Page 123 of Power & Punishment

Glass shatters, echoing against the walls.

I thought throwing something would make me feel better, but I can’t escape the invisible hand squeezing my chest.

“We know where they are,” Dante says, throwing his hands in the air. “Why aren’t we there already?”

“We need a plan,” Michael says, being the only voice of reason in this room. “It’s obviously a trap. If we let Leo walk in there empty-handed⁠—”

“So what? It’s his fault my sister is in this position. I don’t give a shit what happens to him. I’m not losing her.”

“He’s right,” I reply weakly, exhausted from the rollercoaster of guilt and anger. “Mia is the priority.”

Michael mumbles something under his breath, but it’s hard to hear over the voice in the back of my head. I hear his footsteps approaching, but I can’t bother to lift my head when he comes into my peripheral.

“You honestly can’t be this dumb. You know this is a trap.”

“I need her back, Michael. I can’t explain it. I just do.”

“You don’t have to explain,” he sighs. “You’re in love with her.”

It’s true.

Every breath, heartbeat, and step feels meaningless without her beside me. When I lost my parents, the DeLuca’s gave me a second chance at a family. I’ve never felt lonely with them in my life. But what I didn’t realize is I didn’t have to feel lonely to be incomplete.

She filled that last little void in my soul and made me hopeful for the future for the first time in a long time.

And now she’s gone, and everything feels gray again.

Dante scoffs from across the room, finally taking a break from his meaningless pacing. “Great. He’s in love. Can we move on before my sister ends up in the bottom of the Hudson?”

I ignore him, looking up at Michael. His expression is unreadable as usual. “If you go in there like this, he’s going to use your emotion against you. That’s what he does.”

“I know how he operates,” I say, gritting my teeth.

“Well, then start acting like it.”

He’s right. I’ve been underestimating Adrian as another person in Enzo’s pockets, but I was wrong.

And not only is Mia suffering because of my ignorance, but her brother died because of it too.

I hang my head, resting my elbows on my knees. I need to think. Really think.

“Where’s the address he sent?”

Michael hands me his phone with a map pulled up. “Northern New Jersey. Practically the middle of nowhere with woods on all sides and only one access road in and out.”

“So, it’s a suicide mission.”

“It’s the perfect place to keep two hostages,” Michael says plainly, like this is just another day.

I stare at the map, going down a list of things we do know.

Adrian doesn’t want me dead. He could’ve easily had me killed the night of my accident.

And if he didn’t need me for something, Mia would already be dead.

He wants me to walk in desperate and ready to do anything to get her back. He wants me to grovel and beg for his forgiveness.

It’s what I would want if I was in his position.