***LONDON’S POV***
I am sated when I wake up the next morning and when I turn around, I notice Zane isn’t in bed with me.
Annoyed, I move around looking for him.
Downstairs, a bowl of breakfast is waiting for me in the dining room and I sit, Mia is there but she looks so tired.
More like she had been crying all fucking night.
“Are you alright?” I ask sympathetically.
She shakes her head and groans from that little act.
“Hey, what’s the matter?” I ask rubbing my hands across her shoulder.
“Nothing, just eat, please?” she asks.
We eat in companionable silence, and with a little aggressive sputter here and there, I finish my meal and look at Mia, holding my breath for a moment.
“What is going on?” I inquire.
“Nothing, London. The men went out to find a lead on Oliver, I am just sick and miserable because I know this is my fault,” she says and her shoulders sack again, before I know it, she starts crying.
“Okay, Mia, calm down, okay? You didn’t do this, and that motherfucker would have found a way to have Dante even if it meant hurting you to get him,” I say.
It makes my stomach churn from that simple notice and closing my eyes, I wait for the nausea that hits me to calm down.
Sure that it wouldn’t come bursting out of my mouth when I try to talk, I go for it again.
“You didn’t do anything, Mia. It could have been anyone,” I tell her, sniffing.
“I know. Oh, London, I am so sorry it happened,” she cries.
This time, I break down in tears, shaking violently, I cry for my boy and the fact that I don’t know where he is.
He could be any fucking where now, and I wouldn’t know it.
“Did the men tell you where they were going to start searching?” I ask holding my breath.
Mia shakes her head, then, pity goes to her eyes as she figures that her silence won’t help me.
“I am sorry, London. I am useless and of no help,” she murmurs.
Pushing my chair back, I go to Mia and hug her. She is like the sister I never had and she has been nothing but sweet and fair towards me.
I might not have known her for long when I was in Italy, but she was good and cool.
Shaking her a little bit, I stare at her face frowning.
“Don’t give me that lame response, Mia, this is not you. Do you get that?” I screen.
When she opens her mouth to defend herself, I shake my head halting that too.
“No, Mia. Don’t! You were there when Oliver took Dante alone. That shouldn’t have been you there, it should have been me because I am the mother. Now, I feel terrible because my baby is gone and I wasn’t even there to try to protect him,” I say, the last part coming out as a whisper.
When Mia breaks down in tears, I don’t help it, I cry with her, hiccupping until we can’t help it again.
“Could we sit in the cinema room and watch a movie? I can get ice cream and Popcorn,” she says sniffing.
Nodding, I know this is what I should engage in to bring my mind out of the fact that Dante isn’t here.
Like this morning, he would have been in my arms taking his morning hugs, that would have been nice. I love brushing the hair away from his forehead and also placing kisses on it.
“Sure. This is a good idea,” I exclaim helping her to set the board of snacks ready.
**
I don’t know how long we spent in the movie room because it might have been a long time. We binged watched two seasons of some supernatural show. I only went to the bathroom twice or so times, and Mia too.
We cried every time our hearts thought of my boy and then, clearing the air, we went back to watching the TV.
Mia dozed off first and I followed suit. It was later that night when I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around me, I was being lifted up, and I opened my eyes.
Zane’s image before me wavers before I close my eyes again.
“Daddy?” I mouth out softly as I feel him shift in his movement.
“Yes, baby. I see you’ve had so much fun,” he says his voice light and humorless.
I don’t answer him because I doze off into sleep but when I hear the door click closed, I know we are in our room and the bed seems to reach as Zane puts me down.
“Thank you,” I mouth.
“Thank you for what?” Zane asks confusion lacing his voice.
Tempting to open my eyes, I see him staring at me in wonder. This man is so whipped by me.
“For carrying me to the room and not letting me fall,” I exhale, shifting harder into him.
Zane smells like something raw, like smoke burnt with from many things. Not being able to place my mind around that smell, I rapidly brush it to the side, knowing that it’s of no use.
“Get to bed, little girl. Good night,” he states softly.
I am drawn to Zane’s voice and I fall asleep.
I fucking don’t know how long I had been asleep for or if was I aware of my surrounding but when I heard the vibrations of a phone, at first, I thought it was mine.
I only know it wasn’t mine when Zane’s deep voice speaks through the phone.
“Yes, Cobra?” he answers and I tense in my sleep.
What kind of name was that? I had gotten used to Reaper and Sinner, but who the fuck was Cobra?
“I know what we have to do if we need to get back my son. Oh, he is the heir of my legacy. I have no choice. I will bring her in the morning. Okay, we will meet then,” he says.
When the call ended and Zane turned to me, our eyes connected and so were the words he just spoke.
“Hi, Zane,” I say.