Tonight consists of two rescue missions; one at the Belvedere and one onboard Caviar Dreams, an exclusive luxury cruise liner and subsidiary operation of the Belvedere.
“If it involves Sybil, I have a right to know.”
Frustration and fear bleed through her tough exterior. It’s in the trembling of her chin, the shaking of her hands, and in the way she covers her stomach like she’s moments from getting sick.
I close the distance and place a finger beneath her chin. Lifting gently, I force her to look me in the eye. Tears brim in her turbulent gaze and she jerks away as a tear rolls down her cheek.
Maria is strong but fragile when it comes to her friend.
“I don’t understand why you won’t tell me.” Her fingers curl again, forming tight fists.
“I don’t have the details. If I did, I’d tell you. CJ invited you to a conversation. You can choose to hear what he has to say or return to the Belvedere.”
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll blab about everything I’ve seen?”
“If what I think is true, I strongly doubt that will happen. I see you.”
“See me?” She sniffs and swipes at her nose with the back of her hand. “You know nothing about me.”
“I know more than you think.”
I clasp my hands in front of me, letting my body relax. It’s the only way I know to be less threatening. I want her to feel comfortable opening up to me.
CJ wants me to gain her trust. It’s why he left me alone with her; to establish the groundwork before we can turn her to our side.
“Impossible.” She shakes her head, negating what I said.
I take a step toward her, curious whether she’ll stand her ground, retreat, or mirror my actions.
“Not impossible. You know your family is dirty.” I begin with a truth. Her response will determine what comes next.
Her chin lifts in challenge. Maria is miles away from extending any degree of trust, but if I can get her to turn on her family, it could be a total game changer.
This is a pivotal moment.
“You discovered that tonight. Worried about your friend, you uncovered an unsavory truth, and you’re reeling with what you’ve discovered.”
“Is that a guess?” She flicks her long hair over her shoulder. It’s a dismissive gesture, diminishing what I said.
It’s hard not to stare. Nearly black, her hair shimmers with the deepest blue, each layer darker than the one before, all gradually deepening to black. It’s mesmerizing, much like the woman herself.
What makes you tick, Miss Maria Rossi?
“Not a guess.” I thrust my hands in my pockets. “Your trust was gone the moment you realized Sybil was kidnapped.”
Maria ducks her head.
That’s the crux of it.
It’s the beginning and end. The moment when Maria realized her perfect world was rotten at its core.
“If you trusted the cops, you would’ve gone to them, but you didn’t.”
“You’re making a lot of assumptions.” She dismisses me.
“You didn’t call the cops. Instead, you chased after your friend. That kind of loyalty is rare.”
“Then tell me what you know about Sybil.”
When she reveals her emotions, the pain and hurt, along with her love for her friend, my protective instincts fully engage. I want to help this woman.
“I can’t tell you anything about Sybil because I don’t know how that op’s going.”
“Op?”
“The operation to rescue her.”
“So, they are doing something?”
“Yes.”
“That’s incredible. It’s everything.” A sob escapes her.
Overwhelmed, she lunges toward me. Her arms loop around my midsection and wrap around my back. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” She buries her face against my chest as deep, soul-crushing sobs pour out of her.
I fold my arms around her slender frame as the delicate scents of lilac and rose flood my senses. I can’t help but breathe her in, filling my lungs until they’re bursting with everything that is Maria Rossi.
I cup the back of her head, holding her while she cries. She fits perfectly in my arms.
I don’t know how long we stand there—it feels like forever—but the moment she pulls away, it’s as if I imagined the whole thing. Maria takes a step back and swipes at her cheeks. Her eyes focus on the ground, unable, or unwilling, to look at me.
Maybe she’s embarrassed by that sudden rush of emotion.
Entranced, I can’t tear my gaze away while she rebuilds her protective walls. It happens with a sniff of her nose, a curling of her fingers. Her hands tighten into fists. Her weight shifts forward then falls back. Slowly, she lifts her chin. Those stormy eyes of hers find my face and zoom in on my eyes.
“Sorry.” She wipes the tears away. “It’s a relief knowing someone’s doing something. I was … overwhelmed.” Another sniff and she unlocks our gazes. There’s a pull, then a snap, as if she takes a piece of me with her.
“We’re going to do everything we can to rescue your friend.” It’s important Maria knows something is being done. “Tell me about Sybil. What made you go looking for her?” My goal is to encourage her to open up.
Maria takes in a breath, holds it, then slowly exhales.
“Sybil and I are close. Sisters of another mother kind of close. We met when we were twelve. Share the same birthday. Went to the same prep school. Spent all our summers together. We went to Cornell together, and we’re both taking over our family’s business. Me with the Belvedere and Sybil with her parents’ resort in Hawaii. We text all day long. We call even more often.”
“I take it she didn’t text you?”
“She didn’t text me when she got to the spa. Didn’t text me pictures. Nothing.” Maria presses her lips together and takes in a deep breath. She tells me how she tried to find her friend.
Each time she speaks, I get a glimpse of the complexities that make up Maria Rossi.
“When she didn’t text me back or return my calls—and I left tons—I lost it.”
What were the clues that drove Maria? What is it that tipped her hand and sent her digging? She tells me everything she did to find her friend. I’m beyond impressed.
Her pain is real. It’s fresh and raw.
“Your brain and heart finally connected.” I feel sorry for Maria. Her entire life, everything she believes to be true, is gone.
“What do you mean?”
“The gap between what you knew versus what you wanted to feel. You wanted to feel the goodness around you, but it wasn’t there.”
“I guess that’s one way to put it.” Her entire expression falls.
It’s like watching a light go out, taking away her happiness and joy. Maria looks back at me, eyes dark, expression flat. Hope erased.
“Want to know the worst of it?”
“Sure.” I can’t imagine what could be worse than finding out your family is involved in human trafficking.
“All my life, the other kids teased me about my family’s wealth. They said my family was nothing more than a bunch of crooks. Our money was bad money. Tainted money. I thought they were jealous. Their family fortunes may come with prestige, but many of those families are struggling while my family was rising.”