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If this is all Daniel can do to help, I’m grateful to him. I know we’ve pushed him a lot, especially considering we’re on opposite sides of the law. But this is my life we’re talking about. This is my family.
I have to do what I have to do at this point. I can’t let Declan win. I can’t let him hurt Eva or my brothers because of his twisted need to hold onto power by any means necessary.
My mind goes back to the fear and panic that threatened to overwhelm me when I saw Evangeline sitting there, tied up and helpless in the DeLuccis’ web. I don’t want to lose her after we worked so hard to get to the place we’re at now.
But I know I can’t let myself relax, let myself go to her until I know she’s safe, until I know she’s protected from Declan and his mad bid for power.
Determination rises in my bones as I head home and take the stairs two at a time to my office. Slamming the files down onto the desk, I start flipping through them rapidly, hoping to come across something I haven’t thought of yet. Something that will show me how to beat Declan at his own game.
Most of the information is familiar, detailing Declan's known associates and past dealings.
But then, buried within the depths of one file, I discover something that sends a shockwave of realization rippling through me. It's a piece of evidence, a hidden connection that could be the key to unraveling Declan's web of secrets.
My fingers tremble slightly as I trace the damning information, my mind already racing with the implications. This isn't just a clue—it's a game-changer, a revelation that could shift the balance of power in our favor.
With a sense of urgency, I close the file, my determination burning brighter than ever. I know what I must do next, and as I prepare to take action, I can't shake the feeling that we're finally closing in on the truth about Declan's dark machinations.
35
OLIVER
My footsteps echo in the dimly lit alleyway as Doyle and I close in on our target.
The streets are eerily quiet, the usual hustle and bustle of the city fading into the background as we move with purpose.
Last night, Theo uncovered some information in Declan’s files that, while not directly relevant to our fight against him, pointed us in the direction of how to get to Isabella DeLucci.
She’s a big player in this, one of her father’s most trusted inner circle and possibly the key to unraveling this mystery.
Silent as the grave, Doyle and I stop and stare across the street at Isabella, who is leaning against the wall of a building across the street, the streetlamp illuminating her glossy brown hair. She’s on the phone, finishing up a call.
Her posture is relaxed, eyes scanning around her with curiosity but not awareness. Good. That means she has no idea we’re coming for her.
Once we head back to the sedan, Doyle gets into the driver’s seat and I sit in the back, poised to grab Isabella as soon as Frankie has stepped away.
Right on time, Frankie walks the half dozen or so feet away and lights up a cigarette, taking a deep puff at the edge of the alley.
Just as Isabella ends the call, we pull up beside her and I get out, wrestling her inside just as Frankie shouts at us, racing toward me to stop me.
But it’s too late. As soon as Isabella is inside the car, Doyle speeds off. Her fingers claw at my face, fighting me as we drive away, so I grab the syringe from my pocket and plunge it into her neck, injecting her with a sedative. It takes a few moments, but she finally goes limp against me.
Seizing the opportunity, I carefully bind her, ensuring that there’s no way for her to escape this hold while we transport her to our territory.
It’s time for Isabella DeLucci to reveal her secrets.
Once she’s properly secured, we head for a pub near the docks, deep in the heart of Callahan territory. Doyle and I carry her body down the back steps into the basement, and I get her secured so she’s hanging by her arms to a rope tied to the ceiling.
It doesn’t take long for the drugs to wear off in her system, and when they do and she blinks awake, I’m standing in front of her with a smile on my face.
“Welcome back, Princess,” I tell her, reaching out to stroke her cheek. She yanks her head away and spits at me, fire in her eyes.
“Vaffanculo,” she curses, glaring at me.
“No thanks. I don’t care for pasta,” I say, the smirk on my face growing wider.
“You’ve made some boneheaded decisions, Everhart, but this takes the cake,” she says, a bitter expression on her face. “My father will not take lightly to this. He’ll go after you and your brothers.”
I scoff, unfazed by her threats. “Need I remind you that Giovanni went after Evangeline?” I ask. “He intended to torture and kill her. You’re lucky that all I want from you is information.”
