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Jinx nods and pulls me toward the steps. All this time I thought the brief glimpses of gumption were rare, but maybe she would have always been headstrong if not for her upbringing.
We go room by room to find Zakiya. She is nowhere to be found in the enormous mansion. We try the other buildings on the property, the pool house, tennis courts, gym, and guest houses. With no other alternative, I wake the few staff that live on the premises to inquire if they’ve seen her.
Nothing.
I swallow my anger at her open defiance of the rules I set for her earlier tonight. But then another more unpleasant thought crosses my mind. Despite Zakiya’s efforts to downplay her looks, she is sexy. If I can see through her disguise, others can, too. Is that where she is now?
With another man? Giving him what belongs to me? Her lips, her breasts, her soft skin… her pussy, and more egregious of all, her voice moaning his name for giving her pleasure. Fuck that! Zakiya is fucking mine, and I’ll make sure she understands no one touches what belongs to me.
A sniff pulls me out of my vengeful thoughts. Jinx’s silent tears are no more. Though she tries to hold it in, a heartrending sob breaks through, dropping me to my knees.
There is no time to focus on Zakiya’s absence because each empty room results in Jinx fretting and weeping more and more. My daughter’s reaction to Zakiya’s absence worries me. I soothe her with promises of anything that comes to mind. First, Ireassure her Zakiya will return safely. I invent a story about her running errands that took her late into the night and she must be too tired to drive all the way out here so she has to stay with a friend. My explanation brought Jinx back to the silent tears stage, so I promise to buy her a pet. She wipes her eyes and soon they are red-rimmed but dry. With her calm restored, I ask her straightforward questions to understand what is driving her fear.
Then it clicks. Zakiya has been the only dependable presence in her life since the hell she endured. I’m too new to rely on, despite Jinx holding my hand. One thing is certain, there will be a reckoning when Zakiya returns.
To distract ourselves from the missing person, I take Jinx into the first room Zakiya will have to pass when she returns. We settle on the sofa in front of the TV and I hand Jinx the remote to select what she wants to watch on demand.
She chooses a kid’s show about a girl doctor who heals her stuffed toys. I eye the bear she is never without and shrug. At least she hasn’t developed the DeLuca thirst for blood. She goes from sitting a foot from me to plastering herself to my side.
When I feel her eyes on me for the sixth time, I ask, “Do you want to sit in my lap?”
She immediately crawls onto my lap and grabs one of my arms to hold her waist steady as she rests her head against my chest. After a few minutes, I peer down at her and she’s no longer watching the television. Her eyes are closed, the thick lashes brushing her cheeks solidify what I already know. È un angioletto.
My breath stalls in my throat and my heart twists in knots. I’m like a deer, too afraid to move and ruin the sweetest moment in my life. My daughter, who has been through so much shit she refuses to speak let alone touch just anybody, sought and gainedcomfort from me.Mewith my hands bloodied from the life I lead. And the kicker is, somewhere deep down she trusts me.
Somehow the taint Giulio has spread throughout my life doesn’t seem to matter when my little girl takes solace from me.
I’m a fucking mess, but I don’t care. Even if Jinx turns out to not have my DNA, she’s mine. Mine to protect and love. And I’ll end anyone who threatens her happiness.
I peer down at my daughter, entranced by her cherubic cheeks and lips pursed in sleep. Although her distress drove her into my arms, I’ll treasure this moment for the rest of my life. One thing is clear: the person at fault will need to be punished.
CHAPTER 12
Zakiya
After a hard heart-to-heart with Antari’s parents, I return to the van to check on my guests. They’re still out of it, but the sedative will wear off soon, and I need them docile until we reach our ultimate destination. I dose them again and drive the two hours out of town to my cabin.
I text Omari upon my arrival. He’s on standby to gather necessary information. Thanks to him, no one can trace this property back to me. The house lies in the middle of heavily forested land, and there are no neighbors for miles. It’s the ideal place for what I have in mind.
After transferring the three men into the cabin, I stage everything for when they awaken. I lay them out on the protective tarp covering the floor, use a knife to strip them of their clothes, and remove their shoes and jewelry. When I’m satisfied with my preliminary setup, I haul them up by their legs until they no longer touch the ground.
Tonight, I have to work fast. My return will be close to the time Jinx usually wakes up but my calling demands I do this service to society.
The first to rouse is the blond bodyguard who had the assault rifle. He is the largest of the three men. From the tattoos on his body and prominent button nose, his features place him as Eastern European. His hands show heavy scarring. Are the marks from abusing children or from protecting the abusers?
He groans, interrupting my musings.
It’s time for the ritual to begin.
“Where am I?” He raises his head but his eyes are glossy and unfocused.
“My little home away from home. A paradise of sorts, depending on your viewpoint. Now if my information is accurate, you are a mercenary for hire. Is that correct?”
“If you know so much, you’d know what a bad idea it is to interrupt our dealings.”
“Bad ideas give me life.” I smile to show him he can do nothing to instill fear in me. “And since tonight will be a smorgasbord of bad ideas, why don’t we start with you telling me how involved you get in thesedealings?”
He sneers at me. Does he not know heat from the glare of someone hanging upside down has no effect? “I’m a professional. My job is to make sure no one touches the goods before transfer.”
