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Resuming my seat back on the couch next to her, I pull her onto my lap, and she comes willingly. I wrap my arms around her and hold her to my chest as she cries.
After a few minutes, her sobs begin to lighten, but the sniffles are still there. She pulls back and peers up at me through her glazed over, bloodshot eyes that send a kick to my gut.
“I’m s-sorry,” she murmurs before breaking eye contact. Her puffy eyes and broken tone nearly break my soul.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Lux.I’msorry you had to see that picture, but we’re going to get her back. I promise you. I’ll do whatever it takes to get your mother back.”
She readjusts herself so she’s straddling me. Wrapping her hands in my hair, she places a soft peck on my lips before pulling away.
I gaze into her eyes. The eyes of a fighter. She’s been strong.Too strong. Having to deal with this: her mother’s kidnapping, finding her father, being forced into a marriage to a man who’s from a different world than hers. It’s a miracle she’s been able to hold it together for as long as she has.
“The emotions that I’m feeling right now. They’re too much. Please, Teo. Can you just hold me?”
“Anything you want,” I say before I reposition us on the couch with her leg draped over mine and hold her as she breaks down again. Her sobs are like torture, but I do my best to be here for her.
Comforting her.
Letting her know I’ll always be here no matter what.
43
MATTEO
Lux eventually fell asleep in my arms, so I moved her to our bed and left her there, knowing she needs the rest.
I walk down the hall and hear voices coming from my office. “Gentlemen,” I greet as I walk in. Everyone quiets down immediately. “I’m sure Enzo filled you all in on what’s going on,” I say as I look at four of my best men, one of them being the idiot I demoted for letting Lux and Isabella slip out while under his watch. But when it comes to men I trust and the skill set they hold, I know I’ll need him for this, even after the beating he took from Enzo. He’s lucky I told my brother to go easy on him or else he wouldn’t be here at all. Eddie was too comfortable as Isabella’s guard, so I need to get him back on his toes. This mission will do the job.
Enzo nods. “I informed them about the text that Lux received, and that we’re going to be infiltrating the Silvestris warehouse off forty-ninth tomorrow night. They’ll each lead a team of their own. We’ll make sure to have enough manpower to deal with whatever Silvestri sends our way.”
“I called you here to discuss a plan of attack. You all need to be wearing your tactical gear tomorrow night. That goes for the guys on your teams too. We need to be prepared. Silvestri sending that text means the start of a war, and I don’t plan on losing any of you because of it.” My men nod in unison.
“So the Silvestri’sdidkidnap her?” Enzo asks, confusion laced in his voice.I don’t blame him.
“It seems so.”
“It just doesn’t make sense. None of this adds up.”
I run my hand through my hair. “I know. I don’t know why we haven’t been able to find any evidence that points their way.”
Enzo shakes his head. “So what’s the plan, Boss?”
“We move forward with the evidence that we do have. We need to be smart about this,” I say, giving him a knowing look.
We spend the next hour going over the blueprints I got of the warehouse and going over our plan before I dismiss my men to go round up their teams.
While they leave, Enzo hangs back. “This isn’t making sense, Teo. Mauricio would’ve been in on this information. You and I both know that. He didn’t mention a damn thing at the strip club.”
“I know it doesn’t, which is why we need to take precautions in case this is a setup.”
I run my hands through my hair and start pacing, knowing the decision I have to make goes against everything my brother and I have been working toward. Bringing myself to a halt, my eyes settle on Enzo and by the look on his face, he already knows the next words I’m going to speak.
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get Lux’s mother back, Enzo. Even if that means making a deal with our enemy.”
44
LUXTYN
Isomehow slept through the entire night, even with everything I have on my mind. I woke up to an empty bed but am informed by Izzy that Teo is with Enzo and they’re figuring out a plan for tonight. By the time they get back to the house, it’s already nearing 8:00 p.m.
