knew would never come.
“I’m sorry,” I cried. “I’m so sorry.”
Chapter 26
Matteo
“What’s taking so long?” I tapped my foot against the floor, draining another whisky.
“That isn’t going to help anything,” my father eyed me with concern.
“Well, it’s either this or I go beat some answers out of DiMarco. Take your pick.”
After Nicco had delivered the blow that Caitlin wasn’t really Caitlin O’Donnell at all, our men had dragged Zander away to his office, where they had secured him until we could figure out what the hell to do.
But if he didn’t have Caitlin and Bella… who the hell did?
Nicco appeared with Enzo trailing behind him.
“Anything?” I leaped up.
“Nothing that makes sense.” Nicco motioned to the booth, and we all sat down. “Tommy was able to pull her cell phone number from DiMarco’s staff records.”
“He hacked his system?”
Nicco nodded.
“Okay,” I frowned, not really following.
“There was nothing unusual at first. But then when he pulled her cell phone records, he noticed she called the same number on the same day of every month, for the last couple of years.”
“Did he get a name?” my father asked.
“Yeah. Olivia Walsh. Born and raised in Rochester, New York until she moved to New Haven, Connecticut in the nineties. He’s running a more extensive search as we speak.”
“I don’t understand.” I raked a hand through my hair. “What is she running from?”