Page 65 of Heaven Help Me

Lottie claps her hands to her chest, her expression that of a woman winning a pageant and being crowned in front of an audience of her family and peers. “Why, thank you, Deuce! I’ve never received a finer compliment!”

If I don’t quit rolling my eyes, I’m going to get a headache. My stomach lets out an inelegant growl even my assistant can hear. “I’m going back home to collect Landry.” My stomach growls again, the precocious little bastard. “And have lunch.”

“You do that, boss,” Lottie says, clapping me on the arm. “I got the shop, but don’t forget I have to leave early today for my dentist appointment.”

“I’m just happy you’re getting your teeth cleaned for the first time,” I drawl, collecting my keys and scooting quickly out of the way when Lottie throws a bowtie at me. It falls to the floor a foot away from me. “You need to work on your aim, woman.”

I exit my own boutique to the creative curses of a woman who knows how to blister your skin with words alone. Which makes me think about Valentina, all warm curves and smelling like a basket of fruit waiting in my bed. I can’t wait to slap her right on that delicious ass, waking her up and watching her go from peaceful to vengeful in two seconds flat.

God, I truly think I love that woman. Like a lovesick fool, the smile stays on my face the whole drive home. Normally, I’d give myself a talkin’-to at this point. No woman is worth mooning over like this.

No woman but Valentina, that is.

I park in my driveway and bound up the porch stairs, already hollering for the woman who’s never left my thoughts, even after twenty years apart.

“You finally up, you little lazy head? Let’s get some grub and head in to town!”

I come to an abrupt stop right inside my front door. A single shard of pottery lies in the hallway. It’s not menacing in any way and yet all my senses go on high alert. Mumbled curses stream from my mouth as I duck against the wall and take in the scene with new eyes. On silent feet, I head for the living room and grab my gun out from under the couch. Now armed, I investigate, growing more and more concerned that Valentina hasn’t answered me.

I head straight for the kitchen, my breath seizing in my lungs when I see the rest of that pottery shattered, coffee pooling on the floor. Crouching down, I touch the coffee spill. Cold as iced tea.

“Shit,” I hiss, standing so fast I see stars in my vision. I clear the rest of the house and don’t find Valentina. Or an intruder.

But clearly one’s been here.

And they took my girl.

“What the fuck?” I spit into the phone the second Bettina answers.

She sighs, like she was just waiting for my call. “I’ve got it handled.”

I want to strangle someone. Make someone else feel as panicked as I do right now. “Handled?” I practically scream. “This doesn’t feel like you’ve got things handled. Valentina is missing.”

My brain is taking longer to catch up, probably due to the panic gripping my chest at the moment. While Bettina spits words at me that do nothing to make me feel better, I realize she answered like she already knew Valentina was taken.

“Where is she? Have you seen her? Who’s got her?” I interrupt, which I’m sure will piss her off, but I don’t have time for anything but finding Valentina right this second.

My phone is pinging with text messages but I don’t bother looking. It’s probably Silas and Rhett responding to my all-caps text asking if they’ve seen Valentina.

“She’s in a cabin, I think. She’ll be fine. He’s making threats, but I know he won’t hurt her.”

“Who?” I thunder, already heading out the door for my car.

Bettina sighs again, and I’m pretty sure she’s the person I’m going to strangle. “It’s Fazio.”

I tilt my head back to the hazy sky and let out a murderous yell. “I fuckin’ hate that guy!”

Bettina tsks in my ear. “Of course you do. You were both in love with the same woman. Now focus, Deuce.”

Rage steals my breath right out of my lungs, which is for the best. I would definitely say some inflammatory things when Bettina forbids me from trying to find Valentina.

“You’ll just give Fazio more leverage over me. Swear to me you won’t go after her.”

“Sure.”

It’s a lie.

Of course I’m going after Valentina. My mother should be smart enough to know this. Not my problem she thinks she can still order me around like a scared twelve-year-old.