Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 22626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22626 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
I don't even recall running back down the stairs to the main floor, throwing the door open so hard that it slams against the wall. The clatter of wine glasses and silverware stops at the sound, and when I turn the corner into the bar, everyone is staring at me.
"Everyone in the meeting room. NOW. We've got work to do."
There's a pause where no one moves, but I'm not fucking around. My voice is dangerously calm. "That wasn't a suggestion. Get your asses moving."
I turn on my heel, not waiting for them to follow me. I know they will. When I reach the meeting room, I pace, trying to get a grip on the rage and fear making my pulse thunder in my ears.
Someone took her from me. Someone hurt her. And I'm going to make them wish they'd never been born.
The others start filing in, taking their seats, but I can barely look at them. They're all suspects, as far as I'm concerned.
"What the hell is going on, Boss?" one of the men—Lorenzo, a Caporegime—asks, breaking the silence.
"You're here because there's a rat in this room, and I want to know who it is."
There are murmurs of confusion, but I don't care.
"Someone was in my office today while I was gone, and they hurt someone very important to me." I push my suit jacket aside, hand resting on my pistol as I scan the group. "She was bleeding. There was blood. I'm not letting anyone walk out of here until I find out who the fuck did this."
"We'll find her, Boss, but this isn't the way to do it," Lorenzo says. "Just tell us what to do.”
"Someone sold Enzo out. And now they've taken Emilia. I don't want to think it's any of you, but that doesn't mean I won't do whatever the hell it takes to find out."
My voice is deadly, and everyone knows I mean business. They all know what I'm capable of. Hell, in the last week, some of them have seen me make grown men beg for their lives with nothing more than my words and my fists.
"I want every inch of this city searched. Someone has seen something, and we're going to find out who. Do you understand? And if any harm comes to her..." I let my voice trail off. I don't need to finish the threat.
They nod, murmuring agreements. Lorenzo clears his throat. "Boss, we should probably call in the Underboss. He isn't here."
Fucking Marco. A thread of suspicion shoots through me, but I keep my expression steady. Surely Enzo's hand-picked second wouldn't dream of being a traitor. "Do it."
The men file out, and I watch them leave, my jaw clenched so tight it's painful. The Underboss might be Enzo's man, but he's also one of the few people who has access to my office. I trust him implicitly, and the idea that he could betray me is more than I can fathom.
But he's the most obvious choice. He knew where I'd be earlier, and that Emmy was alone.
Lorenzo stays and tries to call Marco once, and then twice, and by the third attempt with no answer, he's gone pale. "Boss, he's not picking up."
Fuck. "Lorenzo, keep your answer short. Could Marco be the rat?"
Lorenzo hesitates, and that's all I need to know.
"Find him."
It takes longer than I want to compile a list of places Marco could be hiding Emmy—the irony isn't lost on me that she could have done the job in minutes—but despite sending crews of soldiers out, we've come up short.
It isn't until I'm at Emmy's desk, rummaging through it to find any sort of clue about where she could be, that I find a document labeled "properties to sell". It’s a list of warehouses and safe houses marked as unneeded by the family, and from Emmy's notes, all of them have been offloaded to buyers.
If these properties were sold, they wouldn't be in any of the family records anymore. Anyone could have bought them. It’s the perfect place to hide someone.
I curse, shoving the papers back onto Emmy's desk and dialing Lorenzo's number. When he answers, I don't give him time to speak. "I'm going to send you a list of addresses. I want them searched immediately."
"We'll find her, Boss."
I end the call without another word, pulling up the list and texting the addresses to Lorenzo. I should probably stay put, but I can't stand waiting here anymore. If I stay in this office, I'm going to lose my mind.
I head down to the parking garage and climb into my car. It's reckless, maybe, but if Marco is the one who has Emilia, then I have to be there when we find him. I won't let him hurt her. Not ever again.
The city flies by around me, but I barely notice. All I can think about is finding Emmy. It's been hours since I found her office in disarray, and every minute that passes makes me fear the worst. I should have protected her better. I should have never let her out of my sight.