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“I hate y’all,” I breathe through my laughter.
“You should hate them feet. Rio, don’t allow her to carry that boy around, she’ll trip and drop him…oops,” Uncle Ernie throws in, shocking me.
“Someone tell Uncle E that growing his hair out and trying to look like he has a jheri curl, isn’t going to get him more votes,” I shoot back and fold my arms under my breasts.
“Ohhh, that’s my girl,” Toni sings and gives me five. “Besides, y’all didn’t see her walk up in here. I think my boy done knocked them feet straight.”
I groan and bury my face in my hands. Rio chuckles and pulls me into his arms to kiss the top of my head.
“Give me my grandson, Kurt. Carleen, come with me, we have a wedding to plan.” My mother comes to the rescue.
“But I thought she already married the boy.”
“She did, but they saved the wedding to have you heifers there,” Mom replies.
Dario’s phone starts to ring as he sits beside me. He pulls it out and answers.
“Wait, slow down, Dante. Bella was what?”
His face goes pale and then red in a matter of seconds. “I’m on my way,” he says and ends the call.
“What’s wrong?”
“Bella was kidnapped. I have to go. You and Matteo stay here. I’ll come back for you myself.”
“Okay,” I nod as he kisses my forehead.
Dario
I’m fuming as I ride the elevator up to Dante’s office with Apollo and Salvatore. I can’t believe this is happening. My twin sounded like he was losing his mind. I know how much Bella means to him. I’m not her father and I feel like setting some shit on fire.
The elevator dings and we step off, headed straight for the conference room Gio texted for me to head to. We’re going to homeschool our children or have a guard sit in the back of their classrooms. As I think about it, maybe I should assign Carleen a personal guard.
She’s not going to go for that. Fuck, I’ll try anyway.
I storm into the conference room and scan it for Dante. When I lock eyes with him, I give him a nod to let him know I’m here for him. Whatever he needs, I’ve got him and Bella. My niece will be returned safely.
“What do you need?” I ask as calmly as I can.
“He’s giving me two hours to get there. I need all of the men we have and someplace to bury the pieces of this fuck after I’m done with him.”
“Let’s go. I have all of that covered,” I reply with an ease I don’t feel.
“We can help,” Elijah says as he and the woman next to him step up. I narrow my eyes at the woman. Something about her nags at the back of my mind. I don’t have time to put my finger on it.
“I’m coming with you,” Lizzy says, breaking into my train of thought. I lose the thread I’m about to pull and focus on the task at hand.
“No, you’re not,” Dante barks, completely killing my train of thought. I shake it off and tune into the conversation.
“Dante, don’t,” Gio says firmly. “Let her come. We may need her skills.”
I watch my brother seethe as if wanting to argue. We don’t have time for this. From what I hear, Lizzy can handle her own.
It’s the only reason I allowed Carleen out of the house with her back in Italy. Gio told me my wife would be more than safe with her. Jace confirmed that she’s more lethal than Carleen has shown herself to be.
Knowing how much Carleen wanted to go out, I agreed. I get the feeling Gio is advising Dante correctly in the case, as Dante exhales. I know we are all on the same page.
“Fine, but not alone,” Dante says.
“I’ll call the girls,” Lizzy says.
Gio grunts and nods. This catches my attention. The girls? What girls?
I’m happy my brother has his daughter back, safe and sound. Although, I think I can speak for us all. While it was amazing to see Lizzy in action, we all wanted to be the one to put a bullet in that asshole.
Which leads me to my other burning thoughts. I’ve sat in my living room all night thinking this over until my curiosity needed to be quenched.
Gio is more than thorough. I can’t for the life of me see him allowing that Peter guy through as an intern. Not the all-seeing Gio and what Gio doesn’t see Jace does.
I’m starting to feel like I’m being played. Some shit just ain’t adding up. I know I said I was done chasing ghosts, but Gio and that crystal ball of his are very much alive and I want to know what he sees that made him give that motherfucker a pass that could have gotten Bella hurt.
