Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 144832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 724(@200wpm)___ 579(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 724(@200wpm)___ 579(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
The room had the faint scent of mixed fragrances. He’d been there earlier, as the four women had gotten ready for the concert, all of them excited and laughing. Nicoletta rarely laughed. She didn’t talk as much as the three others, and when she did, her voice was always pitched very soft, but he always listened for every word. For all her wild-child ways, she brought a sense of peace to him when he’d never felt that before. He hoped he brought the same to her.
He moved from shadow to shadow, going through the suite, making certain Armando Lupez or any of the members of the local chapter of the Demons hadn’t gotten there before him. Pia and Bianca Basso sat on the bed in one bedroom, suitcases out and packed, cell phones in hand, texting but talking to each other even as their fingers and thumbs were busy sending out messages, presumably to Nicoletta and Clariss.
“What happened, Bianca?” Pia asked. “What exactly did Nicoletta say to you? Did you see Clariss? I didn’t see anything. I just ran because you did, and Nicoletta kept saying to run. I didn’t even see Clariss.”
Bianca looked like she’d been crying. She nodded. “These men had guns and they were chasing after us. I didn’t know them. They seemed to know Nicoletta. She was really afraid of them. One of them grabbed Clariss. I saw them pull her backward by her hair. I don’t know what to do. I can’t get Nicoletta on her phone. We can’t just leave her. Or Clariss. If we call the cops, I don’t even know what we’d say. If we call Mom, she’ll freak out, and we can’t call Stefano because we don’t have his number.”
Taviano rode the shadow back to the front door of the suite, opened it, left it propped open and hastily went to Nicoletta. She’d gotten sick again, but she was steady as she took his hand and entered the suite, hastily calling out to her friends.
Pia and Bianca came running, charging out of the bedroom, nearly knocking Nicoletta down as they hugged her. Taviano stood behind her, his arms around her, holding her so she wouldn’t be taken to the floor. The two sisters blurted out so many questions at once there was no way to sort them out and Nicoletta didn’t even try. Taviano took charge.
“We’re going to have visitors soon and they aren’t going to be pleasant. You’ll have to save the questions and explanations for later. Nicoletta, you need to wash up and change so you can go with Pia and Bianca to a safe house with my cousins. I’ve put in a call to them …”
He had cousins, riders who would help if he needed it, and who would also make certain Pia and Bianca were safe—and, most importantly, that Nicoletta was.
She shook her head. “Absolutely not. Don’t bother arguing with me, Taviano. I’m washing up, but I’m going with you to find Clariss. Get this done, keep Pia and Bianca safe, and we’ll find Clariss. If she’s with them, we’ll go home together.”
He shook his head. “Absolutely not.”
“We’ll talk about this later.”
Taviano wanted to strangle her. She was more stubborn than he’d ever thought possible, but he should have. She would have never managed to survive all she’d gone through if she hadn’t been able to dig down and find that will and do whatever needed to be done. He didn’t have the time to argue, and she knew it.
“Use Pia’s or Bianca’s cell if anything goes wrong to inform Stefano immediately. He’ll call our cousins. They know the situation and are on their way to us. They’ll identify themselves to you, Nicoletta. They’ll use the family name and Stefano’s name. If that doesn’t happen, you don’t leave that room. Are we clear?”
“Very.”
“Then go.”
Nicoletta indicated the bedroom with her chin, and her friends obeyed. He thought that was telling as well. Nicoletta was younger and much more fragile-looking. She was curvier, yes, but beneath that darker skin, she was pale and sick-looking, clearly not recovered from her ride in the shadows. But she was completely confident, and Pia and Bianca went with her immediately, without hesitation.
Taviano heard the furniture being moved in front of the door. That was his woman, not taking any chances. She had the good sense to know another barrier might be needed just in case. Taviano could get in, but no one from the Demons could enter, at least not quickly.
He moved through the living area, dimming the lights, making certain to cast shadows where he wanted them. He hoped they would bring Clariss. If they did, he could leave Pia, Bianca and Clariss with his cousins and go straight home to be ready when Benito Valdez came with his army to take Nicoletta. Benito had four brothers, and once he was dead, they would have to contend with them, but his family could hunt them. They would have no reason to associate Nicoletta with the Ferraros. They might still try to find her, but the Ferraros would be actively looking for them.