Cara’s POV
I pushed my way through the sea of men gathered at the clearing in front of the mansion, stalking up to unknowing Luca, who was busy pelting orders at the men.
“Luca!”
He wheeled around, searching for the source of the voice, and his eyes widened into saucers when they saw me.
“Why are you here?”
I narrowed my eyes at him in disbelief.
“Why am I here? Why are you all here?”
“You’re not supposed to know.”
“That would’ve worked out if you didn’t give me the band.” I waved it in his face. “What do you mean Adonis is missing? Isn’t he meant to be at the hospital undergoing surgery by now?”
Luca avoided my gaze, and my heart skipped a beat. I drew in a shaky breath.
“What is it? Tell me what happened.”
I stumbled.
“Cara!”
“I’m fine. Tell me… tell me precisely.”
“He never made it to the hospital,” Luca replied in a small voice, but I heard it.
My stomach tightened in knots at his response. It can’t be what I’m thinking, right? There’s no way Adonis would give up so easily. He wouldn’t leave me.
My hand rested on my tiny bump.
He wouldn’t leave our baby.
“He was hijacked,” Luca added, and my hand automatically-involuntarily went flying to his face.
What was wrong with me tonight?
Conversations around us halted as they stared aghast. They were allowed to-I’d just slapped their second-in-command like it was natural.
I looked down at my hand, then at a stunned Luca.
“Why didn’t you say so at first? I thought you meant he was dead.”
He rubbed at his throbbing cheek.
“You could’ve asked. That hurt like a b*tch. Have you been working out again?” He mused, trying to make light of the situation and my cheeks flushed red in embarrassment.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me… I’ve been on the edge, and I-
Luca gave my shoulder a firm squeeze.
“Don’t sweat it. I understand, but I want you to prepare yourself for the worst, Cara. I know it’s hard to even consider it, but we need to. He was taken on the way to the hospital, so he couldn’t even get surgery, barely hanging on. He might not make it. Cara-
“No.” I shook my head in denial.
“Cara,”
“No. He’s stronger than you give him credit for. I refuse to believe that until I see him with my own two eyes.” I refuted firmly. “Give me the details.”
Luca sighed in resignation.
“I couldn’t go in the same van with him, but four of the men did. By the time we caught up, we found the van sitting empty at the crossroad to the hospital. All the men, including Adonis, are missing.”
“You searched around the area. Everywhere? Maybe they went in another van or switched cars?” I reasoned, but he shook his head negatory.
“We’ve searched thoroughly. Every nook and cranny, but we can’t find them.”
I looked around to see that everyone had resumed their business, occupied with one thing or the other that assisted the search. Armed men moved towards their cars, driving off in different directions, and the ones who weren’t leaving were on calls.
I felt cornered.
Why was it always one problem after the other? I thought we had ended it all. The Grecos were gone. Even Natasha was dead. Was there someone else involved?
Squinting my eyes at the men, a thought occurred to me.
“What if the men aren’t missing? What if it’s a set-up? Adonis is too weak to save himself, so it’s the perfect opportunity.”
“That’s impossible.” Luca asserted.
“It’s a probability.”
“Our men are loyal; they would never do that to their capo. More particularly, they’re our most trusted men. Mario and Freddy went along.”
His words made sense. Not that part about the men being loyal; anyone can switch sides at any time. But not Freddie and Mario.
From what I’d heard, their relationship with Adonis was one they would cherish for the rest of their life. They owed it to him.
But what do we do?
We had no lead, no suspect, not even the littlest idea of where he might be. My eyebrows knitted together in worry, and desperation began to fill me.
I’d been trying so hard to be strong, not to think of the current circumstances and the implications of the happenings, but that was only possible if we had a solution.
If I knew that he’d be found soon and at this rate, I doubted it.
I shifted uncomfortably on my feet, running my hand through my messy hair. My clothes were marred with dirt, and I looked exactly like my hair. Tiredness was starting to crawl in, yet I didn’t want to give in.
Who could’ve taken him and why?
“For now, Natasha’s father is our only suspect based on Antonio’s word,” Luca said, biting into my thoughts.
I must have said them out loud.
“I’ve sent some men over to get the feel of things. I know you’re worried, but the only thing we can do for now is wait. Come on.” He turned back, heading towards the house. “Whoever the culprit might be, there’ll be a lot to prepare, so I better get to work. Why don’t you rest a little? I’ll wake you up when we have a lead.”
Could I rest in a situation like this?
With how restless and distressed I was feeling, I thought sleep would be far from me, but the yawn that escaped my mouth at the word ‘rest’ said otherwise.
Being pregnant wasn’t an easy fit.
Lazily trotting behind him, I walked into the mansion, hoping to get a quick shut-eye. The stress of the eventful day was finally catching up with me.
As soon as we got in, Luca suddenly stopped, causing me to walk into his back.
A hiss and a string of curse words flew out of my lips.
“Why did you stop?”
He didn’t reply, and I manoeuvre around him to see what got him so astonished. My eyes slanted.
Oh.
“Natasha’s dead?” He asked, unsure-his expression like that of a man who was wondering if he was in a dream.
I didn’t say a word in reply. Now that I could think clearly, I was somewhat surprised.
Who knew I could use a gun?
One thing I was sure of is that I felt no regret and it was more than influence. Any reasonable person would say she deserved it.
Just as I turned towards the staircase, in the direction of my room, the mansion door was thrown open, and one of the men walked in.
“Boss Romano. We found the missing ancestral ring and a note underneath the car seat.”
I inhaled sharply.
“Give it to me,” Luca ordered.
His face scrunched up in disbelief as he read through the note.
“It can’t be…”
Straining my neck for a peek, it was hard to make out the words in writing, but my eyes lit up in recognition of the small emblem at the right corner of the fancy paper.
“I know that emblem.”
He jerked his head up.
“How? It belongs to the Spanish mafia, and no one has heard about them in years.”
I double-checked again to be sure-yet I didn’t need to because I’d recognize it anywhere.
“My father used to have a tattoo like that on his left arm.”